Esther 7
1 Inkosi noHamani baya edilini lendlovukazi u-Esteri.
2 Ngosuku lwesibili edilini, besaphuza iwayini, inkosi yambuza okwesibili u-Esteri, yathi: “Ndlovukazi, Esteri, siyini isicelo sakho na? Uzosenzelwa. Ufunani-ke? Uyakunikwa noma kungaba yingxenye yombuso.”
3 Indlovukazi u-Esteri yaphendula, yathi: “Uma ngifumene umusa kuwe nkosi, futhi kukuhle kuwe, mangibuyiselwe ukuphila kwami nokwabantu bakithi, yileso isicelo sami, yilokho engikucelayo.
4 Ngokuba mina nabantu bakithi sithengisiwe, sizobulawa, sibhujiswe, siqedwe nya. Ukuba besithengisiwe sayoba yizigqila bengizozithulela, ngokuba leyo nkathazo ibingeke iyilimaze inkosi.”
5 Inkosi u-Ahasheveroshi yabuza indlovukazi u-Esteri, yathi: “Ngubani lowo? Uphi lowo muntu onesibindi sokwenza into enjengalena na?”
6 U-Esteri wathi: “Umuntu omelene nathi, isitha, yilo Hamani okhohlakeleyo.” Kwaphela nasozwaneni wuvalo kuHamani, phambi kwenkosi nendlovukazi.
7 Inkosi yasukuma yashiya idili, yaphuma ithukuthele ibila, yaya engadini yasesigodlweni. UHamani wasala encenga indlovukazi u-Esteri ukuba angabulawa.
8 Kuthe lapho inkosi ibuya engadini yasesigodlweni, ingena endlini yedili, yafica uHamani ewele embhedeni okwakucambalele kuwo u-Esteri, yathi: “Awunamahloni okubhudukeza indlovukazi phambi kwami, esigodlweni sami pho?” Ithe ingasho lawo mazwi inkosi, abathenwa baphuthuma bemboza ubuso bukaHamani.
9 UHaribhona omunye wabathenwa ababephambi kwenkosi, wathi: “Kunesigxobo sokuphanyeka eside uHamani asimisele ukuphanyeka kuso uMoridekhayi, indoda eyasindisa impilo yakho, nkosi; singamakhubhithi angama-50 ubude.” Inkosi yayaleza, yathi: “Mphanyekeni kuso!”
10 Base bemphanyeka esigxotsheni sokuphanyeka, uHamani ayekade esilungiselele uMoridekhayi. Yayisibohla intukuthelo enkosini.