U-Esteri 3:6-15

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.” Kwase kubizwa abalobi benkosi ngenyanga yokuqala ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, kwalotshwa njengakho konke uHamani ayala angakho othulasizwe benkosi, nababusi ababephethe izifunda ngezifunda, nezikhulu zezizwe ngezizwe, izifunda ngezifunda njengokubhala kwazo, nezizwe ngezizwe njengolimi lwazo; kwalotshwa egameni lenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, kwanamathiselwa ngendandatho yenkosi. Izincwadi zathunywa ngesandla sezigijimi ezifundeni zonke zenkosi ukuba kuchithwe, kubulawe, kubhujiswe abaJuda bonke, abasha nabadala, izingane nabesifazane, ngalusuku lunye, ngolweshumi nantathu lwenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari, impahla yabo ibe yimpango. Impinda yokulotshiweyo yanikwa ukuba ibe yisimemezelo ezifundeni zonke, kumenyezelwe kubantu bonke ukuba bazilungiselele lolo suku. Izigijimi zashesha zahamba ngezwi lenkosi. Umthetho washaywa eShushani endlini yenkosi; inkosi noHamani bahlala phansi, baphuza, kepha umuzi waseShushani wakhungatheka.