< Esther 4 >

1 When Mordecai ascertained all that had been done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth [strewed] with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry;
Mordekai alipojua yote yaliyokwisha kufanyika, alirarua mavazi yake na kuvaa nguo za magunia na kujipaka majivu, akaenda mjini, akiomboleza kwa sauti na kwa uchungu.
2 And thus he came up to the front of the king's gate; for none dared to enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
Alikwenda akasimama nje ya lango la mfalme, kwa sababu hakuna yeyote aliyeruhusiwa kuingia akiwa amevaa nguo za magunia.
3 And in each and every province, in every place whither the king's decree and his law had reached, there was great mourning for the Jews, with fasting and weeping and wailing; and a sackcloth [strewed] with ashes became the bed of the great.
Katika kila jimbo ambapo amri na agizo la mfalme lilifika, kulikuwa na maombolezo makuu miongoni mwa Wayahudi pamoja na kufunga, kulia na kuomboleza. Watu wengi wakalala juu ya nguo za magunia na majivu.
4 Then came the maidens of Esther with her chamberlains and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly terrified; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from him, but he accepted them not.
Wajakazi wa Esta na matowashi walipokuja na kumwambia kuhusu Mordekai, alipatwa na huzuni kuu. Alimtumia nguo avae badala ya nguo za magunia, lakini Mordekai hakuzikubali.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a charge for Mordecai to know what this was, and why this was.
Ndipo Esta akamwita Hathaki, mmojawapo wa matowashi wa mfalme ambaye alikuwa amewekwa kumhudumia Esta, akamwagiza kutafuta ni nini kilikuwa kikimtaabisha Mordekai na ni kwa nini.
6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
Basi Hathaki alitoka nje kumwendea Mordekai kwenye uwanja ulio wazi wa mji mbele ya lango la mfalme.
7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened unto him, and of the fixed sum of money which Haman had promised to weigh out into the treasuries of the king for the Jews, to destroy them.
Mordekai akamwambia kila kitu ambacho kimempata, pamoja na hesabu kamili ya fedha ambazo Hamani aliahidi kulipa katika hazina ya mfalme kwa ajili ya maangamizi ya Wayahudi.
8 Also the copy of the writing of the law that had been given out in Shushan to destroy them he gave to him, to show it unto Esther, and to tell her [all], and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, and to make supplication unto him, and to present a request before him for her people.
Akampa nakala ya andiko la amri kwa ajili ya maangamizi yao, lililokuwa limechapishwa huko Shushani, kumwonyesha Esta na kumwelezea. Mordekai akamwambia towashi amshawishi Esta kwenda mbele ya mfalme kuomba rehema na kumsihi kwa ajili ya watu wake.
9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
Hathaki akarudi kwa Esta na kumwarifu alilolisema Mordekai.
10 And Esther said unto Hatach, and gave him a charge unto Mordecai,
Kisha Esta akamwamuru Hathaki amweleze Mordekai,
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that every one, whether man or woman, who should come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is but one law for him, to put him to death, except the one to whom the king should hold out the golden sceptre, for he will be suffered to live; but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
“Maafisa wote wa mfalme na watu wa majimbo ya ufalme wanajua kuwa mwanaume au mwanamke yeyote ambaye ataingia kumwona mfalme katika ua wa ndani bila kuitwa, mfalme ana sheria moja tu: Atauawa. Njia pekee kinyume na hili ni mfalme kumnyooshea fimbo ya dhahabu ili aishi. Lakini siku thelathini zimepita tangu nilipoitwa kwenda kwa mfalme.”
12 And they told Mordecai the words of Esther.
Wakati Mordekai aliarifiwa maneno ya Esta,
13 Then said Mordecai to bring this answer back to Esther, Imagine not in thy soul to be able to escape in the king's house out of all the Jews.
Mordekai alirudisha jibu hili: “Usifikiri kwamba kwa sababu uko katika nyumba ya mfalme wewe pekee katika Wayahudi wote utapona.
14 For if thou do indeed maintain silence at this time, enlargement and deliverance will arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou hast not for a time like this attained to the royal dignity?
Kwa kuwa kama utakaa kimya wakati huu, msaada na ukombozi kwa Wayahudi utatoka mahali pengine, lakini wewe na jamaa ya baba yako mtaangamia. Nani ajuaye kwamba hukuja kwenye nafasi ya mamlaka kwa ajili ya wakati kama huu?”
15 Then said Esther to bring this answer back to Mordecai,
Kisha Esta alituma jibu hili kwa Mordekai:
16 Go, assemble together all the Jews who are now present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, so that ye neither eat nor drink three days, either night or day; also I myself with my maidens will fast in like manner; and then will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I then perish, I perish.
“Nenda, kusanya pamoja Wayahudi wote walioko Shushani, nanyi mfunge kwa ajili yangu. Msile wala kunywa kwa siku tatu, usiku na mchana. Mimi na wajakazi wangu tutafunga kama mnavyofanya. Baada ya kufanyika hili, nitakwenda kwa mfalme, hata ingawa ni kinyume cha sheria. Ikiwa ni kuangamia na niangamie.”
17 And Mordecai went about, and did in accordance with all that Esther had charged him.
Kwa hiyo Mordekai alikwenda zake na kutekeleza maagizo yote ya Esta.

< Esther 4 >