U-Esteri 3:1-11

Emva kwalezo zinto inkosi, u-Ahashiveroshi, yamenza mkhulu uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, yamphakamisa, yamisa isihlalo sakhe phezu kwazo zonke izikhulu ezazinayo. Zonke izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zakhothama, zakhuleka kuHamani, ngokuba inkosi iyale kanjalo ngaye. Kepha uMoridekayi akakhothamanga, kakhulekanga kuye. Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi kuMoridekayi: “Weqelani isiyalezo senkosi na?” Kwathi zikhuluma kuye imihla ngemihla, engazilaleli, zamtshela uHamani ukuba zibone ukuthi amazwi kaMoridekayi ayakuma yini, ngokuba wayezitshelile ukuthi ungumJuda. Lapho uHamani ebona ukuthi uMoridekayi akakhothamanga, kakhulekanga kuye, uHamani wagcwala ulaka. Kwakudelelekile emehlweni akhe ukubeka izandla kuMoridekayi yedwa, ngokuba zase zimtshelile abantu bakaMoridekayi; ngalokho uHamani wafuna ukubulala bonke abaJuda ababe sembusweni wonke ka-Ahashiveroshi, isizwe sikaMoridekayi. Ngenyanga yokuqala eyinyanga kaNisani ngomnyaka weshumi nambili wenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi benza iPhure eliyinkatho phambi kukaHamani imihla ngemihla izinyanga ngezinyanga, kwaze kwaba ngeyeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari. UHamani wathi enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi: “Kukhona isizwe esithile esihlakazekile, sisakazekile phakathi kwabantu bezifunda zonke zombuso wakho; nemithetho yaso yahlukene neyezizwe zonke; futhi asigcini imithetho yenkosi; ngalokho akufanele ukuba inkosi isiyeke. Uma kukuhle enkosini, makulotshwe ukuba sichithwe; ngiyakukhokhela amatalenta* ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi esiliva ezandleni zabenza umsebenzi wenkosi, ayiswe esikhwameni senkosi.” Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo esandleni sayo, yayinika uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi isitha sabaJuda. Inkosi yathi kuHamani: “Isiliva liyanikwa wena, nesizwe futhi, ukuba wenze kuso okuhle emehlweni akho.”