U-Esteri 2:10-18

U-Esteri akatshelanga muntu ngezihlobo zakhe noma ngabakubo, ngoba wayemdonse ngendlebe uMoridekhayi ukuba angasho lutho. Nsuku zonke uMoridekhayi wayezidlisa satshanyana ngasesangweni lendlu yabesifazane, ukuze ahogele ukuthi uqhuba kanjani u-Esteri, nokuthi yini ezokwenzeka kuye. Ukucolwa kwabesifazane kwakuvamise ukuthatha isikhathi esingunyaka. Izinyanga eziyisithupha zokuqala, owesifazane wayegcotshwa ngamafutha emure, kuthi ngezilandelayo aqholwe ngamafutha ebhalisamu. Uma sekwenziwe lokho, intombi ngayinye yayithathwa ingeniswe enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi. Uma isuka endlini yabesifazane iya esigodlweni, yayigqoka noma yini eyithandayo. Yayiya lapho kusihlwa, kuthi ngakusasa ekuseni iyiswe kwenye indlu iyonakekelwa nguShawashigazi, umthenwa owayengamele izancinza zenkosi. Yayingeke iphinde ingene enkosini, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi iyithandile, yayibiza ngegama. Laze lafika nethuba lika-Esteri indodakazi ka-Abhihayili, umfowabo kaMoridekhayi. UMoridekhayi wayemkhulise kwangathi yindodakazi yakhe. U-Esteri akazange acele lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi, umthenwa owayephethe, ayethe akakusebenzise. Bonke ababembona babethatheka ngubuhle bakhe. Wasiwa enkosini u-Ahasheveroshi ngenyanga yeshumi, inyanga okuthiwa uThebhethi, ngonyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo. Inkosi yamthanda kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abesifazane; wafumana umusa emehlweni ayo, yamphatha kahle ukuzedlula zonke izintombi. Yamethwesa umqhele wobukhosi yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashithi. Inkosi yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili: “Idili lika-Esteri.” Lolo lusuku lwaba yiholide ezifundazweni, futhi yapha abantu izipho njengobuningi bengcebo yasebukhosini.