Esteri
2:1 Ngemva kwalezi zinto, lapho ulaka lwenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi usudambile, yena
wamkhumbula uVashiti, nalokho abekwenzile, nalokho okwanqunywa ngokumelene naye
wakhe.
2:2 Khona-ke izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza zathi: "Makube khona."
izintombi ezinhle zayifunela inkosi;
2:3 Inkosi mayimise izinduna kuzo zonke izifunda zombuso wayo,
ukuze babuthele ndawonye zonke izintombi ezibukekayo eShushani
isigodlo, endlini yabesifazane, esandleni sikaHege the
induna yenkosi, umlindi wabesifazane; futhi bavumele izinto zabo
banikezwe ukuhlanzwa;
2:4 Futhi mayibe intombi evumelana nenkosi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.
Lalokho kwaba kuhle enkosini; wenza njalo.
2:5 Manje eShushani endlini yenkosi kwakukhona umJuda othile, ogama lakhe lalingu
UMoridekayi indodana kaJayire indodana kaShimeyi indodana kaKishi, a
owakwaBenjamini;
2:6 Owayesethunjwe eJerusalema kanye nokuthunjwa
bathunjwa kanye noJekoniya inkosi yakwaJuda, uNebukadinesari inkosi
inkosi yaseBabele yayithunjiwe.
2:7 Futhi wakhulisa uHadasa, okungukuthi, u-Esteri, indodakazi kayisekazi
yayingenayise noma unina, incekukazi yayiyinhle, iyinhle;
esefile uyise nonina uMoridekayi wamthatha baba ngabakhe
indodakazi.
2:8 Kwathi lapho umyalo wenkosi nomthetho wayo kwaba
lapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene eShushani uJehova
esigodlweni, esandleni sikaHegayi, u-Esteri naye walethwa kuye
nendlu yenkosi, esandleni sikaHegayi, umgcini wabesifazane.
2:9 Intombi yamjabulisa, wayenzela umusa kuye; futhi yena
washesha wamnika izinto zakhe zokuhlanjululwa, nezinto ezinjengalezi
yayingeyakhe, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa ezazifanele ukuziphiwa
endlini yenkosi: wakhetha yona nezincekukazi zayo kwabangcono kakhulu
indawo yendlu yabesifazane.
2:10 U-Esteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngoba uMoridekayi wayebatshele
wamlaya ukuthi angakuvezi.
2:11 Futhi uMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane, ukuze
yazi ukuthi u-Esteri unjani, nokuthi kufanele kwenzekeni kuye.
2:12 Manje, lapho zonke izincekukazi lifikile ithuba lokungena enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi, ngemva kwalokho
ukuthi wayenezinyanga eziyishumi nambili njengomthetho wabesifazane.
(ngokuba zaphelela kanjalo izinsuku zokuhlanjululwa kwabo, okuyiziyisithupha
izinyanga ngamafutha emure, nezinyanga eziyisithupha zinephunga elimnandi, kanye
ezinye izinto zokuhlanzwa kwabesifazane;)
2:13 Khona-ke zonke izintombi zangena enkosini; noma yini abeyifisa kwaba
wamnika ukuba ahambe naye, aphume endlini yabesifazane, aye endlini yenkosi
indlu.
2:14 Kwathi kusihlwa wahamba, futhi ngakusasa wabuyela okwesibili
endlini yabesifazane, esandleni sikaShahashigazi, induna yenkosi,
eyayigcina izancinza, ayiphindanga yangena enkosini, kuphela inkosikazi
inkosi yamjabulela, nokuthi ibizwe ngegama.
2:15 Manje lapho ithuba Esteri, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, uyisekazi
UMoridekayi owayeyithathe yaba yindodakazi yakhe, wayesengena endlini yakhe
enkosini, akafunanga lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi induna yenkosi
umgcini wabesifazane, omisiwe. U-Esteri wazuza umusa emehlweni
kubo bonke ababembuka.
2:16 U-Esteri wayiswa enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi endlini yakhe yobukhosi
inyanga yeshumi, eyinyanga kaThebeti, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwakhe
busa.
2:17 Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri ngaphezu kwabo bonke abesifazane, futhi wazuza umusa
futhi umusa emehlweni akhe ngaphezu kwazo zonke izintombi; ukuze abeke i
umqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe, wamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.
2:18 Inkosi yenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu.
ngisho idili lika-Esteri; wakhulula izifunda, wanikela
izipho, ngokwesimo senkosi.
2:19 Futhi lapho izintombi sezibuthene okwesibili, ke
UMoridekayi wayehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
2:20 U-Esteri wayengakakhulumi ngezihlobo zakhe nabantu bakubo; njengoModekhayi
wamyala, ngokuba u-Esteri wenza umyalo kaMoridekayi njengakuqala
wakhuliswa naye.
2:21 Ngalezo zinsuku uMoridekayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi, amadodana amabili enkosi.
amathenwa, uBhigithani noTereshi, phakathi kwabalindi emnyango
wathukuthela, wafuna ukubeka isandla enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi.
22 Le nto yaziwa nguMoridekayi, wayitshela u-Esteri inkosikazi;
u-Esteri wayitshela inkosi egameni likaMoridekayi.
2:23 Kwathi sekuphenyisiswa ngale ndaba, kwatholakala; ngakho-ke
baphanyekwa bobabili emthini; kulotshiwe encwadini kaJehova
Imilando phambi kwenkosi.