Esther 4
1 When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
Kwathi uModekhayi esezwile ngakho konke okwasekwenziwe, wadabula iziqgoko zakhe, wagqoka amasaka okulila, wazihuqa ngomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi ekhala kakhulu njalo kabuhlungukazi.
2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
Kodwa wahamba wayafika esangweni lenkosi, ngoba akulamuntu owayevunyelwa ukungena egqoke amasaka okulila.
3 In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Kuzozonke izabelo lapho isimiso somthetho lomlayo wenkosi okwafika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kubaJuda, bazila ukudla, bakhala njalo belila. Abanengi balala emlotheni begqoke amasaka okulila.
4 When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
Kwathi izinceku zika-Esta kanye labathenwa bakhe befika bemtshela ngoModekhayi, waba lokudabuka okukhulu. Wamthumela izembatho zokuthi agqoke endaweni yamasaka okulila, kodwa wala ukuzamukela.
5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.
U-Esta wasebiza uHathakhi, omunye wabathenwa benkosi owayekhethwe ukuba yinceku yakhe, wamlaya ukuba ayedingisisa lokho okwakukhathaza uModekhayi lembangela yakho.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
Ngakho uHathakhi waya kuModekhayi egcekeni ledolobho phambi kwesango lenkosi.
7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.
UModekhayi wamtshela konke okwakwenzakale kuye, kugoqela inani lemali uHamani ayethembise ukulibhadala lingene enothweni yenkosi kusenzelwa ukubhujiswa kwamaJuda.
8 Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
Wamupha njalo amazwi esimemezelo leso ayesekhutshwe aba ngumthetho omisiweyo wokubhujiswa kwabo, owawumenyezelwe eSusa, ukuze awutshengise u-Esta njalo amchazele ngawo; njalo wamtshela ukuthi amkhuthaze ukuba aye enkosini ukuyacela isihawu sayo encengela abantu bakibo.
9 So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
UHathakhi wabuyela wayamtshela u-Esta lokho okwakukhulunywe nguModekhayi.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
Yena wasemlaya ukuba athi kuModekhayi,
11 “All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
“Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi kanye labasezigodlweni ezabelweni bayakwazi ukuthi inkosi ilomthetho owodwa zwi kuloba yiphi indoda loba owesifazane osondela enkosini angene endlini ephakathi engabizwanga; kufanele abulawe, ngaphandle kokuba inkosi yelule intonga yayo yegolide imkhombe ngayo ukuze impilo yakhe iphephe. Kodwa, sekwedlule amalanga angamatshumi amathathu selokhu ngacina ukubizelwa enkosini.”
12 When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
Kwathi amazwi ka-Esta ebikwa kuModekhayi,
13 he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
waphendula wathi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngoba wena usendlini yenkosi nguwe wedwa kuwo wonke amaJuda ozaphepha.
14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Nxa ungala uthule ngalesisikhathi, usizo lokukhululwa kwamaJuda kuzavela kwenye indawo, kodwa wena kanye lemuli kayihlo lizabhubha. Njalo kwazi bani, ukuthi uze kulesi sikhundla sobukhosi ngenxa yesikhathi esinjengalesi na?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
U-Esta wasethumela impendulo le kuModekhayi:
16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
“Hamba uyebuthanisa ndawonye wonke amaJuda aseSusa, lingizilele ukudla. Lingaze ladla loba ukunatha okwensuku ezintathu, ebusuku lemini. Mina kanye lezincekukazi zami sizazila njengani. Nxa lokhu sekwenziwe, ngizakuya enkosini loba nje lokho kungekho emthethweni. Nxa ngisifa, ngiyabe ngifile.”
17 So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.
Ngakho uModekhayi wasuka wayakwenza lokho okwakulaywe ngu-Esta.
