Esther 2
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
Emva kwalezizinto, ulaka lwenkosi uAhasuwerusi seludedile, wamkhumbula uVashiti, lalokho ayekwenzile, lalokho okwaqunywa ngaye.
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'Let there be sought for the king young virgins fair to look on;
Izinceku zenkosi ezaziyisebenzela zasezisithi: Kakudingelwe inkosi amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle.
3 and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the castle, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their ointments be given them;
Inkosi imise-ke ababonisi kuzo zonke izabelo zombuso, ukuze babuthanise wonke amantombazana, izintombi ezikhangeleka kuhle, eShushani isigodlo, endlini yabesifazana, esandleni sikaHegayi, umthenwa wenkosi, umlondolozi wabesifazana, lokunika okokuqhola kwawo.
4 and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
Kuthi intombazana enhle emehlweni enkosi ibe yindlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti. Indaba yayilungile-ke emehlweni enkosi, yenza njalo.
5 There was a certain Jew in Shushan the castle, whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair the son of Shimei the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
Kwakukhona indoda engumJuda eShushani isigodlo, obizo layo lalinguModekhayi indodana kaJayiri indodana kaShimeyi indodana kaKishi, umBhenjamini,
6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
owayethunjwe eJerusalema kanye labathunjwa ababethunjwe loJekoniya inkosi yakoJuda, uNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni owayebathumbile.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was of beautiful form and fair to look on; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
Njalo wayesondla uHadasa, onguEsta, umntakamalumakhe, ngoba wayengelayise kumbe unina; njalo intombi yayinhle ngesimo njalo ikhangeleka kuhle; ekufeni-ke kukayise lonina uModekhayi wayithatha yaba yindodakazi yakhe.
8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was published, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the castle, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
Kwasekusithi sekuzwakele ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho wayo, lapho sekubuthaniswe izintombi ezinengi eShushani isigodlo esandleni sikaHegayi, uEsta laye wathathwa wasiwa endlini yenkosi esandleni sikaHegayi, umlondolozi wabesifazana.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her ointments, with her portions, and the seven maidens, who were meet to be given her out of the king's house; and he advanced her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.
Lentombi yayinhle emehlweni akhe, yazuza umusa phambi kwakhe; wasehle eyinika amakha ayo lezabelo zayo, lamantombazana akhethiweyo ayisikhombisa ukuyinika avela endlini yenkosi; wayisusa wayifaka yona lamantombazana ayo endaweni enhle yendlu yabesifazana.
10 Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it.
UEsta wayengakhulumanga abantu bakwabo lomhlobo wakhe, ngoba uModekhayi wayemlayile ukuthi angakukhulumi.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
Langalo lonke usuku ngosuku uModekhayi wayehambahamba phambi kweguma lendlu yabesifazana ukwazi impilakahle kaEsta lokuthi kuyini okuzakwenzeka kuye.
12 Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women, twelve months — for so were the days of their anointing accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six month with sweet odours, and with other ointments of the women —
Lekufikeni kwezopha lentombi ngentombi ukungena enkosini uAhasuwerusi ekucineni sekwenziwe kuye njengomthetho wabesifazana, inyanga ezilitshumi lambili, ngoba ngokunjalo kwagcwaliseka insuku zamakha awo, inyanga eziyisithupha ngamafutha emure, lenyanga eziyisithupha ngamakha okuqhola, langamanye amakha abesifazana.
13 when then the maiden came unto the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
Ngalokho-ke intombi yangena enkosini; loba kuyini ekutshoyo izakunikwa ukuthi ihambe lakho isuka endlini yabesifazana isiya endlini yenkosi.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
Ntambama yangena, lekuseni ibuyele endlini yesibili yabesifazana, esandleni sikaShashigazi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabafazi abancinyane; kayingenanga futhi enkosini ngaphandle kokuthi inkosi ithokoze ngayo, ibizwe ngebizo.
15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
Kwathi selifikile izopho likaEsta, indodakazi kaAbihayili umalumakhe kaModekhayi owayemthethe waba yindodakazi yakhe, lokuthi angene enkosini, kacelanga lutho ngaphandle kwalokho uHegayi umthenwa wenkosi umlondolozi wabesifazana akutshoyo. UEsta wayesemukela-ke umusa emehlweni abo bonke abambonayo.
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Ngokunjalo uEsta wasiwa enkosini uAhasuwerusi endlini yayo yesikhosini ngenyanga yetshumi, eyinyanga kaTebethi, ngomnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kwayo.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Inkosi yasimthanda uEsta okwedlula bonke abesifazana, wemukela umusa lesihe phambi kwayo okwedlula zonke intombi, yasibeka umqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lakhe, yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sikaVashiti.
18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.
Inkosi yasisenzela zonke iziphathamandla zayo lenceku zayo idili elikhulu, idili likaEsta. Yenzela izabelo ikhefu, yapha izipho njengokwamandla enkosi.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, and Mordecai sat in the king's gate —
Kwathi intombi sezibuthanisiwe okwesibili, uModekhayi wayehlezi esangweni lenkosi.
20 Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him —
UEsta wayengakhulumanga umhlobo wakhe labantu bakibo, njengoba uModekhayi wamlaya, ngoba uEsta wenza umlayo kaModekhayi njengalapho esondliwa elaye.
21 in those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
Ngalezozinsuku uModekhayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi, oBigithani loTereshi abathenwa ababili benkosi, abalindi bombundu, bathukuthela, badinga ukuyithela isandla inkosi uAhasuwerusi.
22 And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
Njalo udaba lwaziwa kuModekhayi, waselutshela uEsta indlovukazi; njalo uEsta wayitshela inkosi ebizweni likaModekhayi.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
Lolodaba seluhlolwa, lwatholakala lunjalo; ngakho bobabili baphanyekwa esihlahleni. Kwasekubhalwa egwalweni lwemilando phambi kwenkosi.
