U-Esta 7 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Ukuchithwa lokuphanyekwa kukaHamani

¹ Basebehambake inkosi loHamani ukuyakudla lenkosikazi uEsta.

² Ngosuku lwesibili besanatha iwayini inkosi yabuya yathi kuEsta: Loba kuyini okucela kimi, nkosikazi Esta, uzakunikwa khona; loba kuyini ofisa ngikwenzele khona, loba kuyingxenye yombuso wami, kuzakwenziwa.

³ Inkosikazi uEsta waphendula wathi: Uba ngifumene umusa emehlweni enkosi, loba kukuhle enkosini, isicelo sami lokuncenga kwami yikuthi mina labantu bakithi siyekelwe siphile.

⁴ Ngoba mina labantu bakithi sithengisiwe ukuba sibhujiswe sibulawe siphele; uba bekuyinto yokuba sithengiswe ebugqilini abesilisa labesifazana ngokufananayo, ngabe ngithule; ngoba bekungafanele ukuba sicele inkosi ukusivikela kulokho.

⁵ Inkosi uAhasuweru yasisithi enkosikazini uEsta: Ngubani, futhi ungaphi lowomuntu obeqonde ukwenza okunje na?

⁶ UEsta wathi: Isitha lomhluphi nguye lo uHamani omubi. UHamani waseqhaqhazela phambi kwenkosi lenkosikazi.

⁷ Inkosi yasuka edilini ngokuthukuthela okukhulu, yaya esivandeni sesigodlo; uHamani yena wasala khonapho ukuba azincengele ukuphila kwakhe kuEsta, ngoba wabona ukuthi inkosi izimisele ukumchitha.

⁸ Kwathi inkosi isibuyile edilini ivela esivandeni sesigodlo. uHamani wayeseziphosele phezu kombheda, uEsta ecambalele kuwo; inkosi yasibabaza isithi: Hawu! Uzakudlova inkosikazi khonapha phambi kwami endlini yami na? Kwathi inkosi isand’ukuwatsho lawomazwi, bahle bambomboza ubuso bukaHamani.

⁹ UHaribona omunye wabathenwa owayelenkosi wathi: Emzini kaHamani kumi ugodo ubude balo buzingalo ezingamatshumi amahlanu, yena uqobo ubelulungisele uMoridekayi owake wayikhonza kuhle inkosi. Inkosi yathi: Mlengiseni kulo uHamani.

¹⁰ Basebemlengisa kulologodo ayelulungisele uMoridekayi. Ngemva kwalokho kwasekudeda ukuthukuthela kwenkosi.