| ← Esther (2/10) → |
| 1. | Emva kwalezizinto, ulaka lwenkosi uAhasuwerusi seludedile, wamkhumbula uVashiti, lalokho ayekwenzile, lalokho okwaqunywa ngaye. |
| 2. | Izinceku zenkosi ezaziyisebenzela zasezisithi: Kakudingelwe inkosi amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle. |
| 3. | Inkosi imise-ke ababonisi kuzo zonke izigaba zombuso, ukuze babuthanise wonke amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle, eShushani isigodlo, endlini yabesifazana, esandleni sikaHegayi, umthenwa wenkosi, umlondolozi wabesifazana, lokunika okokuqhola kwawo. |
| 4. | Kuthi intombazana enhle emehlweni enkosi ibe yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. Indaba yayilungile-ke emehlweni enkosi, yenza njalo. |
| 5. | Kwakukhona indoda engumJuda eShushani isigodlo, obizo layo lalinguMordekhayi indodana kaJayiri indodana kaShimeyi indodana kaKishi, umBhenjamini, |
| 6. | owayethunjwe eJerusalema kanye labathunjwa ababethunjwe loJekoniya inkosi yakoJuda, uNebukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni owayebathumbile. |
| 7. | Njalo wayesondla uHadasa, onguEsta, umntakamalumakhe, ngoba wayengelayise kumbe unina; njalo intombi yayiyinhle ngesimo njalo ikhangeleka kuhle; ekufeni-ke kukayise lonina uMordekhayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe. |
| 8. | Kwasekusithi sekuzwakele ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho wayo, lapho sekubuthaniswe izintombi ezinengi eShushani isigodlo esandleni sikaHegayi, uEsta laye wathathwa wasiwa endlini yenkosi esandleni sikaHegayi, umlondolozi wabesifazana. |
| 9. | Lentombi yayiyinhle emehlweni akhe, yazuza umusa phambi kwakhe; wasehle eyinika amakha ayo lezabelo zayo, lamantombazana akhethiweyo ayisikhombisa ukuyinika avela endlini yenkosi; wayisusa wayifaka yona lamantombazana ayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazana. |
| 10. | UEsta wayengakhulumanga abantu bakwabo lomhlobo wakhe, ngoba uMordekhayi wayemlayile ukuthi angakukhulumi. |
| 11. | Langalo lonke usuku ngosuku uMordekhayi wayehambahamba phambi kweguma lendlu yabesifazana ukwazi impilakahle kaEsta lokuthi kuyini okuzakwenzeka kuye. |
| 12. | Lekufikeni kwezopha lentombi ngentombi ukungena enkosini uAhasuwerusi ekucineni sekwenziwe kuye njengomthetho wabesifazana, inyanga ezilitshumi lambili, ngoba ngokunjalo kwagcwaliseka insuku zamakha awo, inyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure*, lenyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha okuqhola, lang amanye amakha abesifazana. |
| 13. | Ngalokho-ke intombi yangena enkosini; loba kuyini ekutshoyo izakunikwa ukuthi ihambe lakho isuka endlini yabesifazana isiya endlini yenkosi. |
| 14. | Ntambama yangena, lekuseni ibuyele endlini yesibili yabesifazana, esandleni sikaShashigazi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabafazi abancinyane; kayingenanga futhi enkosini ngaphandle kokuthi inkosi ithokoze ngayo, ibizwe ngebizo. |
| 15. | Kwathi selifikile izopho likaEsta, indodakazi kaAbihayili umalumakhe kaMordekhayi owayemthethe waba yindodakazi yakhe, lokuthi angene enkosini, kacelanga lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabesifazana akutshoyo. UEsta wayesemukela-ke umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo. |
| 16. | Ngokunjalo uEsta wasiwa enkosini uAhasuwerusi endlini yayo yesikhosini ngenyanga yetshumi, eyinyanga kaTebethi, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo. |
| 17. | Inkosi yasimthanda uEsta okwedlula bonke abesifazana, wemukela umusa lesihe phambi kwayo okwedlula zonke intombi, yasibeka umqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe, yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. |
| 18. | Inkosi yasisenzela zonke iziphathamandla zayo lenceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili likaEsta. Yenzela izigaba ukuphumula, yapha izipho njengokwamandla enkosi. |
| 19. | Kwathi intombi sezibuthanisiwe okwesibili, uMordekhayi wayehlezi esangweni lenkosi. |
| 20. | UEsta wayengakhulumanga umhlobo wakhe labantu bakibo, njengoba uMordekhayi wamlaya, ngoba uEsta wenza umlayo kaMordekhayi njengalapho esondliwa elaye. |
| 21. | Ngalezozinsuku uMordekhayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi, oBigithani loTereshi abathenwa ababili benkosi, abalindi bombundu, bathukuthela, badinga ukuyithela isandla inkosi uAhasuwerusi. |
| 22. | Njalo udaba lwaziwa kuMordekhayi, waselutshela uEsta indlovukazi; njalo uEsta wayitshela inkosi ebizweni likaMordekhayi. |
| 23. | Lolodaba seluhlolwa, lwatholakala lunjalo; ngakho bobabili baphanyekwa esihlahleni. Kwasekubhalwa egwalweni lwemilando phambi kwenkosi. |
| ← Esther (2/10) → |