U-Esteri 2:1-23
2 Ngemva kwalezi zinto, lapho ulaka lweNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi + selwehlile, yakukhumbula lokho uVashiti ayekwenzile + nalokho okwakunqunyiwe ngaye. +
2 Izinceku zenkosi zabe sezithi: “Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezinhle eziyizintombi nto.
3 Mayimise abaphathi kuzo zonke izifundazwe zayo, + baqoqele ndawonye zonke izintombi ezinhle eziyizintombi nto esigodlweni* iShushani,* endlini yabesifazane.* Mazinakekelwe uHegayi + umthenwa wenkosi, umqaphi wabesifazane, futhi mazinikezwe izimonyo.*
4 Intombi ethandeka kakhulu enkosini izoba yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.” + Lokhu kwayijabulisa inkosi, ngakho yenza kanjalo.
5 Kwakukhona umuntu othile ongumJuda esigodlweni* iShushani, *+ igama lakhe kunguMoridekayi + indodana kaJayire indodana kaShimeyi indodana kaKishi, umBhenjamini, +
6 owayeyiswe ekudingisweni esuka eJerusalema nabantu ababedingiswe noJekoniya *+ inkosi yakwaJuda, lowo uNebukhadinezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni eyamyisa ekudingisweni.
7 Wakhulisa* uHadasa,* okungukuthi, u-Esteri, indodakazi yomfowabo kayise, + ngoba wayengenabo abazali. Le ntombi yayimi kahle futhi iyinhle, kwathi lapho kufa uyise nonina, uMoridekayi wayithatha njengendodakazi yakhe.
8 Lapho izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo sekumenyezelwe nalapho izintombi eziningi seziqoqelwe esigodlweni* iShushani* zinakekelwa uHegayi, + u-Esteri naye wayiswa endlini yenkosi* ukuze anakekelwe uHegayi umqaphi wabesifazane.
9 Le ntombi yathandeka kuye futhi yathola umusa wakhe,* ngokushesha wayilungisela izimonyo *+ nokudla okukhethekile, wayabela izintombi ezikhethekile eziyisikhombisa ezivela endlini yenkosi. Waphinde wayithutha yona nezinceku zayo wabayisa endaweni enhle kunazo zonke endlini yabesifazane.*
10 U-Esteri akazange akhulume ngabantu bakubo + noma ngezihlobo zakhe, ngoba uMoridekayi + wayemyale ukuba angatsheli muntu. +
11 Usuku nosuku uMoridekayi wayehamba eduze kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane* ukuze ezwe ngenhlalakahle ka-Esteri nangalokho okwakwenzeka kuye.
12 Intombi ngayinye yayiba nethuba lokungena eNkosini u-Ahashiveroshi ngemva kokuqeda ukumonyongwa izinyanga ezingu-12 njengoba zaziyaliwe, ngoba nansi indlela okwakumelwe zimonyongwe* ngayo—izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure + nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha ebhalsamu + nangezinhlobonhlobo zezimonyo.*
13 Ngemva kwalokho intombi yayisikulungele ukungena enkosini, futhi noma yini eyayiyicela yayinikwa yona lapho isuka endlini yabesifazane* iya endlini yenkosi.
14 Yayingena kusihlwa, ekuseni ibuyele endlini yesibili yabesifazane* eyayinakekelwa uShahashigazi umthenwa wenkosi, + umqaphi wezancinza. Yayingabuyeli enkosini ngaphandle kokuba inkosi iyithande kakhulu futhi ibizwe ngegama. +
15 Lapho kufika ithuba lokuba angene enkosini, u-Esteri indodakazi ka-Abhihayili umfowabo kayise kaMoridekayi owayemthathe njengendodakazi yakhe, + akacelanga lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi umthenwa wenkosi, umqaphi wabesifazane, ayekushilo. (U-Esteri wayelokhu ethola umusa kubo bonke ababembona.)
16 U-Esteri wayiswa eNkosini u-Ahashiveroshi endlini yayo yobukhosi ngenyanga yeshumi, okungukuthi, inyanga kaThebeti,* ngonyaka wesikhombisa + wokubusa kwayo.
17 Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye besifazane, futhi wathola umusa wayo nokwamukeleka* kuyo ngaphezu kwezinye izintombi. Yabe isifaka umnqwazo wasebukhosini* ekhanda lakhe yamenza indlovukazi + esikhundleni sikaVashiti. +
18 Inkosi yabe seyenzela zonke izikhulu nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili lika-Esteri. Ngemva kwalokho, yamemezela ukukhululwa ezifundazweni futhi yaqhubeka iphana ngezipho ngokomcebo wayo.
19 Manje lapho izintombi + seziqoqiwe okwesibili, uMoridekayi wayehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
20 U-Esteri akashongo lutho ngezihlobo zakhe nangabantu bakubo, + njengoba nje uMoridekayi ayemyalile; u-Esteri waqhubeka nokwenza okwakushiwo uMoridekayi, njengoba nje ayenza ngesikhathi esamnakekela. +
21 Ngalezo zinsuku lapho uMoridekayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi, uBhigithani noThereshi, izikhulu ezimbili zegceke zenkosi, abalindimnyango, bathukuthela futhi bakha icebo lokubulala* iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi.
22 Kodwa uMoridekayi wezwa ngalokhu, wayesetshela iNdlovukazi u-Esteri ngokushesha. U-Esteri wabe esekhuluma nenkosi egameni likaMoridekayi.
23 Ngakho le ndaba yaphenywa, kwatholakala ukuthi iyiqiniso futhi bobabili balengiswa esigxotsheni; konke lokhu kwabhalwa phambi kwenkosi, encwadini yomlando. +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “enqabeni.”
^ Noma, “iSusa.”
^ Indlu ehlala amakhosikazi noma izancinza zenkosi.
^ Noma, “mazibhucungwe.”
^ Noma, “iSusa.”
^ Noma, “enqabeni.”
^ Obizwa ngoJehoyakini kweyesi-2Kh 24:8.
^ Noma, “Wayengumqaphi.”
^ Incazelo: “Isihlahla Sombomvana.”
^ Noma, “enqabeni.”
^ Noma, “iSusa.”
^ Noma, “esigodlweni.”
^ Indlu ehlala amakhosikazi noma izancinza zenkosi.
^ Noma, “wayibonisa uthando oluqotho.”
^ Noma, “ukubhucungwa.”
^ Indlu ehlala amakhosikazi noma izancinza zenkosi.
^ Noma, “zibhucungwe.”
^ Noma, “nangokubhucungwa kwabesifazane.”
^ Indlu ehlala amakhosikazi noma izancinza zenkosi.
^ Indlu ehlala amakhosikazi noma izancinza zenkosi.
^ Bheka iSithasiselo B15.
^ Noma, “nothando oluqotho.”
^ Noma, “iduku lokushuqula lasebukhosini.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “lokubeka isandla.”
