| NdebeleTeam Esther « 2 » |
UEsta uba yindlovukazi
2Emva kwalezizinto, ulaka lwenkosi uAhasuwerusi seludedile, wamkhumbula uVashiti, lalokho ayekwenzile, lalokho okwaqunywa ngayea. 2 Izinceku zenkosi ezaziyisebenzela zasezisithi: Kakudingelwe inkosi amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle. 3 Inkosi imise-ke ababonisi kuzo zonke izabelo zombuso, ukuze babuthanise wonke amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle, eShushani isigodlo, endlini yabesifazana, esandleni sikaHegayi, umthenwa wenkosi, umlondolozi wabesifazana, lokunika okokuqhola kwawo. 4 Kuthi intombazana enhle emehlweni enkosi ibe yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. Indaba yayilungile-ke emehlweni enkosi, yenza njalob.
5 Kwakukhona indoda engumJuda eShushani isigodlo, obizo layo lalinguModekhayi indodana kaJayiri indodana kaShimeyic indodana kaKishi, umBhenjaminid, 6 owayethunjwe eJerusalema kanye labathunjwa ababethunjwe loJekoniya inkosi yakoJuda, uNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni owayebathumbilee. 7 Njalo wayesondla uHadasa, onguEsta, umntakamalumakhe, ngoba wayengelayise kumbe unina; njalo intombi yayinhle ngesimo njalo ikhangeleka kuhle; ekufeni-ke kukayise lonina uModekhayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhef.
8 Kwasekusithi sekuzwakele ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho wayo, lapho sekubuthaniswe izintombi ezinengi eShushani isigodlo esandleni sikaHegayi, uEsta laye wathathwa wasiwa endlini yenkosi esandleni sikaHegayi, umlondolozi wabesifazanag. 9 Lentombi yayinhle emehlweni akhe, yazuza umusa phambi kwakheh; wasehle eyinika amakha ayo lezabelo zayo, lamantombazana akhethiweyo ayisikhombisa ukuyinika avela endlini yenkosi; wayisusa wayifaka yona lamantombazana ayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazanai. 10 UEsta wayengakhulumanga abantu bakwabo lomhlobo wakhe, ngoba uModekhayi wayemlayile ukuthi angakukhulumij. 11 Langalo lonke usuku ngosuku uModekhayi wayehambahamba phambi kweguma lendlu yabesifazana ukwazi impilakahle kaEsta lokuthi kuyini okuzakwenzeka kuye.
12 Lekufikeni kwezopha lentombi ngentombi ukungena enkosini uAhasuwerusi ekucineni sekwenziwe kuye njengomthetho wabesifazana, inyanga ezilitshumi lambili, ngoba ngokunjalo kwagcwaliseka insuku zamakha awo, inyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure*, lenyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha okuqhola, langamanye amakha abesifazana. 13 Ngalokho-ke intombi yangena enkosini; loba kuyini ekutshoyo izakunikwa ukuthi ihambe lakho isuka endlini yabesifazana isiya endlini yenkosi. 14 Ntambama yangena, lekuseni ibuyele endlini yesibili yabesifazana, esandleni sikaShashigazi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabafazi abancinyane; kayingenanga futhi enkosini ngaphandle kokuthi inkosi ithokoze ngayo, ibizwe ngebizo.
15 Kwathi selifikile izopho likaEsta, indodakazi kaAbihayili umalumakhe kaModekhayi owayemthethe waba yindodakazi yakhek, lokuthi angene enkosini, kacelanga lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabesifazana akutshoyo. UEsta wayesemukela-ke umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo. 16 Ngokunjalo uEsta wasiwa enkosini uAhasuwerusi endlini yayo yesikhosini ngenyanga yetshumi, eyinyanga kaTebethi, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo. 17 Inkosi yasimthanda uEsta okwedlula bonke abesifazana, wemukela umusa lesihe phambi kwayo okwedlula zonke intombi, yasibeka umqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe, yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. 18 Inkosi yasisenzela zonke iziphathamandla zayo lenceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili likaEsta. Yenzela izabelo ikheful, yapha iziphom njengokwamandla enkosin. 19 Kwathi intombi sezibuthanisiwe okwesibilio, uModekhayi wayehlezi esangweni lenkosip. 20 UEsta wayengakhulumanga umhlobo wakhe labantu bakibo, njengoba uModekhayi wamlayaq, ngoba uEsta wenza umlayo kaModekhayi njengalapho esondliwa elayer.
UModekhayi utshela uEsta ukuthi kukhona abenza ugobe ngenkosi
21 Ngalezozinsuku uModekhayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi, oBigithani loTereshi abathenwa ababili benkosis, abalindi bombundu, bathukuthela, badinga ukuyithela isandla inkosi uAhasuwerusi. 22 Njalo udaba lwaziwa kuModekhayi, waselutshela uEsta indlovukazi; njalo uEsta wayitshela inkosi ebizweni likaModekhayit. 23 Lolodaba seluhlolwa, lwatholakala lunjalo; ngakho bobabili baphanyekwa esihlahleni. Kwasekubhalwa egwalweni lwemilando phambi kwenkosiu.