U-Esteri 4:5-16

U-Esteri wayesebiza uHathaki wezinduna zenkosi eyayimmisile ukuba amkhonze, wamyala ukuba aye kuMoridekayi, ukuze akwazi ukuthi kuyini nokuthi kungani na? UHathaki wayesehamba, waya kuMoridekayi esigcawini somuzi esasiphambi kwesango lenkosi. UMoridekayi wamtshela konke okumehleleyo nenani lemali uHamani ayethembisile ukulikhokhela esikhwameni senkosi ngabaJuda ukuba babhujiswe. Wamnika futhi impinda yomthetho olotshiweyo owashaywa eShushani wokuba babhujiswe, ukuze amtshengise yona u-Esteri, amtshele ngayo, amyale ukuba angene enkosini ukunxusa kuyo, acelele abantu bakhe phambi kwayo. Wafika uHathaki, wamtshela u-Esteri amazwi kaMoridekayi. Wayesethi u-Esteri kuHathaki, wayala ukuba kuthiwe kuMoridekayi: Zonke izinceku zenkosi nabantu bezifunda zenkosi bayazi ukuthi bonke abesilisa nabesifazane abeza enkosini egcekeni elingaphakathi bengabizwanga, kukhona umthetho munye ngabo wokuba babulawe, ngaphandle kwalowo inkosi eyakwelulela kuye intonga yegolide ukuba aphile; kodwa mina angibizwanga ukuba ngingene enkosini ngalezi zinsuku ezingamashumi amathathu. Bamtshela uMoridekayi amazwi ka-Esteri. Wayesesho uMoridekayi ukuba babuyisele impendulo ku-Esteri ngokuthi: “Ungacabangi enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi wena uyakusinda endlini yenkosi kunabaJuda bonke. Ngokuba uma uthula nokuthula ngalesi sikhathi, ukukhululwa nokophulwa kwabaJuda kuyakuvela kwenye indawo, wena nendlu kayihlo nibhubhe. Ngubani okwaziyo, uma ungafikanga embusweni ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi na?” U-Esteri wayesesho ukuba kubuyiselwe impendulo kuMoridekayi yokuthi: “Hambani nibuthe bonke abaJuda abakhona eShushani, ningizilele ukudla, ningadli, ningaphuzi izinsuku ezintathu ubusuku nemini; nami nezintombi zami siyakuzila kanjalo, ngingene enkosini noma kungengamthetho; uma ngibhubha, mangibhubhe.”