Esteri 9:1-19

Ngenyanga yeshumi nambili, eyinyanga ka-Adari, ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, lapho kwakusondela isimemezelo senkosi nomthetho wayo ukuba wenziwe, ngalolo suku izitha zabaJuda zazinethemba lokunqoba ngalo. Babe nazo, (ngisho noma kwakuphambene, ukuthi amaJuda ayebusa phezu kwalabo ababewazonda;) AbaJuda babuthana emizini yabo kuzo zonke izifunda zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ukuba babeke izandla phezu kwababefuna okubi kwabo; futhi akekho owayengamelana nabo; ngoba ukwesaba kwabo kwehlela phezu kwabantu bonke. Bonke ababusi bezifunda, nezinduna, nezikhulu, nezikhulu zenkosi babasiza abaJuda; ngoba ukwesaba uMoridekayi kwabehlela. Ngokuba uMoridekayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, nodumo lwakhe lwaphumela ezifundeni zonke, ngokuba lowo muntu uMoridekayi waba mkhulu ngokuba mkhulu. Ngakho abaJuda bachitha zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubulala, nangokubhubhisa, benza njengokuthanda kwabo kwababazondayo. Esigodlweni uSusan amaJuda abulala futhi abhubhisa amadoda angamakhulu amahlanu. NoParshandatha noDalfoni no-Aspata, noPoratha, no-Adaliya, no-Aridata, neParmashta, no-Arisayi, no-Aridayi, noVayizatha, Amadodana ayishumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha sabaJuda, ababulala; kepha abazibekanga izandla zabo empangweni. Ngalolo suku inani lababulawa esigodlweni sikaSusan lalethwa phambi kwenkosi. Inkosi yathi ku-Esteri indlovukazi: “AmaJuda abulala, achitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu esigodlweni sikaSusani kanye namadodana ayishumi kaHamani; benzani kwezinye izifunda zenkosi? manje siyini isicelo sakho? uyakunikwa; noma yisiphi isicelo sakho futhi? futhi kuyokwenzeka. Wayesethi u-Esteri: “Uma inkosi ithanda, mawanikwe abaJuda abaseShushani ukuba benze nakusasa njengomthetho wanamuhla, namadodana ayishumi kaHamani alengiswe esigxotsheni. Inkosi yasilaya ukuthi kube njalo, kwaphuma umlayo eSusa; bawaphanyeka amadodana ayishumi kaHamani. AbaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana nabo ngosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani; kepha abazibekanga izandla zabo empangweni. Kodwa abanye abaJuda ababesezifundeni zenkosi babuthana, bamela ukuphila kwabo, baphumula ezitheni zabo, babulala ezitheni zabo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu, kepha ababambanga izandla zabo empangweni. Ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga ka-Adari; ngosuku lweshumi nane lwaso baphumula, balwenza lwaba usuku lwedili nolokuthokoza. Kepha abaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana ngolweshumi nantathu nangolweshumi nane; ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwaso baphumula, balwenza lwaba usuku lwedili nolokuthokoza. Ngakho abaJuda bemizi ababehlala emizini engabiyelweyo benza usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari lube usuku lwenjabulo nolwedili nosuku oluhle, nolokuthumelelana izabelo.