Verse 1: kwalokho lapho ulaka lwenkosi u-Ahashiveroshi selubohlile, yamkhumbula uVashiti nalokho akwenzileyo, nalokho okumenyezelwe ngaye.
Verse 2: Zase zithi izinceku zenkosi ezaziyikhonza: “Inkosi mayifunelwe izintombi ezibukekayo,
Verse 3: inkosi imise ababonisi ezifundeni zonke zombuso wakho ukuba babuthele ndawonye zonke izintombi ezibukekayo eShushani endlini yenkosi endlini yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane, zinikwe izinto zazo zokuqhola.
Verse 4: Intombi enhle emehlweni enkosi mayibe yinkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.” Yaba nhle leyo nto emehlweni enkosi, yenze njalo.
Verse 5: Kwakukhona umuntu womJuda eShushani endlini yenkosi ogama lakhe lalinguMoridekayi kaJayire kaShimeyi kaKishi wakwaBenjamini,
Verse 6: owayethunjiwe eJerusalema kanye nabathunjwa ababethunjwe noJekoniya, inkosi yakwaJuda, owathunjwa nguNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele.
Verse 7: Wayelokhu emondla uHadasa ongu-Esteri, indodakazi kayisekazi, ngokuba wayengenayise, engenanina; intombi yayiyinhle, yayibukeka; sebefile uyise nonina, uMoridekayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe.
Verse 8: Kwathi lapho izwi lenkosi nesimemezelo sayo sekuzwakele, nalapho izintombi eziningi zibuthene eShushani endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, u-Esteri wangeniswa endlini yenkosi phansi kwesandla sikaHegayi, umgcini wabesifazane.
Verse 9: Intombi yayiyinhle emehlweni akhe, yafumana umusa kuye; washesha wayinika izinto zokuqhola, nezabelo zayo, nezintombi eziyisikhombisa ezazikhethelwe yona zivela endlini yenkosi, wayiyisa yona nezintombi zayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazane.
Verse 10: Kepha u-Esteri wayengakhulumanga ngabantu bakubo nangezihlobo zakhe, ngokuba uMoridekayi wayeyiyalile ukuba ingakusho.
Verse 11: UMoridekayi wayehamba zonke izinsuku phambi kwegceke lendlu yabesifazane ukuba azi impilo ka-Esteri nokuthi kwenziwe njani kuye.
Verse 12: Lapho kufika isikhathi sezintombi ngezintombi sokuba zingene enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi emva kokuba kwenziwe kuzo njengomthetho wabesifazane izinyanga eziyishumi nambili ngokuba zagcwaliswa kanjalo izinsuku zokuqholwa kwazo, izinyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure nezinyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha nangezinto zokuqhola abesifazane
Verse 13: intombi yangena ngaleyo ndlela enkosini, nakho konke eyakushoyo yakunikwa ukuba iphume nakho endlini yabesifazane, iye endlini yenkosi.
Verse 14: Yangena khona kusihlwa; ekuseni yabuyela endlini yesibili yabesifazane phansi kwesandla sikaShahashigazi, induna yenkosi, umgcini wezancinza, ingaphindi ingene enkosini, uma inkosi ingathokozanga ngayo, ibizwe ngegama.
Verse 15: Lapho sesifikile isikhathi sika-Esteri, indodakazi ka-Abihayili, uyisekazi kaMoridekayi omthathe ukuba abe yindodakazi yakhe sokuba angene enkosini, akafunanga lutho, kuphela lokho akushoyo uHegayi induna yenkosi, umgcini wabesifazane. U-Esteri wafumana umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo.
Verse 16: U-Esteri wayeseyiswa enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi endlini yakhe yobukhosi ngenyanga yeshumi, eyinyanga kaThebeti, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo.
Verse 17: Inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri phezu kwabo bonke abesifazane, wafumana umusa nesihe emehlweni ayo kunazo zonke izintombi, wamfaka umqhele wobukhosi, wamenza inkosikazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.
Verse 18: Inkosi yayisizenzela zonke izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili lika-Esteri, wanika izifunda ukuphumula, waphana ngezipho njengokupha kwenkosi.
Verse 19: Lapho izintombi sezibuthwa ngokwesibili, uMoridekayi wahlala esangweni lenkosi.
Verse 20: U-Esteri wayengakalandi lutho ngezihlobo zakhe nangabantu bakhe, njengalokho uMoridekayi amyala ngakho, ngokuba u-Esteri wenza okushiwo nguMoridekayi njengalapho esondliwa nguye.
Verse 21: Ngalezo zinsuku uMoridekayi esahlezi esangweni lenkosi, izinduna ezimbili zenkosi oBigithani noThereshi kubalindisango zazithukuthele, zafuna ukubeka izandla enkosini u-Ahashiveroshi.
Verse 22: Leyo ndaba yaziwa nguMoridekayi, wayitshela u-Esteri inkosikazi; u-Esteri wayisho enkosini egameni likaMoridekayi.
Verse 23: Lapho indaba iphenywa, kufunyanwa ukuthi injalo, zaphanyekwa zombili emthini; kwalotshwa encwadini yezindaba zemihla ngemihla phambi kwenkosi.