U-Esta 3
1 Emva kwalezizindaba inkosi uAhasuwerusi yamkhulisa uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, yamphakamisa, yabeka isihlalo sakhe phezu kwazo zonke iziphathamandla ezazilaye.
Ngemva kwalezo zehlakalo, inkosi u-Ahasuweru wenza uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umʼAgagi waba lodumo ngokumphakamisa, wamupha isikhundla esiphakemeyo, esihloniphekayo ukwedlula esezinye zezikhulu zonke.
2 Ngakho zonke inceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zakhothama zamkhonza uHamani, ngoba inkosi yayilaye ngokunjalo ngaye. Kodwa uModekhayi kakhothamanga kakhonzanga.
Zonke iziphathamandla zesigodlweni esangweni lenkosi zaguqa phansi zamkhothamela uHamani, ngoba inkosi yayilaye lokho ngaye. Kodwa uModekhayi kazange amkhothamele loba amkhonze.
3 Izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zasezisithi kuModekhayi: Kungani useqa umlayo wenkosi?
Ngakho iziphathamandla zesigodlweni esangweni lenkosi zabuza uModekhayi zisithi, “Kungani ungalaleli umlayo wenkosi?”
4 Kwasekusithi zikhuluma laye insuku ngensuku, kodwa engazizwanga, zamtshela uHamani ukuze zibone ukuthi amazwi kaModekhayi azakuma yini; ngoba wayezitshelile ukuthi ungumJuda.
Bakhuluma laye insuku ngezinsuku kodwa wala ukwenza lokho. Ngakho bamtshela uHamani ngalokho befuna ukubona kumbe isenzo sikaModekhayi sasizakwamukeleka, ngoba wayebatshelile ukuthi yena ungumJuda.
5 UHamani esebonile ukuthi uModekhayi kakhothamanga njalo kakhonzanga kuye, uHamani wagcwala intukuthelo.
Kwathi uHamani ebona ukuthi uModekhayi kamguqeli njalo kamkhonzi, wathukuthela kakhulukazi.
6 Wesedelela emehlweni akhe ukumthela isandla uModekhayi yedwa, ngoba babemtshelile abantu bakibo kaModekhayi, ngakho uHamani wadinga ukuchitha wonke amaJuda, ayesembusweni wonke kaAhasuwerusi, abantu bakibo kaModekhayi.
Kwathi ngoba esekwazi ukuthi uModekhayi udabuka ngaphi, wawulahla umqondo wokubulala uModekhayi yedwa. Kodwa uHamani wadinga indlela yokubulala bonke abomhlobo kaModekhayi, amaJuda, kuwo wonke umbuso ka-Ahasuweru.
7 Ngenyanga yokuqala, eyinyanga uNisani, ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili wenkosi uAhasuwerusi, baphosa iPuri, eliyinkatho, phambi kukaHamani, kusukela osukwini kusiya osukwini, njalo kusukela enyangeni kusiya enyangeni yetshumi lambili, eyinyanga uAdari.
Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili wokubusa kuka-Ahasuweru, ngenyanga yakuqala, inyanga ethiwa nguNisani, benza inkatho ethiwa yiphuri phambi kukaHamani ukuze bakhethe usuku lenyanga. Inkatho yadla inyanga yetshumi lambili, inyanga ethiwa yi-Adari.
8 UHamani wasesithi enkosini uAhasuwerusi: Kukhona abantu abathile abahlakazeke basabalala phakathi kwabantu ezabelweni zonke zombuso wakho; lemilayo yabo yehlukile kweyabo bonke abantu, lemilayo yenkosi kabayenzi; ngakho kakufanelanga enkosini ukuthi ibayekele bahlale.
UHamani wasesithi eNkosini u-Ahasuweru, “Kukhona abantu abathile abahlakazeke basabalala phakathi kwabantu abasezabelweni zonke zombuso wakho abalemikhuba eyehlukene leyabantu bonke, njalo abangalaleli imithetho yenkosi. Inkosi akumelanga ibayekelele kulokho.
