Lawa ngamavesi eBhayibheli akhuluma ngawo i-esther
Esteri 8 : 1 – 17
1 Ngalolo suku inkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yanika u-Esteri indlovukazi indlu kaHamani isitha sabaJuda. UMoridekayi weza phambi kwenkosi; ngoba u-Esteri wakhuluma lokho ayeyikho kuye.
2 Inkosi yakhumula indandatho yayo ebiyithathile kuHamani, yayinika uMoridekayi. U-Esteri wabeka uMoridekayi phezu kwendlu kaHamani.
3 U-Esteri wabuye wakhuluma phambi kwenkosi, wawa ngasezinyaweni zayo, wayincenga ngezinyembezi ukuba isuse ububi bukaHamani umAgagi, necebo lakhe ayelicebe ngamaJuda.
4 Inkosi yelulela u-Esteri intonga yegolide. U-Esteri wayesesukuma wema phambi kwenkosi.
5 Wathi: “Uma kukuhle enkosini, noma ngifumene umusa emehlweni ayo, nendaba ibonakala ilungile phambi kwenkosi, ngithandeka emehlweni ayo, makulotshwe ngezincwadi uHamani, indodana uHamedatha umAgagi owalobela ukubhubhisa abaJuda abakuzo zonke izifunda zenkosi.
6 Ngokuba ngingakubekezelela kanjani ukubona ububi obuzokwehlela abantu bami na? noma ngingabekezelela kanjani ukubona ukubhujiswa komndeni wami?
7 Inkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yathi ku-Esteri indlovukazi nakuMoridekayi umJuda: “Bhekani, ngimnike u-Esteri indlu kaHamani, bamphanyeka esigxotsheni, ngokuba welulela isandla sakhe kumaJuda.
8 Futhi lobelani abaJuda egameni lenkosi njengokufisa kwenu, nilinamathelise ngendandatho yenkosi; ngoba umbhalo olotshiweyo ebizweni lenkosi, waphawulwa ngendandatho yenkosi, kawuphenduki muntu.
9 Ababhali benkosi basebebizwa ngaleso sikhathi ngenyanga yesithathu eyinyanga kaSivani ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lantathu lwayo; kulotshiwe njengakho konke uMoridekayi ayala ngakho amaJuda, nezinduna, nezinduna, nababusi bezifunda, kusukela eNdiya kuze kube seKushe, izifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa esifundazweni ngasinye njengokuloba kwaso, bonke abantu ngolimi lwabo, nakumaJuda ngokokuloba kwabo nangokwezilimi zabo.
10 Yabhala egameni lenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, yanameka ngendandatho yenkosi, yathumela izincwadi ngeposi nabakhwele amahhashi, nabakhwele iminyuzi, namakamela, namakamela.
11 Lapho inkosi yanika abaJuda ababekuyo yonke imizi ukuba babuthane, bamele ukuphila kwabo, ukuba bachithe, babulale, bachithe onke amandla abantu nezifunda ezaziyakubahlasela, abancane nabesifazane, ukuthatha impango yabo ibe yimpango,
12 ngalusuku lunye kuzo zonke izifunda zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, okungukuthi, ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga yeshumi nambili, eyinyanga ka-Adari.
13 Ikhophi yombhalo womyalo okufanele ikhishwe kuzo zonke izifundazwe yaziswa kubantu bonke, nokuthi amaJuda kwakumelwe alungele ngalolo suku ukuziphindiselela ezitheni zawo.
14 Khona-ke amadodana ayegibele iminyuzi namakamela aphuma ngokushesha, ayala ngesiyalezo senkosi. Futhi umyalo wanikezwa esigodlweni uSusan.
15 UMoridegayi wasuka enkosini egqoke izingubo zobukhosi eziluhlaza nokumhlophe, enomqhele omkhulu wegolide, nangengubo yelineni elicolekileyo nokububende; umuzi waseShushani wathokoza, wajabula.
