6 owayethunjiwe eJerusalema kanye nabathunjwa ababethunjwe noJekoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda, owathunjwa nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele.
7 Wayelokhu emondla uHadasa ongu-Esteri, indodakazi kayisekazi, ngokuba wayengenayise, engenanina; intombi yayiyinhle, yayibukeka; sebefile uyise nonina, uMoridekayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe.
8 Kwathi lapho izwi lenkosi nesimemezelo sayo sekuzwakele, nalapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene eShushani endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, u-Esteri wangeniswa endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, umgcini wabesifazane.
9 Intombi yayiyinhle emehlweni akhe, yafumana umusa kuye; washesha wayinika izinto zokuqhola, nezabelo zayo, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa ezazikhethelwe yona zivela endlini yenkosi, wayiyisa yona nezintombi zayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazane.
10 Kepha u-Esteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngokuba uMoridekayi wayeyiyalile ukuba ingakusho.
11 UMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuba azi impilo ka-Esteri nokuthi kwenziwe njani kuye.
12 Lapho kufika isikhathi sezintombi ngezintombi sokuba zingene enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi emva kokuba kwenziwe kuzo njengomthetho wabesifazane izinyanga eziyishumi nambili ngokuba zagcwaliswa kanjalo izinsuku zokuqholwa kwazo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure* nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha nangezinto zokuqhola abesifazane