9 Uba kulungile enkosini, kakubhalwe ukuthi bachithwe, njalo ngizalinganisa amathalenta esiliva azinkulungwane ezilitshumi ezandleni zabenzi bomsebenzi, ukuze afakwe kokuligugu kwenkosi.
Nxa lokhu kulungile enkosini, kakube lesimemezelo somthetho wokuba babhujiswe. Mina ngizafaka phakathi kwengcebo yesigodlweni amathalenta esiliva alitshumi lenkulungwane ukuphathisa amadoda azakwenza umsebenzi lo.”
10 Inkosi yasikhupha indandatho yophawu lwayo esandleni sayo, yayinika uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha samaJuda.
Ngakho inkosi yakhupha indandatho yophawu lwayo emunweni yayipha uHamani indodana kaHamedatha, umʼAgagi, isitha samaJuda. Inkosi yathi kuHamani,
11 Inkosi yasisithi kuHamani: Isiliva usinikiwe, labantu, ukwenza ngabo njengokuhle emehlweni akho.
“Gcina imali le, wenze ebantwini njengokuthanda kwakho.”
12 Kwasekubizwa ababhali benkosi ngenyanga yokuqala ngosuku lwetshumi lantathu lwayo; kwasekubhalwa njengakho konke uHamani ayekulayile, ezikhulwini zenkosi lakubabusi ababephezu kwesabelo lesabelo, lakuziphathamandla zesizwe lesizwe sesabelo lesabelo, njengokombhalo waso, labantu ngabantu ngokolimi lwabo; kwabhalwa ebizweni lenkosi uAhasuwerusi, kwananyathiselwa ngendandatho yophawu lwenkosi.
Kwathi ngosuku lwetshumi lantathu ngenyanga yokuqala onobhala besigodlweni babizwa. Babhala ngokulotshwa kwesabelo sinye ngasinye njalo ngolimi lwabantu balesosabelo, yonke imilayo kaHamani eyayisiya kuziphathamandla zenkosi, ababusi bezabelo ezehlukeneyo kanye lasezikhulwini ezaziphethe abantu abehlukeneyo. Yayibhalwe ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru ngokwakhe njalo yadindwa ngophawu lwendandatho yakhe.
13 Incwadi zathunyelwa ngesandla sezigijimi kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi ukuchitha, ukubulala, lokubhubhisa wonke amaJuda, kusukela komutsha kusiya komdala, abantwanyana labesifazana, ngasuku lunye, ngolwetshumi lantathu lwenyanga yetshumi lambili, eyinyanga uAdari, lokuthi kuphangwe impahla yawo.
Izincwadi zathunyelwa ngezithunywa kuzozonke izabelo zenkosi kulomlayo wokuba kubhujiswe, kubulawe njalo kutshabalaliswe wonke amaJuda, abatsha labadala, abesifazane labantwana ngelanga elilodwa, ilanga letshumi lantathu lwenyanga yetshumi lambili, enyangeni ethiwa ngu-Adari, njalo lokuphanga impahla yabo.
14 Ikhophi yombhalo yokuthi umlayo unikwe kuso sonke isabelo ngesabelo yayisobala kubo bonke abantu ukuze balungele lolosuku.
Amazwi esimemezelo leso ayezakhutshwa abe ngumthetho omisiweyo kuzozonke izabelo, aziswe bonke abantu bakuzo zonke izizwe ukuze bazilungiselele lolosuku.
15 Izigijimi zaphuma ziphangisiswa yilizwi lenkosi, lomthetho wanikwa eShushani isigodlo. Inkosi loHamani basebehlalela ukunatha, kodwa umuzi iShushani wawusanganisekile.
Izithunywa zakhuthazwa ngumlayo wenkosi, zaphuma zakhupha umthetho omisiweyo esigodlweni saseSusa. Inkosi loHamani bahlala phansi banatha, kodwa abedolobho laseSusa badideka.