16 AmaJuda athola ukukhanya, intokozo lenjabulo lodumo.
17 Ezifundeni zonke nasemizini yonke, lapho kwafika khona izwi lenkosi nomyalo wayo, abaJuda baba nokujabula nokujabula, nomkhosi nosuku oluhle. Abaningi kubantu bezwe baba amaJuda; ngoba ukwesaba abaJuda kwabehlela.
Esteri 4 : 14
14 Ngokuba uma nithula impela ngalesi sikhathi, kuyakuvela ukwandiswa nokusindiswa kwabaJuda kwenye indawo; kepha wena nendlu kayihlo niyakuchithwa; Ngubani owaziyo ukuthi ungene embusweni isikhathi esinjengalesi na?
Esteri 5 : 1 – 14
1 Kwathi ngosuku lwesithathu u-Esteri wembatha ingubo yakhe yobukhosi, wema egcekeni elingaphakathi lendlu yenkosi malungana nendlu yenkosi; inkosi yahlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini yenkosi malungana nesango lendlu.
2 Lapho inkosi ibona u-Esteri indlovukazi emi egcekeni, wazuza umusa emehlweni ayo; inkosi yelulela u-Esteri intonga yegolide eyayisesandleni sayo. Khona-ke u-Esteri wasondela wathinta isihloko sentonga yobukhosi.
3 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Ufunani, ndlovukazi Esta? futhi siyini isicelo sakho? uyakunikwa kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
4 U-Esteri wathi: “Uma kukuhle emehlweni enkosi, makeze inkosi noHamani namuhla esidlweni engiyilungisele yona.”
5 Inkosi yasisithi: UHamani kaphangise, ukuze enze njengokutsho kukaEsta. Inkosi noHamani base befika esidlweni u-Esteri ayesilungisile.
6 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta edilini lewayini: Uyini umkhuleko wakho? Futhi siyini isicelo sakho? kuyakufezwa engxenyeni yombuso.
7 U-Esteri waphendula wathi: “Isicelo sami nesicelo sami yilokhu;
8 Uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni enkosi, futhi uma kukuhle enkosini ukunginika umkhuleko wami nokugcwalisa isicelo sami, inkosi noHamani mabeze esidlweni engibalungisele sona, futhi kusasa ngizobalungiselela. Yenza njengokusho kwenkosi.
9 Khona-ke uHamani waphuma ngalolo suku ejabula futhi enenhliziyo ejabulayo, kodwa lapho uHamani ebona uMoridekayi esangweni lenkosi ukuthi akasukumanga futhi akazange athuthumele ngenxa yakhe, uHamani wagcwala ulaka ngoMoridekayi.
10 Kepha uHamani wazibamba, wathi efika endlini yakhe, wabiza abangane bakhe noSereshi umkakhe.
11 UHamani wabalandisa ngenkazimulo yengcebo yakhe, nangobuningi babantwana bakhe, nakho konke inkosi eyamkhulisa ngakho, nokuthi uziphakamisile ngaphezu kwezikhulu nezinceku zenkosi.
12 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uHamani wathi: “Yebo, indlovukazi u-Esteri ayizange ivumele muntu ukuba angene kanye nenkosi esidlweni eyayisilungisile, ngaphandle kwami; futhi kusasa nami ngizomenywa kuye kanye nenkosi.
13 Kodwa konke lokhu akungisizi ngalutho, lapho ngibona uMoridekayi umJuda ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
14 Umkakhe uSereshi labo bonke abangane bakhe bathi kuye: “Mawuphakanyiswe ugodo oluyizingalo ezingamashumi ayisihlanu, nikhulume enkosini kusasa ukuba uMoridekayi alengiswe kuso; bese ungena ngokuthokoza kanye nenkosi esidlweni. Lendaba yaba mnandi kuHamani; futhi wenza ugodo.
