U-Esta 9

1 Kwathi ngenyanga yetshumi lambili, eyinyanga uAdari, ngosuku lwetshumi lantathu lwayo, sekusondele ilizwi lenkosi lomlayo wayo ukuthi kwenziwe, ngosuku izitha zamaJuda ezazithemba ukuwabusa ngalo, kwaguquka, ngoba amaJuda ngokwawo abusa kwababewazonda.

2 AmaJuda abuthana emizini yawo kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi uAhasuwerusi ukwelulela isandla kulabo ababedinge ukulinyazwa kwawo; njalo kakho owayengema phambi kwawo, ngoba ukwesabeka kwawo kwakwehlele bonke abantu.

3 Zonke-ke iziphathamandla zezabelo, lezikhulu, lababusi, labenzi bomsebenzi inkosi eyayilabo, basiza amaJuda, ngoba ukwesabeka kukaModekhayi kwakubehlele.

4 Ngoba uModekhayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, lodumo lwakhe lwahamba kuzo zonke izabelo, ngoba lindoda uModekhayi yaqhubeka ikhula.

5 Ngakho amaJuda atshaya phakathi kwezitha zawo zonke ngokutshaya kwenkemba lokubulala lokubhubhisa, enza ngabazondi bawo ngokwentando yawo.

6 EShushani isigodlo amaJuda asebulala abhubhisa abantu abangamakhulu amahlanu,

7 loParishanidatha, loDalifoni, loAsiphatha,

8 loPoratha, loAdaliya, loAridatha,

9 loParimashita, loArisayi, loAridayi, loVayizatha.

10 Amadodana alitshumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha samaJuda, awabulala; kodwa kawelulelanga isandla sawo empangweni.

11 Ngalolosuku inani lababulawayo eShushani isigodlo lafika phambi kwenkosi.

12 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta indlovukazi: EShushani isigodlo amaJuda abulele abhubhisa abantu abangamakhulu amahlanu lamadodana alitshumi kaHamani. Enzeni kwezinye izabelo zenkosi? Siyini-ke isicelo sakho? Njalo uzasinikwa. Siyini-ke isifiso sakho futhi? Njalo sizakwenziwa.

13 UEsta wasesithi: Uba kulungile enkosini kawavunyelwe amaJuda aseShushani ukwenza lakusasa njengokomthetho walamuhla; lamadodana alitshumi kaHamani kabawalengise egodweni.

14 Inkosi yasisithi kwenziwe njalo; kwasekunikwa umthetho eShushani, lamadodana alitshumi kaHamani bawalengisa.

15 AmaJuda eyeseShushani asebuthana futhi ngosuku lwetshumi lane lwenyanga uAdari, abulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani; kodwa kawelulelanga isandla sawo empangweni.

16 Amanye kumaJuda ayesezabelweni zenkosi abuthana-ke amela impilo yabo, aphumula ezitheni zawo, abulala kwabawazondayo izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu; kodwa kawelulelanga isandla sawo empangweni.

17 Kwakungosuku lwetshumi lantathu lwenyanga uAdari. Asephumula ngolwetshumi lane lwayo, alwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili lentokozo.

18 Kodwa amaJuda aseShushani abuthana ngolwetshumi lantathu lwayo langolwetshumi lane lwayo; asephumula ngolwetshumi lanhlanu lwayo, alwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili lentokozo.

19 Ngenxa yalokhu amaJuda emaphandleni ahlala emizini emaphandleni enza usuku lwetshumi lane lwenyanga uAdari lwaba ngolwentokozo ledili, losuku oluhle, lolokuthumelana izabelo.

20 UModekhayi wasezibhala lezizinto, wathumela izincwadi kuwo wonke amaJuda ayekuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi uAhasuwerusi, aseduze lakhatshana,

21 ukumisa phakathi kwabo ukwenza usuku lwetshumi lane lwenyanga uAdari losuku lwetshumi lanhlanu lwayo kuwo wonke umnyaka ngomnyaka,

22 njengokwensuku amaJuda aphumula ngazo ezitheni zawo, lenyanga eyaphendulwa kuwo kusuka osizini kusiya kuntokozo, lekulileni kube lusuku oluhle, azenze zibe zinsuku zedili lentokozo, lezokuthumelana izabelo, lezipho kubayanga.

23 AmaJuda emukela lokho ayesekuqalile ukukwenza, lalokho uModekhayi ayewabhalele khona.

24 Ngoba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha sawo wonke amaJuda, wayecebe mayelana lamaJuda ukuwachitha, waphosa iPuri, eyinkatho, ukuwachoboza lokuwabhubhisa.

25 Kodwa lapho uEsta efika phambi kwenkosi, yalaya ngencwadi ukuthi icebo lakhe elibi ayelicebe ngamaJuda libuyele ekhanda lakhe; basebebalengisa yena lamadodana akhe egodweni.

26 Ngenxa yalokhu babiza lezozinsuku ngokuthi iPurimi ngebizo lePuri. Ngenxa yalokhu, ngenxa yawo wonke amazwi aleyoncwadi, lababekubonile mayelana lalokho, lokwakubehlele,

27 amaJuda amisa azemukelela wona lenzalo yawo labo bonke abazihlanganisa lawo, ukuze bangeqi, ukugcina lezinsuku ezimbili, njengokombhalo wazo, lanjengokwesikhathi sazo esimisiweyo, kuwo wonke umnyaka lomnyaka,

28 ukuthi lezinsuku zikhunjulwe zigcinwe kuso sonke isizukulwana lesizukulwana, usapho losapho, isabelo ngesabelo, lomuzi ngomuzi, ukuthi lezinsuku zePurimi zingeqiwa phakathi kwamaJuda, lesikhumbuzo sazo singapheli enzalweni yawo.

29 UEsta indlovukazi, indodakazi kaAbihayili, loModekhayi umJuda, basebebhala ngamandla wonke ukuqinisa lincwadi yesibili yePurimi.

30 Wasethumela izincwadi kuwo wonke amaJuda ezabelweni ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa zombuso kaAhasuwerusi, amazwi okuthula leqiniso,

31 ukuqinisa lezinsuku zePurimi ngezikhathi zazo ezimisiweyo njengokumisa phezu kwawo kukaModekhayi umJuda loEsta indlovukazi, lanjengokuzimisela kwawo wona lenzalo yawo, indaba zokuzila ukudla lokukhala kwawo.

32 Ilizwi likaEsta laseliqinisa lezizindaba zePurimi; kwasekubhalwa egwalweni.