Esteri 4:5-16

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. Bamtshela uMoridekayi amazwi ka-Esteri. UMoridekayi wayeseyala ukuba kuphendulwe u-Esteri: “Ungacabangi ukuthi wena uyakusinda endlini yenkosi kunawo wonke amaJuda. Ngokuba uma nithula impela ngalesi sikhathi, kuyakuvela ukwandiswa nokusindiswa kwabaJuda kwenye indawo; kepha wena nendlu kayihlo niyakuchithwa; Ngubani owaziyo ukuthi ungene embusweni isikhathi esinjengalesi na? U-Esteri wayesethi kuMoridekayi: Hamba uqoqe wonke amaJuda akhona eShushani, ningizilele, ningadli, ningaphuzi izinsuku ezintathu, ubusuku nemini. Mina nezincekukazi zami siyakuzila kanjalo; kanjalo ngiyongena enkosini, okuphambene nomthetho; futhi uma ngibhubha, ngiyabhubha.