Esteri 4 : 16
16 Hamba uqoqe wonke amaJuda akhona eShushani, ningizilele, ningadli, ningaphuzi izinsuku ezintathu, ubusuku nemini. Mina nezincekukazi zami siyakuzila kanjalo; kanjalo ngiyongena enkosini, okuphambene nomthetho; futhi uma ngibhubha, ngiyabhubha.
Esteri 9 : 1 – 32
1 Ngenyanga yeshumi nambili, eyinyanga ka-Adari, ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwayo, lapho kwakusondela isimemezelo senkosi nomthetho wayo ukuba wenziwe, ngalolo suku izitha zabaJuda zazinethemba lokunqoba ngalo. Babe nazo, (ngisho noma kwakuphambene, ukuthi amaJuda ayebusa phezu kwalabo ababewazonda;)
2 AbaJuda babuthana emizini yabo kuzo zonke izifunda zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi ukuba babeke izandla phezu kwababefuna okubi kwabo; futhi akekho owayengamelana nabo; ngoba ukwesaba kwabo kwehlela phezu kwabantu bonke.
3 Bonke ababusi bezifunda, nezinduna, nezikhulu, nezikhulu zenkosi babasiza abaJuda; ngoba ukwesaba uMoridekayi kwabehlela.
4 Ngokuba uMoridekayi wayemkhulu endlini yenkosi, nodumo lwakhe lwaphumela ezifundeni zonke, ngokuba lowo muntu uMoridekayi waba mkhulu ngokuba mkhulu.
5 Ngakho abaJuda bachitha zonke izitha zabo ngokuceka kwenkemba, nangokubulala, nangokubhubhisa, benza njengokuthanda kwabo kwababazondayo.
6 Esigodlweni uSusan amaJuda abulala futhi abhubhisa amadoda angamakhulu amahlanu.
7 NoParshandatha noDalfoni no-Aspata,
8 noPoratha, no-Adaliya, no-Aridata,
9 neParmashta, no-Arisayi, no-Aridayi, noVayizatha,
10 Amadodana ayishumi kaHamani indodana kaHamedatha, isitha sabaJuda, ababulala; kepha abazibekanga izandla zabo empangweni.
11 Ngalolo suku inani lababulawa esigodlweni sikaSusan lalethwa phambi kwenkosi.
12 Inkosi yathi ku-Esteri indlovukazi: “AmaJuda abulala, achitha abantu abangamakhulu ayisihlanu esigodlweni sikaSusani kanye namadodana ayishumi kaHamani; benzani kwezinye izifunda zenkosi? manje siyini isicelo sakho? uyakunikwa; noma yisiphi isicelo sakho futhi? futhi kuyokwenzeka.
13 Wayesethi u-Esteri: “Uma inkosi ithanda, mawanikwe abaJuda abaseShushani ukuba benze nakusasa njengomthetho wanamuhla, namadodana ayishumi kaHamani alengiswe esigxotsheni.
14 Inkosi yasilaya ukuthi kube njalo, kwaphuma umlayo eSusa; bawaphanyeka amadodana ayishumi kaHamani.
15 AbaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana nabo ngosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari, babulala abantu abangamakhulu amathathu eShushani; kepha abazibekanga izandla zabo empangweni.
16 Kodwa abanye abaJuda ababesezifundeni zenkosi babuthana, bamela ukuphila kwabo, baphumula ezitheni zabo, babulala ezitheni zabo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu, kepha ababambanga izandla zabo empangweni.
17 Ngosuku lweshumi nantathu lwenyanga ka-Adari; ngosuku lweshumi nane lwaso baphumula, balwenza lwaba usuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.
18 Kepha abaJuda ababeseShushani babuthana ngolweshumi nantathu nangolweshumi nane; ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwaso baphumula, balwenza lwaba usuku lwedili nolokuthokoza.
