U-Esteri 4:1-11

Kwathi ukuba uMoridekhayi ezwe ngakho konke okwakwenzekile, waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wagqoka isaka, wazithela ngomlotha ekhanda, wazulazula emzini ekhala kakhulu nakalusizi. Wahamba waya esangweni lesigodlo senkosi, ngokuba akekho owayevunyelwe ukungena ngalo egqoke indwangu eyisaka. Kuzo zonke izifundazwe lapho kwafinyelela khona izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo, kwaba nomsindo wokulila okukhulu kubaJuda; bazila ukudla, bakhala, balila, iningi labo lalala phansi ligqoke indwangu eyisaka, lazithela ngomlotha. Izintombi eziyizisebenzi zika-Esteri nabathenwa bamazisa ngalokho, waphatheka kabi kakhulu, wamthumelela izingubo uMoridekhayi ukuze akhumule indwangu eyisaka, agqoke zona, kodwa wazenqaba. U-Esteri wayesebiza uHathakhi, omunye wabathenwa basesigodlweni, inkosi eyayimqokele ukusebenzela indlovukazi, ukuba ayobuza kuMoridekhayi ukuthi kwenzenjani, nokuthi yini eyenza aziphathe ngalolo hlobo na? UHathakhi waya kuMoridekhayi owayesesigcawini somuzi, phambi kwesango lesigodlo. UMoridekhayi wamtshela konke okwakumehlele, nangesamba sesiliva uHamani ayethembise ukusikhokha esikhwameni senkosi ukuze kubhujiswe abaJuda. UMoridekhayi wamnika ifuzela lesimemezelo esasibhalwe sakhishwa eShushani ukuba kubhujiswe abaJuda, ukuze alikhombise u-Esteri, bese emyala ukuthi aye enkosini ayonxusela abantu bakubo. UHathakhi wahamba wayotshela u-Esteri lokho okwakushiwo nguMoridekhayi. U-Esteri watshela uHathakhi umyalezo okwakufanele ukuba awuse kuMoridekhayi, othi: “Zonke izikhulu zenkosi nalezo ezihlala ezifundazweni ziyazi ukuthi noma ngabe ngowesilisa noma ngowesifazane ongena egcekeni lenkosi elingaphakathi engabiziwe yiyo, ubhekana namthetho munye ofanayo wokuba abulawe, ngaphandle uma inkosi imkhombe ngentonga yayo yegolide, lowo angaphila. Kodwa mina ayingibizile inkosi kulezi zinsuku ezingama-30.”