1 Ngelanga lesithathu u-Esta wagqoka izembatho zakhe zobukhosi wema enkundleni engaphakathi kwesigodlo phambi kwendlu yenkosi. Inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini yayo, ikhangele emnyango.

2 Yathi ibona iNdlovukazi u-Esta imi enkundleni, yathokoza ngaye, yasiselula intonga yayo yegolide eyayisesandleni sayo, yamkhomba ngayo. U-Esta wasesondela wathinta isihloko sentonga.

3 Inkosi yasibuza yathi, “Kutheni Ndlovukazi Esta? Siyini isicelo sakho na? Uzanikwa loba yini, okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”

4 U-Esta wathi, “Nxa inkosi ithokoza ngalokhu, bengicela ukuthi inkosi kanye loHamani beze lamhla edilini engililungisele yona.”

5 Inkosi yathi, “UHamani keze khathesi, ukuze kwenziwe okucelwa ngu-Esta.” Inkosi loHamani baya edilini elalilungiswe ngu-Esta.

6 Kwathi besanatha iwayini, inkosi yambuza njalo u-Esta yathi, “Siyini isicelo sakho? Uzakukwamukeliswa. Kuyini okucelayo na? Uzanikwa loba yini okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”

7 U-Esta waphendula wathi, “Isikhalazo sami lesicelo sami yilokhu: 8 Nxa inkosi ingamukela ngomusa njalo nxa inkosi ithokoza ngokwamukela isikhalazo sami njalo igcwalise isicelo sami, bengicela ukuthi inkosi kanye loHamani kusasa beze edilini engizabalungisela lona. Kulapho engizaphendula okubuzwe yinkosi.”

9 UHamani wasuka lapho mhlalokho ethabe kakhulukazi. Kodwa uthe ebona uModekhayi esesangweni lenkosi wananzelela ukuthi kamsukumeli loba ukutshengisa ukwesaba phambi kwakhe, wagcwalelana ngokumthukuthelela uModekhayi. 10 Kodwa wazibamba waya emzini wakhe, wabiza abangane bakhe ndawonye kanye loZereshi umkakhe, 11 uHamani wasezincoma kubo ngenotho yakhe enengi, langamadodana akhe amanengi, kanye lazozonke izindlela inkosi eyayimhlonipha ngazo lokuthi imphakamise yambeka phezu kwezinye izikhulu leziphathamandla.

12 UHamani wengeza wathi, “Njalo akusikho kodwa lokhu. Yimi ngedwa zwi umuntu omenywe yiNdlovukazi u-Esta ukuba ngiphelekezele inkosi edilini elenzileyo. Njalo usenginxusile kanye lenkosi kusasa. 13 Kodwa konke lokhu akungisuthisi ikakhulu nxa ngilokhu ngibona umJuda loya onguModekhayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.”

14 Umkakhe uZereshi kanye labangane bakhe bonke bathi kuye, “Yenza indawo yokulengisa abantu, ibe zingalo ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu ubude, ubusucela inkosi ekuseni ukuba ilengise uModekhayi lapho. Ube usuziyela edilini uchelesile.” Umcabango lo wamthokozisa kakhulu uHamani, yasisakhiwa indawo yokulengisa.