U-Esteri 2:10-18

Kepha u-Esteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngokuba uMoridekayi wayeyiyalile ukuba ingakusho. UMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuba azi impilo ka-Esteri nokuthi kwenziwe njani kuye. Lapho kufika isikhathi sezintombi ngezintombi sokuba zingene enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi emva kokuba kwenziwe kuzo njengomthetho wabesifazane izinyanga eziyishumi nambili ngokuba zagcwaliswa kanjalo izinsuku zokuqholwa kwazo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure* nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha nangezinto zokuqhola abesifazane intombi yangena ngaleyo ndlela enkosini, nakho konke eyakushoyo yakunikwa ukuba iphume nakho endlini yabesifazane, iye endlini yenkosi. Yangena khona kusihlwa; ekuseni yabuyela endlini yesibili yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaShahashigazi, induna yenkosi, umgcini wezancinza, ingaphindi ingene enkosini, uma inkosi ingathokozanga ngayo, ibizwe ngegama. Lapho sesifikile isikhathi sika-Esteri, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, uyisekazi kaMoridekayi omthathe ukuba abe yindodakazi yakhe sokuba angene enkosini, akafunanga lutho, kuphela lokho akushoyo uHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane. U-Esteri wafumana umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo. U-Esteri wayeseyiswa enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi endlini yakhe yobukhosi ngenyanga yeshumi, eyinyanga kaThebeti, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo. Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri phezu kwabo bonke abesifazane, wafumana umusa nesihe emehlweni ayo kunazo zonke izintombi, wamfaka umqhele wobukhosi, wamenza inkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. Inkosi yayisizenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili lika-Esteri, wanika izifunda ukuphumula, waphana ngezipho njengokupha kwenkosi.