Esta
7 Ngako inkhosi kanye naHamani+ befika edzilini lebelentiwe yiNkhosikati Esta. 2 Ngelilanga lesibili, nasekunatfwa liwayini, inkhosi yaphindze yatsi ku-Esta: “Ufuna ngikwentele ini Nkhosikati Esta? Ngitjele, futsi ngitakunika kona. Ucelani? Ngisho nobe ungacela ihhafu yembuso wami, ngitakunika yona!”+ 3 INkhosikati Esta yaphendvula yatsi: “Awu nkhosi, nangabe ngitfole umusa emehlweni akho futsi nangabe ukubona kukuhle, ngicela ungisindzise futsi ngiyakuncenga nekutsi usindzise bantfu bakitsi.+ 4 Mine nebantfu bakitsi sitsengisiwe,+ sitawubulawa, sibhujiswe futsi sicotfulwe.+ Kube mane besitsengiswe kutsi sibe tigcili netigcilikati bengitawubindza. Kodvwa-ke lenhlekelele itayilimata inkhosi, ingayizuzisi ngalutfo.”
5 INkhosi Ahashiveroshi yabese ikhuluma neNkhosikati Esta yatsi: “Ngubani lomuntfu lonesibindzi sekwenta intfo lenjena, futsi ukuphi?” 6 Esta watsi: “Lesitsa lesilwa natsi ngunanguHamani lokhohlakele.”
Hamani wesaba kakhulu, esaba inkhosi nenkhosikati. 7 Inkhosi yaphuma kulelidzili itfukutsele kakhulu yaya engadzeni yasesigodlweni, kodvwa Hamani wasukuma wancenga iNkhosikati Esta kutsi imentele umusa, ngobe bekabona kutsi inkhosi itamjezisa. 8 Inkhosi yabuyela lapho bebanatsela khona liwayini futsi yakhandza Hamani atijike etikwasofa lobewuhleti Esta. Yamemeta yatsi: “Kantsi lendvodza seyifuna nekudlwengula inkhosikati ekhatsi endlini yami?” Yatsi nje nayicedza kusho lamavi, bavele bambonya buso baHamani. 9 Habona,+ longulomunye wetiphatsimandla tenkhosi, wabese utsi: “Hamani ulungise nelugodvo lwekulengisa Modekhayi+ lowaletsa umbiko lowasindzisa inkhosi.+ Lolugodvo lumiswe ngasendlini yaHamani futsi lungemamitha langaba ngu-22* budze.” Nayiva loko, inkhosi yatsi: “Mlengiseni kulo.” 10 Ngako Hamani bamlengisa kulolugodvo lebekalilungisele Modekhayi, futsi intfukutselo yenkhosi yehla.