Ugobe lukaHamani lokubulala amaJuda

3Emva kwalezizindaba inkosi uAhasuwerusi yamkhulisa uHamani indodana kaHamedathaa umAgagib, yamphakamisa, yabeka isihlalo sakhe phezu kwazo zonke iziphathamandla ezazilayec. 2 Ngakho zonke inceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosi zakhothama zamkhonza uHamani, ngoba inkosi yayilaye ngokunjalo ngaye. Kodwa uModekhayi kakhothamanga kakhonzangad. 3 Izinceku zenkosi ezazisesangweni lenkosie zasezisithi kuModekhayi: Kungani useqa umlayo wenkosif? 4 Kwasekusithi zikhuluma laye insuku ngensuku, kodwa engazizwanga, zamtshela uHamani ukuze zibone ukuthi amazwi kaModekhayi azakuma yini; ngoba wayezitshelile ukuthi ungumJuda. 5 UHamani esebonile ukuthi uModekhayi kakhothamanga njalo kakhonzanga kuyeg, uHamani wagcwala intukutheloh. 6 Wesedelela emehlweni akhe ukumthela isandla uModekhayi yedwa, ngoba babemtshelile abantu bakibo kaModekhayi, ngakho uHamani wadinga ukuchitha wonke amaJuda, ayesembusweni wonke kaAhasuwerusi, abantu bakibo kaModekhayi.

7 Ngenyanga yokuqala, eyinyanga uNisanii, ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili wenkosi uAhasuwerusi, baphosa iPurij, eliyinkatho, phambi kukaHamani, kusukela osukwini kusiya osukwini, njalo kusukela enyangeni kusiya enyangeni yetshumi lambilik, eyinyanga uAdaril.

8 UHamani wasesithi enkosini uAhasuwerusi: Kukhona abantu abathile abahlakazeke basabalala phakathi kwabantu ezabelweni zonke zombuso wakho; lemilayo yabom yehlukile kweyabo bonke abantun, lemilayo yenkosi kabayenzi; ngakho kakufanelanga enkosini ukuthi ibayekele bahlale. 9 Uba kulungile enkosini, kakubhalwe ukuthi bachithwe, njalo ngizalinganisa amathalenta* esiliva azinkulungwane ezilitshumi ezandleni zabenzi bomsebenzi, ukuze afakwe kokuligugu kwenkosi. 10 Inkosi yasikhupha indandatho yophawu lwayo esandleni sayo, yayinika uHamani indodana kaHamedathao umAgagip, isitha samaJuda. 11 Inkosi yasisithi kuHamani: Isiliva usinikiwe, labantu, ukwenza ngabo njengokuhle emehlweni akho. 12 Kwasekubizwa ababhali benkosiq ngenyanga yokuqala ngosuku lwetshumi lantathu lwayor; kwasekubhalwa njengakho konke uHamani ayekulayile, ezikhulwini zenkosis lakubabusi ababephezu kwesabelo lesabelot, lakuziphathamandla zesizwe lesizwe sesabelo lesabelo, njengokombhalo wasou, labantu ngabantu ngokolimi lwabo; kwabhalwa ebizweni lenkosi uAhasuwerusiv, kwananyathiselwa ngendandatho yophawu lwenkosi. 13 Incwadi zathunyelwa ngesandla sezigijimiw kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi ukuchitha, ukubulala, lokubhubhisa wonke amaJuda, kusukela komutsha kusiya komdala, abantwanyana labesifazanax, ngasuku lunyey, ngolwetshumi lantathu lwenyanga yetshumi lambili, eyinyanga uAdariz, lokuthi kuphangwe impahla yawoa. 14 Ikhophi yombhalo yokuthi umlayo unikwe kuso sonke isabelo ngesabelo yayisobala kubo bonke abantu ukuze balungele lolosukub. 15 Izigijimi zaphuma ziphangisiswa yilizwi lenkosic, lomthetho wanikwa eShushani isigodlo. Inkosi loHamani basebehlalela ukunatha, kodwa umuzi iShushani wawusanganisekiled.