19 Ngakho abaJuda bemizi ababehlala emizini engabiyelweyo benza usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari lube usuku lwenjabulo nolwedili nosuku oluhle, nolokuthumelelana izabelo.
20 UMoridekayi waloba lezi zinto, wathumela izincwadi kuwo wonke amaJuda ayesezifundazweni zonke zenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, aseduze nakude;
21 ukukumisa phakathi kwabo, ukuthi bagcine usuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ka-Adari nolweshumi nanhlanu lwayo minyaka yonke;
22 njengezinsuku amaJuda aphumula ngazo ezitheni zawo, nenyanga eyaguqulelwa kuwo usizi yaba intokozo, nokulila kwaba usuku oluhle; nezipho kwabampofu.
23 AmaJuda avuma ukwenza njengalokho ayeqalile, nanjengoba uMoridegayi wayewabhalele wona;
24 Ngoba uHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, isitha sawo wonke amaJuda, wayecebe abaJuda ukuba ababhubhise, baphonse iPhure, okuyinkatho, ukubaqothula, ababhubhise;
25 Kodwa lapho u-Esteri efika phambi kwenkosi, yayala ngezincwadi ukuba icebo lakhe elibi alicebile ngamaJuda libuyele ekhanda lakhe, futhi yena namadodana akhe baphanyekwe esigxotsheni.
26 Kungakho namuhla baqamba igama elithi iPhurimi ngegama lePhure. Ngakho, ngenxa yawo wonke amazwi ale ncwadi, nalokho abakubonayo, abafika kubo ngale ndaba,
27 AmaJuda anquma futhi azithathela wona kanye nenzalo yawo nabo bonke abazihlanganisa nawo, ukuze kungapheli, ukuthi bagcine lezi zinsuku ezimbili njengemibhalo yabo nangesikhathi sazo esimisiwe unyaka nonyaka;
28 nokuthi lezi zinsuku kufanele zikhunjulwe futhi zigcinwe yizo zonke izizukulwane ngezizukulwane, nezifunda ngezifunda nawo wonke umuzi; nokuthi lezi zinsuku zePhurimi zingashabalali phakathi kwamaJuda, futhi inkumbulo yazo ingashabalali enzalweni yawo.
29 Khona-ke u-Esteri indlovukazi, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, noMoridekayi umJuda baloba ngamandla onke ukuze baqinise le ncwadi yesibili yePurimi.
30 Wathumela izincwadi kubo bonke abaJuda ezifundeni eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa zombuso ka-Ahashiveroshi, ngamazwi okuthula neqiniso,
31 ukuze kuqinise lezo zinsuku zePhurimi ngezikhathi zazo ezimisiweyo, njengalokho uMoridekayi umJuda no-Esteri indlovukazi babayala, nanjengoko bezinqumile bona nenzalo yabo, izindaba zokuzila ukudla nokubiza kwabo.
32 Isiyalezo sika-Esteri saziqinisa lezi zindaba zePhurimi; futhi kulotshiwe encwadini.
2 Samuweli 1 : 1 – 27
1 Kwathi emva kokufa kukaSawule, uDavide ebuyile ekubulaleni ama-Amaleki, uDavide wahlala izinsuku ezimbili eZikilagi;
2 Kwathi ngosuku lwesithathu kwaphuma umuntu ekamu, izingubo zikaSawule eziklebhukile, enothuli ekhanda lakhe; lapho efika kuDavide, wawa phansi, wakhuleka.
3 UDavida wasesithi kuye: Uvela ngaphi? Wathi kuye: “Ngiphunyukile ekamu lika-Israyeli.”
4 UDavida wasesithi kuye: Kwenze njani? ngiyakuncenga, ungitshele. Futhi waphendula: Ukuthi abantu babaleka empini, futhi futhi abaningi babantu bawa futhi bafa; noSawule noJonathani indodana yakhe bafa.
