Est 4 | NdeIBE | STEP | Kwathi uModekhayi esezwile ngakho konke okwasekwenziwe, wadabula iziqgoko zakhe, wagqoka amasaka okulila waziphuqa ngomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi ekhala kakhulu njalo kabuhlungukazi.

Esther 4

UModekhayi Ucela u-Esta Ukuba Asize

1 Kwathi uModekhayi esezwile ngakho konke okwasekwenziwe, wadabula iziqgoko zakhe, wagqoka amasaka okulila waziphuqa ngomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi ekhala kakhulu njalo kabuhlungukazi.

2 Kodwa wahamba wayafika esangweni lenkosi, ngoba akulamuntu owayevunyelwa ukungena egqoke amasaka okulila. 3 Kuzo zonke izabelo lapho isimiso somthetho lomlayo wenkosi okwafika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kubaJuda, bezila ukudla, bekhala njalo belila. Abanengi balala emlotheni begqoke amasaka okulila.

4 Kwathi izinceku zika-Esta kanye labathenwa bakhe befika bemtshela ngoModekhayi, waba lokudabuka okukhulu. Wamthumela izembatho zokuthi agqoke endaweni yamasaka okulila, kodwa wala ukuzamukela.

5 U-Esta wasebiza uHathakhi, omunye wabathenwa benkosi owayekhethwe ukuba yinceku yakhe, wamlaya ukuba ayedingisisa lokho okwakukhathaza uModekhayi lembangela yakho.

6 Ngakho uHathakhi waya kuModekhayi egcekeni ledolobho phambi kwesango lenkosi.

7 UModekhayi wamtshela konke okwakwenzakale kuye, kugoqela inani lemali uHamani ayethembise ukulibhadala lingene kungcebo yesigodlweni kusenzelwa ukubhujiswa kwabaJuda. 8 Wamupha njalo amazwi esimemezelo leso ayesekhutshwe aba ngumthetho omisiweyo wokubhujiswa kwabo, owawumenyezelwe eSusa, ukuze awutshengise u-Esta njalo amchazele ngawo; njalo wamtshela ukuthi amkhuthaze ukuba aye enkosini ukuyacela isihawu sayo encengela abantu bakibo. 9 UHathakhi wabuyela wayamtshela u-Esta lokho okwakukhulunywe nguModekhayi.

10 Yena wasemlaya ukuba athi kuModekhayi,

11 “Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi kanye labantu bamazwe esigodlweni bayakwazi ukuthi inkosi ilomthetho owodwa zwi kuloba yiyiphi indoda loba owesifazana osondela enkosini angene endlini ephakathi engabizwanga; kufanele abulawe, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi yelule intonga yayo yegolide imkhombe ngayo impilo yakhe iphephe. Kodwa, sekwedlule amalanga angamatshumi amathathu selokhu ngacina ukubizelwa enkosini.”

12 Kwathi amazwi ka-Esta ebikwa kuModekhayi,

13 waphendula wathi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngoba wena usendlini yenkosi nguwe wedwa kubo bonke abaJuda ozaphepha. 14 Nxa ungala uthule ngalesi sikhathi, usizo lokukhululwa kwabaJuda kuzavela kwenye indawo, kodwa wena kanye lemuli kayihlo lizabhubha. Njalo kwazi bani, ukuthi uze kulesi sikhundla sobukhosi ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi na?”

15 U-Esta wasethumela impendulo le kuModekhayi: 16 “Hamba uyebuthanisa ndawonye bonke abaJuda abaseSusa, lingizilele ukudla. Lingaze ladla loba ukunatha okwezinsuku ezintathu, ebusuku lemini. Mina kanye lezincekukazi zami sizazila njengani. Nxa lokhu sekwenziwe, ngizakuya enkosini loba nje lokho kungekho emthethweni. Nxa ngibhubha, ngiyabe ngibhubhile.”

17 Ngakho uModekhayi wasuka wayakwenza lokho okwakulaywe ngu-Esta.