Esteri 2:5-14

Kwakukhona esigodlweni saseShushani umJuda othile ogama lakhe linguMoridegayi indodana kaJayire kaSimeyi kaKishi wakwaBenjamini; abathunjwa eJerusalema kanye nokuthunjwa kanye noJekoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda, owathunjwa nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele. Wayesondla uHadasa, ongu-Esteri, indodakazi kayisekazi; ngokuba yayingenayise noma unina, intombazana yayiyinhle, iyinhle; uMoridekayi wafa uyise nonina wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe. Lapho kuzwakala umyalo nomyalo wayo wenkosi, nalapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene esigodlweni uSusan ngaphansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, u-Esteri naye walethwa endlini yenkosi ngaphansi kwesandla sikaHegayi umgcini wabesifazane. Intombi yamthokozisa, yathola umusa kuyo; washesha wamnika izinto zakhe zokuhlanjululwa, nakho konke okwakhe, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa abemelwe ukuziphiwa, ziphuma endlini yenkosi; wamkhetha yena nezincekukazi zakhe phezu kwendawo enhle kunazo zonke yendlu yabesifazane. U-Esteri akabatshelanga abantu bakubo nomndeni wakubo, ngoba uMoridegayi wayemyalile ukuba angasho. UMoridegayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuze azi ukuthi u-Esteri unjani nokuthi kuzokwenzekani kuye. Lapho incekukazi ngayinye ingena ngokudedelana ukungena enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi, isinezinyanga eziyishumi nambili njengomthetho wabesifazane, ngokuba zaphelela kanjalo izinsuku zokuhlanjululwa kwabo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure, nezinyanga eziyisithupha. Ngephunga elimnandi, nezinye izinto zokuhlanzwa kwabesifazane; Zase zifika zonke izintombi enkosini kanje; konke ayekufuna wanikwa ukuthi ahambe laye endlini yabesifazana ukuya endlini yenkosi. Yahamba kusihlwa, ngangomuso yabuyela endlini yesibili yabesifazane, phansi kwesandla sikaSheshahasi, induna yenkosi, egada izancinza; nokuthi wayeshiwo ngegama.