5 UDavida wasesithi kuyo ijaha elamtshelayo: Wazi ngani ukuthi uSawuli loJonathani indodana yakhe bafile?
6 Ijaha elamtshela lathi: “Ngathi ngifika entabeni yaseGilibowa, bheka, uSawule wayeme ngomkhonto wakhe; bheka, izinqola nabamahhashi bamxosha kanzima.
7 Wathi ebheka emva kwakhe, wangibona, wangibiza; Futhi ngiyaphendula: Nangu mina.
8 Yasisithi kimi: Ungubani? Ngathi kuye: “NgingumAmaleki.”
9 Wabuye wathi kimi: “Yima phezu kwami, ungibulale, ngokuba usizi lungehlele, ngokuba umphefumulo wami usaphelele kimi.”
10 Ngema phezu kwakhe, ngambulala, ngokuba ngangazi ukuthi akayikuphila emva kokuwa kwakhe; ngase ngithatha umqhele owawusekhanda lakhe nesongo elisengalweni yakhe ngakuletha lapha enkosini yami.
11 UDavide wathatha izingubo zakhe, waziklebhula; kanjalo nawo onke amadoda aye naye.
12 Balila, bakhala, bazila ukudla kwaze kwahlwa ngenxa kaSawule, nangenxa kaJonathani indodana yakhe, naphezu kwabantu bakaJehova, naphezu kwendlu yakwa-Israyeli; ngoba bawa ngenkemba.
13 UDavide wayesethi kuyo insizwa eyamtshelayo: “Ungowaphi na? Wathi: “Ngiyindodana yomfokazi, umAmaleki.”
14 UDavide wayesethi kuye: “Awuzange wesabe kanjani ukwelula isandla sakho ukubhubhisa ogcotshiweyo weNkosi na?
15 UDavida wasebiza enye yezinsizwa, wathi: Sondela umhlasele. Futhi wamshaya waze wafa.
16 UDavida wasesithi kuye: Igazi lakho liphezu kwekhanda lakho; ngoba umlomo wakho ufakazile ngawe, wathi: Mina ngibulele ogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
17 UDavide walilela ngalesi sililo ngoSawule nangoJonathani indodana yakhe.
18 (Futhi wabayala ukuba bafundise abantwana bakwaJuda ukusebenzisa umnsalo; bheka, kulotshiwe encwadini kaJasheri.)
19 Ubuhle buka-Israyeli bubulewe ezindaweni zakho eziphakemeyo; awe kanjani amaqhawe!
20 Lingakutsheli eGati, lingakwenzi kwaziwe ezitaladeni zeAshikeloni; ukuze amadodakazi amaFilisti angathokozi, namadodakazi angasokile angathokozi.
21 Zintaba zaseGilibowa, makungabikho mazolo, kungabikho mvula phezu kwenu, namasimu emihlatshelo; ngoba kukhona isihlangu samaqhawe, isihlangu sikaSawuli esilahlwe lapho kungathi kagcotshiweyo amafutha.
22 Egazini lababuleweyo, emanoni amaqhawe, umnsalo kaJonathani awubuyanga, nenkemba kaSawule ayibuyanga ilambatha.
23 OSawule noJonathani babebahle, bethandeka ekuphileni kwabo, nasekufeni kwabo abahlukananga; babenejubane kunezinkozi, babenamandla kunezingonyama.
24 Madodakazi akwa-Israyeli, mkhaleleni uSawule, owanigqokisa okubomvu nezinye izibiliboco, owafaka imihlobiso yegolide engutsheni yenu.
25 Yeka ukuwa kwamaqhawe phakathi kwempi! Jonathani, ubulewe ezindaweni zakho eziphakemeyo.
26 Ngikhathazekile ngawe, mfowethu Jonathani; wawumuhle kakhulu kimi; uthando lwakho kimi lwalumangalisa ngaphezu kothando lwabesifazane.
27 Yeka ukuwa kwamaqhawe nezikhali zempi zabhubha!
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