1 Ngalobo busuku ubuthongo babaleka enkosini, yayala ukuba kulethwe incwadi yezikhumbuzo zezindaba zemihla ngemihla, zafundwa phambi kwenkosi.
2 Kwafumaniseka kulotshiwe ukuthi uMoridekayi wayelandile ngoBigithani noThereshi izinduna ezimbili zenkosi, abalindisango, ukuthi babefunile ukubeka isandla enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi.
3 Inkosi yathi: “Ludumo luni nobukhulu buni okwenzelwe uMoridekayi ngalokho na?”Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: “Akenzelwanga lutho.”
4 Yayisithi inkosi: “Ngubani osegcekeni na?” UHamani wayesand'ukungena nje egcekeni elingaphandle lendlu yenkosi ukuba akhulume enkosini ngokuphanyekwa kukaMoridekayi emthini abemlungisele wona.
5 Zathi-ke izinceku zenkosi kuyo: “Bheka, uHamani umi egcekeni.”Yathi inkosi: “Makangene.”
6 Yayisithi inkosi kuye: “Umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa wenzelwani na?”UHamani wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: “Ngubani inkosi ebiyakuthanda ukumenzela udumo ngaphandle kwami na?”
7 Wayesethi enkosini: “Umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumenzela udumo
8 makalethelwe isambatho sobukhosi ekade isembethe inkosi, kanye nehhashi inkosi ekade ikhwela kulo nelifakwe enhloko yalo umqhele wobukhosi;
9 isambatho nehhashi makunikezwe esandleni sesinye sezikhulu ezidumileyo ukuba zimembathise lowo muntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa, zimkhwelise ehhashini esigcawini somuzi, zimemeze phambi kwakhe ngokuthi: ‘Uyakwenzelwa kanjalo umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa.’ ”
10 Yayisithi inkosi kuHamani: “Shesha, uthathe isambatho nehhashi njengokusho kwakho, wenze njalo kuMoridekayi, umJuda, ohlezi esangweni lenkosi. Makungaphuthi lutho lwakho konke okukhulumileyo.”
11 UHamani wathatha-ke isambatho nehhashi, wamembathisa uMoridekayi, wamkhwelisa esigcawini somuzi, wamemeza phambi kwakhe ngokuthi: “Uyakwenzelwa kanjalo umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa.”
12 UMoridekayi wabuyela esangweni, kepha uHamani waphuthuma ekhaya ekhala, embozile ikhanda.
13 UHamani walandisa uZereshi umkakhe nabo bonke abangane bakhe konke okumehleleyo. Zase zithi kuye izihlakaniphi zakhe noZereshi umkakhe: “Uma uMoridekayi oqale ukuwa phambi kwakhe engowenzalo yabaJuda, awuyikumahlula, kepha uyakuwa nokuwa phambi kwakhe.”
14 Besakhuluma naye, zafika izinduna zenkosi, zashesha ukumyisa uHamani edilini u-Esteri alilungisileyo.