1 Ngenyanga yeshumi nambili eyinyanga ka-Adari ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, lapho kusondela izwi lenkosi nomthetho wayo ukuba kwenziwe, ngosuku izitha zabaJuda ezazethembile ngalo ukubusa phezu kwabo nokho kwaguqulwa ukuze abaJuda babuse phezu kwababazondayo.
2 AbaJuda babuthana emizini yabo ezifundeni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ukuba babeke izandla kulabo ababefuna ukubalimaza; akubangakho ongamelana nabo, ngokuba abantu bonke babehlelwe yingebhe ngabo.
3 Zonke izikhulu zezifunda, nawothulasizwe, nababusi, nabenza umsebenzi wenkosi, babasiza abaJuda, ngokuba babehlelwe yingebhe ngoMoridekayi.
4 Ngokuba uMoridekayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, nodumo lwakhe lwahamba ezifundeni zonke, ngokuba lowo muntu uMoridekayi wayelokhu ekhula njalo.
5 AbaJuda baceka zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubulala, nangokuchitha, benza kwababazondayo njengokuthanda kwabo.
6 EShushani endlini yenkosi abaJuda babulala, bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu.
7 Babulala noParishanidatha, noDalifoni, no-Asiphatha,
8 noPhoratha, no-Adaliya, no-Aridatha,
9 noPharimashita, no-Arisayi, no-Aridayi, noVayizatha,
10 amadodana ayishumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha sabaJuda, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.
11 Ngalolo suku inani lababuleweyo eShushani endlini yenkosi lalethwa phambi kwenkosi.
12 Inkosi yayisithi ku-Esteri inkosikazi: “AbaJuda babulele bachitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu eShushani endlini yenkosi namadodana ayishumi kaHamani; pho, benzeni kwezinye izifunda zenkosi? Isicelo sakho siyini? Uyakusenzelwa. Yini oyifunayo na? Kuyakwenziwa.”
13 U-Esteri wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, abaJuda abaseShushani mabavunyelwe nakusasa ukwenza njengomthetho wanamuhla, aphanyekwe amadodana ayishumi kaHamani emthini.”
14 Inkosi yasho ukuba kwenziwe kanjalo; umthetho washaywa eShushani; bawaphanyeka amadodana ayishumi kaHamani.
15 AbaJuda ababe seShushani babuthana nangosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.
16 Abanye abaJuda ababe sezifundeni zenkosi babuthana, bamela ukuphila kwabo, baphumula ezitheni zabo, babulala abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu ababazondayo, kepha ababekanga izandla zabo empangweni.
17 Lokho kwakungosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga ka-Adari; ngosuku lweshumi nane lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.
18 Kepha abaJuda ababe seShushani babuthana ngolweshumi nantathu lwayo nangolweshumi nane lwayo; ngolweshumi nanhlanu lwayo baphumula, balwenza lwaba lusuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.
19 Ngalokho abaJuda basemaphandleni ababehlezi emizaneni engabiyelwe benza usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari lube ngolokuthokoza nolwedili nosuku oluhle nolokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye.
20 UMoridekayi waziloba lezo zindaba, wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ababe sezifundeni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, abaseduze nabakude,
21 ukumisa ukuba bagcine usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari nosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwayo iminyaka yonke
22 njengezinsuku abaJuda abathola ngazo ukuphumula ezitheni zabo nenyanga eyaguqulwa kubo osizini yaba ngeyokuthokoza nasekulileni kwaba lusuku oluhle, bazenze zibe yizinsuku zedili nezokuthokoza nezokuthumelana izipho omunye komunye, kanye nezipho kwabampofu.
23 AbaJuda bakwamukela ukwenza lokho abakuqalileyo, nalokho ayekulobe kubo uMoridekayi,
24 ngokuba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha sabo bonke abaJuda, wayecebile ngabaJuda ukuba abachithe, waphonsa iPhure elinyinkatho ukuba abanqobe, abachithe;
25 kepha lapho lokho kwafika phambi kwenkosi, yasho ngencwadi ukuba lelo cebo elibi ayelicebe ngabaJuda libuyele ekhanda lakhe, yena namadodana akhe baphanyekwe emthini.
26 Ngalokho babiza lezo zinsuku ngokuthi iPhurimi ngegama lePhure. Ngalokho ngenxa yawo onke amazwi aleyo ncwadi, nangenxa yalokho abebekubonile ngale ndaba, nalokho okubehleleyo,
27 abaJuda banquma bamukela, bona nenzalo yabo, nabo bonke ababezihlanganisa nabo, ukuthi bayakugcina lezo zinsuku zombili njengokubhalwa kwazo nanjengesikhathi sazo esinqunyiweyo iminyaka yonke, bangaphuthi,
28 zikhunjulwe lezo zinsuku, zigcinwe ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane, emindenini ngemindeni, ezifundeni ngezifunda, emizini ngemizi, lezo zinsuku zePhurimi, zingaphuthi phakathi kwabaJuda, nesikhumbuzo sazo singapheli enzalweni yabo.
29 U-Esteri inkosikazi, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, noMoridekayi umJuda base beloba ngamandla onke ukuba baqinise le ncwadi yesibili yePhurimi.
30 Wathuma izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ezifundeni eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa zombuso ka-Ahashiveroshi, zinamazwi okuthula neqiniso,
31 ukuba aqinise lezo zinsuku zePhurimi ngezikhathi zazo ezinqunyiweyo njengokuzimisa kukaMoridekayi umJuda no-Esteri inkosikazi, nanjengalokho bezimisele bona nenzalo yabo ngendaba yokuzila ukudla nokukhala kwabo.
32 Izwi lika-Esteri laqinisa lezo zindaba zePhurimi, kwalotshwa encwadini.