Esther 2
1 Emveni kwalezo zinto, selubohlile ulaka lwenkosi u-Ahasheveroshi, yakhumbula uVashiti nayekwenzile, nokuthi kwakhishwa simemezelo sini ngaye.
2 Izinsizwa ezazisiza inkosi zathi kuyo: “Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezinhle.
3 Inkosi iqoke izikhulu kuzo zonke izifundazwe embusweni wayo, ukuba ziqoqe zonke izintombi ezibukekayo, zilethwe esigodlweni kuHegayi, umthenwa, okunguyena owengamele indlu yabesifazane, azinike izimonyo zazo.
4 Inkosi mayikhethe intombi eyoyithanda, ibe yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashithi.” Sayithokozisa inkosi leso seluleko, yenza kanjalo.
5 Kwakukhona eShushani inhlokomuzi, uMoridekhayi umJuda, indodana kaJayiri, kaShimeyi, kaKhishi wakwaBhenjamini,
6 owayethunjwe eJerusalema nguNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ngesikhathi ithumba uJekhoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda.
7 Wayenomzala ogama lakhe lingu-Esteri, elesiHebheru kunguHadasa, owayemuhle futhi eme kahle. Uyise nonina babengasekho, ngakho-ke uMoridekhayi wamthatha wamkhulisa njengendodakazi yakhe.
8 Kwathi sesiphumile isimemezelo senkosi, kwalethwa izintombi eziningi ekomkhulu eShushani, ukuba zibhekwe nguHegayi; no-Esteri walethwa esigodlweni ukuba azobhekwa nguHegayi owayengamele indlu yabesifazane.
9 U-Esteri waba nogazi, wathandeka kuHegayi, futhi wafumana umusa kuye, washeshe wamnika okokuziqhola nesabelo sakhe sokudla kwekhethelo. Wamnika indawo enhle kakhulu esigodlweni, waqoka izintombi eziyisikhombisa ezikhethekile esigodlweni ukuba zimnakekele.
10 U-Esteri akatshelanga muntu ngezihlobo zakhe noma ngabakubo, ngoba wayemdonse ngendlebe uMoridekhayi ukuba angasho lutho.
11 Nsuku zonke uMoridekhayi wayezidlisa satshanyana ngasesangweni lendlu yabesifazane, ukuze ahogele ukuthi uqhuba kanjani u-Esteri, nokuthi yini ezokwenzeka kuye.
12 Ukucolwa kwabesifazane kwakuvamise ukuthatha isikhathi esingunyaka. Izinyanga eziyisithupha zokuqala, owesifazane wayegcotshwa ngamafutha emure, kuthi ngezilandelayo aqholwe ngamafutha ebhalisamu. Uma sekwenziwe lokho, intombi ngayinye yayithathwa ingeniswe enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi.
13 Uma isuka endlini yabesifazane iya esigodlweni, yayigqoka noma yini eyithandayo.
14 Yayiya lapho kusihlwa, kuthi ngakusasa ekuseni iyiswe kwenye indlu iyonakekelwa nguShawashigazi, umthenwa owayengamele izancinza zenkosi. Yayingeke iphinde ingene enkosini, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi iyithandile, yayibiza ngegama.
15 Laze lafika nethuba lika-Esteri indodakazi ka-Abhihayili, umfowabo kaMoridekhayi. UMoridekhayi wayemkhulise kwangathi yindodakazi yakhe. U-Esteri akazange acele lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi, umthenwa owayephethe, ayethe akakusebenzise. Bonke ababembona babethatheka ngubuhle bakhe.
16 Wasiwa enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi ngenyanga yeshumi, inyanga okuthiwa uThebhethi, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo.
17 Inkosi yamthanda kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abesifazane; wafumana umusa emehlweni ayo, yamphatha kahle ukuzedlula zonke izintombi. Yamethwesa umqhele wobukhosi yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashithi.
18 Inkosi yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili: “Idili lika-Esteri.” Lolo lusuku lwaba yiholide ezifundazweni, futhi yapha abantu izipho njengobuningi bengcebo yasebukhosini.
19 Lapho izintombi ziqoqwa okwesibili, uMoridekhayi wayehleli esangweni lenkosi.
20 U-Esteri wayengakaze atshele muntu ukuthi ungumJuda, nokuthi bangobani abomndeni wakubo, njengoba uMoridekhayi ayemyalile, ngoba wayengachezuki eziyalweni zikaMoridekhayi njengangesikhathi esahlala naye.
21 Ngelinye ilanga uMoridekhayi ehleli esangweni lesigodlo, uBhigithana noThereshi, abathenwa ababili ababeqapha isango lendlu yenkosi, babenokukhononda ngenkosi, ngakho-ke benza uzungu lokuyibulala.
22 Wayesesuka uMoridekhayi wayobikela indlovukazi u-Esteri, yona yabikela inkosi ngaleyo ndaba eyayiyitshelwe nguMoridekhayi.
23 Lwaphenywa lolo daba kwatholakala ukuthi luyiqiniso, ngakho-ke laba bathenwa ababili balengiswa esiphanyekweni. Le ndaba yabhalwa phansi emilandweni yenkosi phambi kwayo.