1. Kwathi ngosuku lwesithathu u-Esteri wembatha ingubo yobukhosi, wema egcekeni elingaphakathi lendlu yenkosi malungana nendlu yenkosi; inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini yobukhosi malungana nomnyango wendlu.
2. Kwathi lapho inkosi ibona u-Esteri inkosikazi emi egcekeni, wafumana umusa emehlweni ayo; inkosi yamelulela u-Esteri intonga yegolide esesandleni sayo. Wayesesondela u-Esteri, wasithinta isihloko sentonga.
3. Yayisithi inkosi kuye: “Ukhala ngani, nkosikazi Esteri, na? Yini oyifunayo na? Uyakunikwa kuze kube nenxenye yombuso.”
4. Wathi u-Esteri: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, inkosi noHamani mabeze namuhla edilini engiyilungisele lona.”
5. Yathi inkosi: “Msheshiseni uHamani ukuba kwenziwe njengezwi lika-Esteri.” Base beya inkosi noHamani edilini alilungisileyo u-Esteri.
6. Inkosi yathi ku-Esteri ngasedilini lewayini: “Isicelo sakho siyini na? Uyakusenzelwa. Yini oyifunayo na? Kuyakwenziwa kuze kube nenxenye yombuso.”
7. Wayesephendula u-Esteri, ethi: “Isicelo sami nengikufunayo nakhu:
8. Uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni enkosi noma kukuhle enkosini ukunginika lokho engikucelayo nokwenza lokho engikufunayo, makuze inkosi noHamani edilini engiyakubalungisela lona; ngiyakwenza kusasa njengezwi lenkosi.”
9. UHamani waphuma khona ngalolo suku, ethokoza enenhliziyo enhle; kepha lapho uHamani embona uMoridekayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi akasukumanga, kanyakazanga ngaye, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoMoridekayi.
10. Kepha uHamani wazibamba, waya ekhaya; wayesethuma, walanda abangane bakhe noZereshi umkakhe.
11. UHamani wabalandisa udumo lwengcebo yakhe, nobuningi babantwana bakhe, nakho konke inkosi emkhulisile kukho, nalokho emphakamisile kukho phezu kwezikhulu nezinceku zenkosi.
12. UHamani wathi futhi: “U-Esteri, inkosikazi, akangenisanga muntu kanye nenkosi edilini alilungisileyo ngaphandle kwami; nakusasa mina ngimenyiwe nguye kanye nenkosi.
13. Kepha konke lokho akunganelisi ngalutho kuso sonke isikhathi engilokhu ngibona ngaso uMoridekayi, umJuda, ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.”