| ← Esther (4/10) → |
| 1. | UMordekhayi esekwazile konke okwenziweyo, uMordekhayi wadabula izigqoko zakhe, wagqoka ilembu lesaka lomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi, wakhala ukukhala okukhulu lokubabayo, |
| 2. | weza waze waba phambi kwesango lenkosi, ngoba kwakungekho ongangena esangweni lenkosi egqoke ilembu lesaka. |
| 3. | Lakuso sonke isigaba lesigaba, indawo lapho ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho okwakufika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kumaJuda, lokuzila ukudla, lokukhala inyembezi, lokulila; amanengi alala emalenjini amasaka lemlotheni. |
| 4. | Kwasekufika amantombazana kaEsta labathenwa bakhe bamtshela; indlovukazi yasidabuka kakhulu, yathumela izembatho zokugqokisa uMordekhayi, lokususa kuye ilembu lakhe lesaka, kodwa kazemukelanga. |
| 5. | UEsta wasebiza uHathaki omunye wabathenwa benkosi eyayimmisele yena, wamlaya ngoMordekhayi ukuthi azi ukuthi kuyini lokuthi kungani. |
| 6. | UHathaki wasephuma waya kuMordekhayi egcekeni lomuzi elaliphambi kwesango lenkosi. |
| 7. | UMordekhayi wamtshela konke okwenzeke kuye, lengcazelo yemali uHamani athi uzayilinganisela kokuligugu kwenkosi ngamaJuda ukuwachitha. |
| 8. | Wasemnika ikhophi yombhalo womthetho eyanikwa eShushani ukuwachitha ukuthi ayitshengise uEsta, lokuthi amtshele, lokuthi amlaye ukuthi angene enkosini, ukumncengela, lokucelela abantu bakibo phambi kwakhe. |
| 9. | UHathaki wasesiza wamtshela uEsta amazwi kaMordekhayi. |
| 10. | UEsta wasekhuluma loHathaki, wamnika umlayo usiya kuMordekhayi wokuthi: |
| 11. | Zonke inceku zenkosi labantu bezigaba zenkosi bayakwazi ukuthi, loba ngubani, owesilisa loba owesifazana, ongena esiya enkosini egumeni elingaphakathi, engabizwanga, kulomthetho owodwa ngaye woku m bulala, ngaphandle kokuthi inkosi imelulele intonga yobukhosi yegolide, ukuze aphile; kodwa mina kangibizwanga ukungena enkosini lezinsuku ezingamatshumi amathathu. |
| 12. | Basebemtshela uMordekhayi amazwi kaEsta. |
| 13. | UMordekhayi wasesithi ephendula uEsta: Ungacabangi engqondweni yakho ukuthi uzaphepha endlini yenkosi okwedlula wonke amaJuda. |
| 14. | Ngoba uba uthula lokuthula ngalesisikhathi, usizo lenkululeko kuzamela amaJuda kuvela kwenye indawo, kodwa wena lendlu kayihlo lizabhubha. Ngubani kambe owaziyo ukuthi ufikile embusweni ngenxa yesikhathi esinje? |
| 15. | UEsta wasesithi ephendula uMordekhayi: |
| 16. | Hamba ubuthanise wonke amaJuda atholakala eShushani, lingizilele ukudla, lingadli linganathi insuku ezintathu ubusuku lemini; lami lamantombazana ami sizazila ukudla ngokufananayo; ngokunjalo-ke ngizangena enkosini, okunganjengokomthetho; njalo uba ngibhubha, ngizabhubha. |
| 17. | UMordekhayi waseqhubeka wenza njengakho konke uEsta amlaye khona. |
| ← Esther (4/10) → |