U-Esteri 1:1-8

Kwathi emihleni ka-Ahashiveroshi yena ungu-Ahashiveroshi lowo owabusa kusukela e-Indiya kuze kube seKushe phezu kwezifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa yebo, ngaleyo mihla lapho inkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wayo, esasiseShushani endlini yenkosi, ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwayo, yenzela izikhulu zayo zonke nezinceku zayo idili, amaqhawe asePheresiya naseMediya, nabakhulu nezikhulu zezifunda bephambi kwayo, lapho iyibonakalisa ingcebo yombuso wayo odumileyo, nobukhosi nobuhle bobukhulu bayo izinsuku eziningi, izinsuku eziyikhulu namashumi ayisishiyagalombili. Seziphelile lezo zinsuku, inkosi yenzela abantu bonke ababe khona eShushani endlini yenkosi, abakhulu nabancane, idili izinsuku eziyisikhombisa egcekeni lensimu yendlu yenkosi. Kwakukhona izilenge ezimhlophe neziluhlaza, ziboshelwe ngezintambo zelineni elicolekileyo nezibubende emasongweni esiliva nasezinsikeni zamatshe amhlophe; imibhede yayiyigolide nesiliva phezu kwendawo egandaywe ngamatshe abomvu, nangamaparele,* nangamatshe amnyama. Baphuziswa ngezitsha zegolide, izitsha zahlukene, ezinye nezinye, iwayini lamakhosi eliningi njengokwesandla senkosi. Ukuphuza kwaya ngomthetho wokuba kungacindezelwa muntu, ngokuba inkosi yayiyalile zonke izinduna zendlu yayo ukuba zenze njengokuthanda kwabantu abanye ngabanye.