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.
Pazuva rechitatu Esteri akapfeka nguo dzake dzouhosi ndokumira muruvazhe rwomukati momuzinda, pamberi peimba yamambo. Mambo akanga akagara pachigaro chake choushe mumba, akatarisana nomukova.
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.
Paakaona vaHosi Esteri vakamira muruvanze, akafadzwa naye ndokumutambanudzira tsvimbo yake yegoridhe yaiva muruoko rwake. Naizvozvo Esteri akaswedera ndokubata muromo wetsvimbo.
3 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Ulani, ndlovukazi Esta? Lesicelo sakho siyini? Uzasinikwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
Ipapo mambo akamubvunza achiti, “Uri kureveiko, vaHosi Esteri? Chikumbiro chako ndecheiko? Kunyange hafu youshe uchaipiwa.”
4 UEsta wasesithi: Uba kukuhle enkosini, kayize inkosi loHamani edilini engiyenzele lona.
Esteri akati, “Kana zvichifadza mambo, mambo ngaauye nhasi pamwe chete naHamani, kumabiko andakugadzirirai.”
5 Inkosi yasisithi: Phangisisani uHamani ukuthi enze ilizwi likaEsta. Ngakho yeza inkosi loHamani edilini uEsta ayelenzile.
Mambo akati, “Hamani ngaauye nokuchimbidza, kuti tiite zvinokumbirwa naEsteri.” Naizvozvo mambo naHamani vakaenda kumabiko akaitwa naEsteri.
6 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta edilini lewayini: Siyini isicelo sakho? Njalo uzasinikwa. Siyini-ke isifiso sakho? Kuzakwenziwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
Pavakanga vachinwa waini, mambo akabvunzazve Esteri achiti, “Zvino, chikumbiro chako ndechei? Uchachipiwa. Uye unokumbireiko? Kunyange hafu youshe, uchapiwa.”
7 UEsta wasephendula wathi: Isicelo sami lesifiso sami yilokhu:
Esteri akapindura akati, “Chichemo changu nechikumbiro changu ndeichi:
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.
Kana ndanzwirwa nyasha namambo uye kana zvichifadza mambo kupedza chichemo changu nokuzadzisa chikumbiro changu, mambo ngaauye mangwana naHamani kumabiko andichavagadzirira. Ipapo ndichapindura mubvunzo wamambo.”
9 UHamani wasephuma mhlalokho ethokoza elenhliziyo enhle. Kodwa uHamani ebona uModekhayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi kasukumanga lokuthi kamthuthumelelanga, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoModekhayi.
Pazuva iro, Hamani akaenda achifara nomufaro mukuru mumwoyo make. Asi paakaona Modhekai pasuo ramambo uye akaona kuti akanga asingasimuki kana kuratidza kutya pamberi pake, akazara nehasha nokuda kwaModhekai.
10 Kodwa uHamani wazithinta, wafika endlini yakhe; wasethuma walanda abangane bakhe loZereshi umkakhe.
Zvakadaro hazvo, Hamani akazvidzora ndokubva aenda kumba. Akadana shamwari dzake pamwe chete naZereshi, mukadzi wake,
11 UHamani wasebalandisela udumo lwenotho yakhe, lobunengi bamadodana akhe, lakho konke inkosi eyayimkhulise ngakho, leyamphakamisa ngakho phezu kweziphathamandla lenceku zenkosi.
Hamani akavarondedzera nezvepfuma yake zhinji, zvokuwanda kwavanakomana vake, uye nenzira dzose dzaakaremekedzwa nadzo namambo nokuti akakwidziridzwa sei pamusoro pamamwe makurukota navabati.
12 UHamani wasesithi: Yebo, uEsta indlovukazi kangenisanga muntu kanye lenkosi edilini alenzileyo ngaphandle kwami; njalo lakusasa nginxuselwe kuye lenkosi.
Hamani akatizve, “Hazvisi izvozvo chete, ndini chete munhu akakokwa navahosi Esteri kuti ndiperekedze mambo kumabiko aakatiitira. Zvino andikokazve mangwana pamwe namambo.
13 Kanti konke lokhu kakungenelisi ngalutho ngaso sonke isikhathi ngibona uModekhayi umJuda ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
Asi zvose izvi handigutsikani nazvo kana ndichiona muJudha uyu Modhekai agere pasuo ramambo.”
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.
Mukadzi wake Zereshi neshamwari dzake dzose vakati kwaari, “Misa matanda akareba makubhiti makumi mashanu, ugokumbira mambo panguva dzamangwanani kuti Modhekai asungirirwepo. Ipapo ugoenda namambo kumabiko nomufaro.” Shoko iri rakafadza Hamani, ndokubva aita kuti matanda amiswe.
