< U-Esta 5 >

1 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesithathu uEsta wagqoka ezobundlovukazi, wema egumeni elingaphakathi lendlu yenkosi, maqondana lendlu yenkosi. Inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wayo endlini yesikhosini iqondene lomnyango wendlu.
Awo ku lunaku olwokusatu, Kabaka yali atudde ku ntebe ey’obwakabaka mu kisenge ekinene ekyolekera omulyango, Eseza n’ayambala ebyambalo bye ebyobwannabagereka, n’ayimirira mu luggya olw’omunda olwokubiri okwolekera ekisenge ekyo ekinene.
2 Kwasekusithi inkosi ibona uEsta indlovukazi emi egumeni, wazuza umusa emehlweni ayo; inkosi yasimelulela uEsta intonga yobukhosi yegolide eyayisesandleni sayo. Wasesondela uEsta wathinta isihloko sentonga yobukhosi.
Kabaka bwe yalengera Nnabagereka Eseza ng’ayimiridde mu luggya, n’aganja mu maaso ge era n’amugololera omuggo ogwa zaabu ogwali mu mukono gwe. Awo Eseza n’asembera n’akoma ku musa gw’omuggo.
3 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Ulani, ndlovukazi Esta? Lesicelo sakho siyini? Uzasinikwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
Kabaka n’alyoka amubuuza nti, “Oyagala ki Nnabagereka Eseza? Era kiki ky’osaba? Onookiweebwa ne bwe kinaaba ekitundu ky’obwakabaka.”
4 UEsta wasesithi: Uba kukuhle enkosini, kayize inkosi loHamani edilini engiyenzele lona.
Awo Eseza n’addamu nti, “Kabaka bw’anaasiima, ajje ne Kamani leero ku mbaga gye nfumbidde Kabaka.”
5 Inkosi yasisithi: Phangisisani uHamani ukuthi enze ilizwi likaEsta. Ngakho yeza inkosi loHamani edilini uEsta ayelenzile.
Amangwago Kabaka n’agamba nti, “Mwanguwe okuyita Kamani ajje tugende ku mbaga Eseza gyateeseteese.”
6 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta edilini lewayini: Siyini isicelo sakho? Njalo uzasinikwa. Siyini-ke isifiso sakho? Kuzakwenziwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
Awo bwe baali banywa wayini, Kabaka n’addamu n’abuuza Eseza nti, “Wegayirira ki era osaba ki? Kinaakuweebwa. Ne bwe kinaaba ekitundu ky’obwakabaka kinaakuweebwa.”
7 UEsta wasephendula wathi: Isicelo sami lesifiso sami yilokhu:
Eseza n’amugamba nti, “Kye negayirira era kye nsaba kye kino.
8 Uba ngithole umusa emehlweni enkosi, futhi uba kukuhle enkosini ukupha isicelo sami lokwenza isifiso sami, inkosi loHamani kabeze edilini engizalenzela bona. Kusasa-ke ngizakwenza njengokwelizwi lenkosi.
Obanga ŋŋanze mu maaso ga Kabaka era ng’anaasiima okuddamu okusaba kwange, n’okutuukiriza kye neegayirira, nkusaba kabaka ne Kamani mujje enkya ku mbaga gye nnaabategekera. Olwo nno, nzija kuddamu ekibuuzo kya kabaka.”
9 UHamani wasephuma mhlalokho ethokoza elenhliziyo enhle. Kodwa uHamani ebona uModekhayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi kasukumanga lokuthi kamthuthumelelanga, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoModekhayi.
Ku lunaku olwo Kamani n’afuluma nga musanyufu era ng’ajaguza mu mwoyo. Naye bwe yalaba Moluddekaayi mu wankaaki wa Kabaka, nga tayimuse wadde okulaga nti amussaamu ekitiibwa, Kamani n’asunguwalira nnyo Moluddekaayi.
10 Kodwa uHamani wazithinta, wafika endlini yakhe; wasethuma walanda abangane bakhe loZereshi umkakhe.
Wakati mu ebyo byonna Kamani n’azibiikiriza era n’addayo eka. Oluvannyuma n’atumya mukyala we Zeresi ne mikwano gye,
11 UHamani wasebalandisela udumo lwenotho yakhe, lobunengi bamadodana akhe, lakho konke inkosi eyayimkhulise ngakho, leyamphakamisa ngakho phezu kweziphathamandla lenceku zenkosi.
era n’abeewaanirako ekitiibwa n’obugagga bwe, bwe byenkana obungi, n’abaana be bwe benkana obungi, n’ebitiibwa byonna Kabaka bye yamuwa, ate ne bwe yakuzibwa okusinga abakungu ba Kabaka n’abaana be.
12 UHamani wasesithi: Yebo, uEsta indlovukazi kangenisanga muntu kanye lenkosi edilini alenzileyo ngaphandle kwami; njalo lakusasa nginxuselwe kuye lenkosi.
“Ate si ekyo kyokka,” Kamani n’ayongerako na kino nti, “Nnabagereka Eseza teyaganyizza muntu mulala n’omu kuwerekera Kabaka ku mbaga gye yategese, wabula nze; era n’enkya ampise ŋŋende wamu ne Kabaka.
13 Kanti konke lokhu kakungenelisi ngalutho ngaso sonke isikhathi ngibona uModekhayi umJuda ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
Naye ebyo byonna tebimpa mirembe nga nkyalaba Moluddekaayi Omuyudaaya ng’atudde ku wankaaki wa Kabaka.”
14 UZereshi umkakhe labo bonke abangane bakhe basebesithi kuye: Kakwenziwe ugodo ubude obuzingalo ezingamatshumi amahlanu; kusasa-ke uthi enkosini kabalengise uModekhayi kulo, ubusungena lenkosi edilini uthokozile. Njalo loludaba lwalulungile phambi kukaHamani, waselwenza ugodo.
Awo mukazi we Zeresi ne mikwano gye gyonna ne bamugamba nti, “Bazimbe akalabba obuwanvu bwako, mita amakumi abiri mu ssatu, enkya bw’onooyogera ne Kabaka, Moluddekaayi anaawanikibwa okwo, kale olyoke ogende ku mbaga ne Kabaka ng’oli musanyufu.” Ekirowoozo ekyo kyasanyusa nnyo Kamani, era akalabba ne kazimbibwa.

< U-Esta 5 >