< Esther 8 >

1 That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.
Mhlalokho inkosi u-Ahasuweru yanika iNdlovukazi u-Esta impahla kaHamani, isitha samaJuda. UModekhayi weza phambi kwenkosi, ngoba u-Esta wayesechazile ngobuhlobo babo.
2 The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.
Inkosi yakhupha indandatho yayo yophawu lobukhosi, eyayisiyithathele uHamani, yayipha uModekhayi. U-Esta wamkhetha uModekhayi ukuba aphathe impahla kaHamani.
3 And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.
U-Esta wabuye wancenga enkosini, eziwisela ezinyaweni zayo njalo ekhala. Wayicela ukuba inqabele icebo elibi likaHamani umʼAgagi, ayelicebe ngamaJuda.
4 The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.
Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esta owasukuma wama phambi kwayo.
5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
Wathi, “Nxa kuyithokozisa inkosi, njalo nxa ingamukela ngokuthokoza ibona kuyinto efanele ukwenziwa, njalo nxa ithokoza ngami, akubhalwe umlayo ozachitha izincwadi ezalotshwa nguHamani indodana kaHamedatha, umʼAgagi, ezazibhalwe ngezimiso zokuchitha amaJuda kuzozonke izabelo zenkosi.
6 For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
Kambe kungavuma njani ukubona incithakalo isehlela abantu bakithi? Kungavuma njani ukuba ngibone incithakalo yemuli yakithi?”
7 So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.
Inkosi u-Ahasuweru waphendula iNdlovukazi loModekhayi umJuda ngokuthi, “Ngoba uHamani ehlasele amaJuda, sengiphe u-Esta impahla yakhe, njalo sebemlengise esakhiweni sokulengisa.
8 Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”
Ngakho-ke bhala omunye umlayo ngebizo lenkosi usenzela amaJuda njengokubona kwakho, ubusuyingcina ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, ngoba awukho umbiko olotshwe ngebizo lenkosi wangcinwa ngophawu lwendandatho yayo ongadilizwa.”
9 At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan ), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush —writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
Onobhala besigodlweni bahle babizwa masinyane, ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lantathu ngenyanga yesithathu, inyanga ethiwa nguSivana. Babhala yonke imilayo kaModekhayi kumaJuda, lakuziphathamandla, kubabusi lakuzikhulu kuzozonke izabelo ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa kusukela e-Indiya kuze kuyefika eTopiya. Imilayo leyo yayibhalwe ngombhalo walelo lalelo lizwe ngolimi lwalabobantu njalo lakubaJuda ngombhalo wabo lolimi lwabo.
10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.
UModekhayi wabhala ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru, wangcina izincwadi lezo ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, wathuma izithunywa ezazigada amabhiza ayelesiqubu efuyelwe ukusetshenziswa yinkosi.
11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
Isimiso somlayo wenkosi sasinika amaJuda kuwo wonke amadolobho imvumo yokuhlangana lokuzivikela; ukuchitha, ukubulala babhubhise yonke impi ehlomileyo eyaloba yisiphi isizwe loba isifunda esasingabahlasela kanye labesifazane labantwana; lokuthi baphange impahla yezitha zabo.
12 The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
Ilanga elamiswayo ukuba amaJuda enze lokho kuzozonke izabelo zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru lalingeletshumi lantathu ngenyanga yetshumi lambili, inyanga ethiwa ngu-Adari.
13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
Isimiso somlayo lowo sasizakhutshwa sibe ngumthetho kuzozonke izabelo, umenyezelwe ebantwini bezizwe zonke ukuze amaJuda ahlale elungele ngalelolanga ukuphindisela ezitheni zawo.
14 The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses, pressed on by the command of the king. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.
Izithunywa zaphuma ngokuphangisa zigade amabhiza esigodlweni, zifuqwa ngumlayo wenkosi. Isimiso somlayo samenyezelwa edolobheni laseSusa.
15 Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
UModekhayi wasuka phambi kwenkosi egqoke izembatho zobukhosi ezilombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka lomhlophe, umqhele wegolide omkhulu kanye lesembatho esiyibubende eselembu lelineni elihle. Kwaba ledili lentokozo edolobheni laseSusa.
16 For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor.
Kwaba yisikhathi sokuthaba lokuthokoza, injabulo lodumo kubaJuda.
17 In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Kuzozonke izabelo lakuwo wonke amadolobho, ingqe lapho isimiso somlayo wenkosi esaya khona, kwaba lentokozo lenjabulo kubaJuda, kwaba lamadili kwadliwa. Abantu abanengi bakwezinye izizwe baba ngabaJuda ngenxa yokwesaba amaJuda.

< Esther 8 >