U-Esta 4
1 UModekhayi esekwazile konke okwenziweyo, uModekhayi wadabula izigqoko zakhe, wagqoka isaka lomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi, wakhala ukukhala okukhulu lokubabayo,
Kwathi uModekhayi esezwile ngakho konke okwasekwenziwe, wadabula iziqgoko zakhe, wagqoka amasaka okulila, wazihuqa ngomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi ekhala kakhulu njalo kabuhlungukazi.
2 weza waze waba phambi kwesango lenkosi, ngoba kwakungekho ongangena esangweni lenkosi egqoke isaka.
Kodwa wahamba wayafika esangweni lenkosi, ngoba akulamuntu owayevunyelwa ukungena egqoke amasaka okulila.
3 Lakuso sonke isabelo lesabelo, indawo lapho ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho okwakufika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kumaJuda, lokuzila ukudla, lokukhala inyembezi, lokulila; amanengi alala emasakeni lemlotheni.
Kuzozonke izabelo lapho isimiso somthetho lomlayo wenkosi okwafika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kubaJuda, bazila ukudla, bakhala njalo belila. Abanengi balala emlotheni begqoke amasaka okulila.
4 Kwasekufika amantombazana kaEsta labathenwa bakhe bamtshela; indlovukazi yasidabuka kakhulu, yathumela izembatho zokugqokisa uModekhayi, lokususa kuye isaka lakhe, kodwa kazemukelanga.
Kwathi izinceku zika-Esta kanye labathenwa bakhe befika bemtshela ngoModekhayi, waba lokudabuka okukhulu. Wamthumela izembatho zokuthi agqoke endaweni yamasaka okulila, kodwa wala ukuzamukela.
5 UEsta wasebiza uHathaki omunye wabathenwa benkosi eyayimmisele yena, wamlaya ngoModekhayi ukuthi azi ukuthi kuyini lokuthi kungani.
U-Esta wasebiza uHathakhi, omunye wabathenwa benkosi owayekhethwe ukuba yinceku yakhe, wamlaya ukuba ayedingisisa lokho okwakukhathaza uModekhayi lembangela yakho.
6 UHathaki wasephuma waya kuModekhayi egcekeni lomuzi elaliphambi kwesango lenkosi.
Ngakho uHathakhi waya kuModekhayi egcekeni ledolobho phambi kwesango lenkosi.
7 UModekhayi wamtshela konke okwenzeke kuye, lengcazelo yemali uHamani athi uzayilinganisela kokuligugu kwenkosi ngamaJuda ukuwachitha.
UModekhayi wamtshela konke okwakwenzakale kuye, kugoqela inani lemali uHamani ayethembise ukulibhadala lingene enothweni yenkosi kusenzelwa ukubhujiswa kwamaJuda.
8 Wasemnika ikhophi yombhalo womthetho eyanikwa eShushani ukuwachitha ukuthi ayitshengise uEsta, lokuthi amtshele, lokuthi amlaye ukuthi angene enkosini, ukumncengela, lokucelela abantu bakibo phambi kwakhe.
Wamupha njalo amazwi esimemezelo leso ayesekhutshwe aba ngumthetho omisiweyo wokubhujiswa kwabo, owawumenyezelwe eSusa, ukuze awutshengise u-Esta njalo amchazele ngawo; njalo wamtshela ukuthi amkhuthaze ukuba aye enkosini ukuyacela isihawu sayo encengela abantu bakibo.
9 UHathaki wasesiza wamtshela uEsta amazwi kaModekhayi.
UHathakhi wabuyela wayamtshela u-Esta lokho okwakukhulunywe nguModekhayi.
10 UEsta wasekhuluma loHathaki, wamnika umlayo usiya kuModekhayi wokuthi:
Yena wasemlaya ukuba athi kuModekhayi,
11 Zonke inceku zenkosi labantu bezabelo zenkosi bayakwazi ukuthi, loba ngubani, owesilisa loba owesifazana, ongena esiya enkosini egumeni elingaphakathi, engabizwanga, kulomthetho owodwa ngaye wokumbulala, ngaphandle kokuthi inkosi imelulele intonga yobukhosi yegolide, ukuze aphile; kodwa mina kangibizwanga ukungena enkosini lezinsuku ezingamatshumi amathathu.
“Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi kanye labasezigodlweni ezabelweni bayakwazi ukuthi inkosi ilomthetho owodwa zwi kuloba yiphi indoda loba owesifazane osondela enkosini angene endlini ephakathi engabizwanga; kufanele abulawe, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi yelule intonga yayo yegolide imkhombe ngayo ukuze impilo yakhe iphephe. Kodwa, sekwedlule amalanga angamatshumi amathathu selokhu ngacina ukubizelwa enkosini.”
12 Basebemtshela uModekhayi amazwi kaEsta.
Kwathi amazwi ka-Esta ebikwa kuModekhayi,
13 UModekhayi wasesithi ephendula uEsta: Ungacabangi engqondweni yakho ukuthi uzaphepha endlini yenkosi okwedlula wonke amaJuda.
waphendula wathi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngoba wena usendlini yenkosi nguwe wedwa kuwo wonke amaJuda ozaphepha.
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?
Nxa ungala uthule ngalesisikhathi, usizo lokukhululwa kwamaJuda kuzavela kwenye indawo, kodwa wena kanye lemuli kayihlo lizabhubha. Njalo kwazi bani, ukuthi uze kulesi sikhundla sobukhosi ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi na?”
15 UEsta wasesithi ephendula uModekhayi:
U-Esta wasethumela impendulo le kuModekhayi:
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.
“Hamba uyebuthanisa ndawonye wonke amaJuda aseSusa, lingizilele ukudla. Lingaze ladla loba ukunatha okwensuku ezintathu, ebusuku lemini. Mina kanye lezincekukazi zami sizazila njengani. Nxa lokhu sekwenziwe, ngizakuya enkosini loba nje lokho kungekho emthethweni. Nxa ngisifa, ngiyabe ngifile.”
17 UModekhayi waseqhubeka wenza njengakho konke uEsta amlaye khona.
Ngakho uModekhayi wasuka wayakwenza lokho okwakulaywe ngu-Esta.
