Ukuchithwa lokulengiswa kukaHamani

7Bafika-ke inkosi loHamani ukuyakuba ledili loEsta indlovukazi. 2 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta langosuku lwesibili edilini lewayini: Siyini isicelo sakho, Esta ndlovukazi? njalo uzasinikwa. Siyini-ke isifiso sakho? kuzakwenziwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombusoa. 3 UEsta indlovukazi wasephendula wathi: Uba ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, nkosi, njalo uba kukuhle enkosini, impilo yami kangiyinikwe ngesicelo sami labantu bakithi ngesifiso samib. 4 Ngoba sithengisiwe, mina labantu bakithi, ukuthi sibhujiswe sibulawe njalo sichithwe; kodwa uba besithengiswe ukuba yizigqili lezigqilikazi ngabe ngithule; lanxa isitha besingelinganise ukoniwa kwenkosic.

5 Inkosi uAhasuwerusi yasikhuluma yathi kuEsta indlovukazi: Ngubani lo, futhi ungaphi lo ogcwalise inhliziyo yakhe ukwenza njalo? 6 UEsta wasesithi: Umuntu, umbandezeli lesitha, nguHamani lo okhohlakeleyo. UHamani waseqhaqhazela phambi kwenkosi lendlovukazid.

7 Inkosi yasisukuma edilini lewayini olakeni lwayo, yaya esivandeni sesigodloe; uHamani wasesukuma ukuncengela impilo yakhe kuEsta indlovukazi, ngoba wabona ukuthi okubi sekuqunywef yinkosi ngayeg. 8 Inkosi isiphendukile ivela esivandeni sesigodlo isiya endlini yedili lewayinih, uHamani wayewele phezu kombheda uEsta ayekuwo. Inkosi yasisithi: Usuzadlova indlovukazi ilami endlini yini? Ilizwi laphuma emlonyeni wenkosi; basebembomboza ubuso bukaHamanii. 9 UHaribona omunye wabathenwa wasesithi phambi kwenkosij: Khangela-ke, ugodo uHamani alwenzele uModekhayi, owayeyikhulumele okuhle inkosi, lumi endlini kaHamani, ubude buzingalo ezingamatshumi amahlanu. Inkosi yasisithi: Umlengiseni kulok. 10 Basebemlengisa uHamani kulologodo ayelulungisele uModekhayi. Lwaseludeda ulaka lwenkosil.