1 Mhlalokho inkosi u-Ahasuweru yanika iNdlovukazi u-Esta impahla kaHamani, isitha samaJuda. UModekhayi weza phambi kwenkosi, ngoba u-Esta wayesechazile ngobuhlobo babo. 2 Inkosi yakhupha indandatho yayo yophawu lobukhosi, eyayisiyithathele uHamani, yayipha uModekhayi. U-Esta wamkhetha uModekhayi ukuba aphathe impahla kaHamani.

3 U-Esta wabuye wancenga enkosini, eziwisela ezinyaweni zayo njalo ekhala. Wayicela ukuba inqabele icebo elibi likaHamani umʼAgagi, ayelicebe ngamaJuda. 4 Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esta owasukuma wama phambi kwayo. 5 Wathi, “Nxa kuyithokozisa inkosi, njalo nxa ingamukela ngokuthokoza ibona kuyinto efanele ukwenziwa, njalo nxa ithokoza ngami, akubhalwe umlayo ozachitha izincwadi ezalotshwa nguHamani indodana kaHamedatha, umʼAgagi, ezazibhalwe ngezimiso zokuchitha amaJuda kuzozonke izabelo zenkosi.

6 Kambe kungavuma njani ukubona incithakalo isehlela abantu bakithi? Kungavuma njani ukuba ngibone incithakalo yemuli yakithi?”

7 Inkosi u-Ahasuweru waphendula iNdlovukazi loModekhayi umJuda ngokuthi, “Ngoba uHamani ehlasele amaJuda, sengiphe u-Esta impahla yakhe, njalo sebemlengise esakhiweni sokulengisa.

8 Ngakho-ke bhala omunye umlayo ngebizo lenkosi usenzela amaJuda njengokubona kwakho, ubusuyingcina ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, ngoba awukho umbiko olotshwe ngebizo lenkosi wangcinwa ngophawu lwendandatho yayo ongadilizwa.”

9 Onobhala besigodlweni bahle babizwa masinyane, ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lantathu ngenyanga yesithathu, inyanga ethiwa nguSivana. Babhala yonke imilayo kaModekhayi kumaJuda, lakuziphathamandla, kubabusi lakuzikhulu kuzozonke izabelo ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa (127) kusukela e-Indiya kuze kuyefika eTopiya. Imilayo leyo yayibhalwe ngombhalo walelo lalelo lizwe ngolimi lwalabobantu njalo lakubaJuda ngombhalo wabo lolimi lwabo.

10 UModekhayi wabhala ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru, wangcina izincwadi lezo ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, wathuma izithunywa ezazigada amabhiza ayelesiqubu efuyelwe ukusetshenziswa yinkosi.

11 Isimiso somlayo wenkosi sasinika amaJuda kuwo wonke amadolobho imvumo yokuhlangana lokuzivikela; ukuchitha, ukubulala babhubhise yonke impi ehlomileyo eyaloba yisiphi isizwe loba isifunda esasingabahlasela kanye labesifazane labantwana; lokuthi baphange impahla yezitha zabo.

12 Ilanga elamiswayo ukuba amaJuda enze lokho kuzozonke izabelo zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru lalingeletshumi lantathu ngenyanga yetshumi lambili, inyanga ethiwa ngu-Adari. 13 Isimiso somlayo lowo sasizakhutshwa sibe ngumthetho kuzozonke izabelo, umenyezelwe ebantwini bezizwe zonke ukuze amaJuda ahlale elungele ngalelolanga ukuphindisela ezitheni zawo.

14 Izithunywa zaphuma ngokuphangisa zigade amabhiza esigodlweni, zifuqwa ngumlayo wenkosi. Isimiso somlayo samenyezelwa edolobheni laseSusa.

15 UModekhayi wasuka phambi kwenkosi egqoke izembatho zobukhosi ezilombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka lomhlophe, umqhele wegolide omkhulu kanye lesembatho esiyibubende eselembu lelineni elihle. Kwaba ledili lentokozo edolobheni laseSusa.

16 Kwaba yisikhathi sokuthaba lokuthokoza, injabulo lodumo kubaJuda. 17 Kuzozonke izabelo lakuwo wonke amadolobho, ingqe lapho isimiso somlayo wenkosi esaya khona, kwaba lentokozo lenjabulo kubaJuda, kwaba lamadili kwadliwa. Abantu abanengi bakwezinye izizwe baba ngabaJuda ngenxa yokwesaba amaJuda.

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