Esteri 4:1-11

Kwathi uMoridegayi ebona konke okwenzekileyo, uMoridegayi waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wembatha izingubo zokulila nomlotha, waphuma waya phakathi nomuzi, wakhala ngokukhala okukhulu nokubabayo; Wafika ngisho naphambi kwesango lenkosi, ngoba akekho ongangena esangweni lenkosi egqoke izingubo zokulila. Ezifundeni zonke nomaphi lapho kwafika khona izwi lenkosi nesimiso sayo, kwaba khona ukulila okukhulu phakathi kwabaJuda, nokuzila ukudla, nokukhala, nokukhala; abaningi balala bembethe amasaka nomlotha. Zase zifika izincekukazi zika-Esteri nezincekukazi zakhe, zamtshela. Khona-ke indlovukazi yadabuka kakhulu; wathumela izingubo zokugqokisa uMoridegayi, akhumule indwangu yakhe yesaka kuye, kepha akazemukelanga. U-Esteri wayesebiza uHathagi, omunye wezinceku zenkosi eyayimmisile ukuba amnakekele, wamnika umyalo kuMoridekayi ukuze azi ukuthi kuyini nokuthi kungani. UHathaki wayesephumela kuMoridekayi esigcawini somuzi esasiphambi kwesango lenkosi. UMoridekayi wamtshela konke okwamehlele, nenani lemali uHamani athembise ukuyibuyisela endlini yengcebo yenkosi ukuba abaJuda bawabhubhise. Wamnika nekhophi yombhalo womthetho owashiwo eShushani wokuba ababhujiswe, awubonise u-Esteri nokuwumemezela kuye nokumyala ukuba angene enkosini ayocela. Kuye nokunxusela abantu bakubo phambi kwakhe. UHathagi wafika wamtshela u-Esteri amazwi kaMoridekayi. U-Esteri wabuye wakhuluma kuHathagi, wamyala uMoridekayi; Zonke izinceku zenkosi nabantu bezifunda zenkosi bayazi ukuthi yilowo nalowo, owesilisa noma owesifazane, oza enkosini egcekeni elingaphakathi, engabizwanga, kumthetho wakhe munye ukuba ambulale ukuze amiswe, ngaphandle kwalabo inkosi eyokwelulela kubo intonga yegolide, ukuze aphile; kepha mina angibizwanga ukuba ngingene enkosini lezo zinsuku ezingamashumi amathathu.