< Ester 3 >

1 Le nu siawo megbe la, Fia Ahasuerus do Haman, ame si nye Hamedata, Agagitɔ ƒe vi la, ɖe ŋgɔ wòzu dukɔkplɔlawo dometɔ gãtɔ. Eyae nye ame si kplɔ fia la ɖo le ŋusẽkpɔkpɔ me le fiaɖuƒe blibo la me.
After these things king Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
2 Azɔ la, ame sia ame si le fiasã la ƒe agbo nu la bɔbɔna, dea ta agu na Haman ne eva yina, le Fia Ahasuerus ƒe sedede nu. Mordekai ya gbe, mebɔbɔna dea ta agu na Haman o.
And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate bowed and did Haman reverence, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did [him] reverence.
3 Esia ta, dɔnunɔla siwo nɔ fia la ƒe agbo nu la bia Mordekai be, “Nu ka ta nèle fia la ƒe se dzi dam ɖo?”
Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
4 Azɔ gbe sia gbe woƒonɛ ɖe enu, gake egbe be yemawɔe o. Ale wogblɔ nya la na Haman ne woakpɔe ɖa be, Mordekai ƒe wɔnawo ado dzidzɔ nɛ hã, elabena Mordekai na wonya be Yudatɔe yenye.
And it came to pass as they spoke daily to him, and he hearkened not to them, that they informed Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 Esi Haman kpɔ be Mordekai mele klalo be yeade ta agu na ye alo ade bubu ye ŋu o la, dzi kui vevie ŋutɔ.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, Haman was full of fury.
6 Ke esi wònya Mordekai kple eƒe amewo ta la, susu be woawu eya ɖeka la nye nu sue aɖe ko nɛ, eya ta Haman di mɔ nyuitɔ si dzi wòato atsrɔ̃ Yudatɔwo katã, ame siwo nye Mordekai ƒe amewo le Fia Ahasuerus ƒe fiaɖuƒe la katã me.
But he scorned to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus — the people of Mordecai.
7 Le Fia Ahasuerus ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe wuievelia me le ɣleti gbãtɔ, Nisan me la, woda akɔ si woyɔna be, pur la le Haman ŋkume be woatia ɣleti aɖe kple eƒe ŋkeke aɖe. Wotia ɣleti wuievelia si nye Adar.
In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth [month], that is, the month Adar.
8 Tete Haman te ɖe Fia Ahasuerus ŋu, eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Dukɔ tɔxɛ aɖe me tɔwo kaka ɖe wò fiaɖuƒe la ƒe nutowo katã me. Woƒe sewo to vovo tso dukɔ ɖe sia ɖe tɔ gbɔ. Gawu la, womewɔa fia la ƒe sewo dzi o, eya ta mede fia la dzi ne wòaɖe asi le wo ŋu be woanɔ agbe o.
And Haman said to king Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from [those of] every people, and they keep not the king's laws; and it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
9 Ne edze fia ŋu la, ekema nàɖe gbe be woatsrɔ̃ wo katã. Mada klosalo tɔn alafa etɔ̃ kple blaene-vɔ-atɔ̃ atsɔ ade fia la ƒe gakotoku me ne woatsɔ axe fee na ŋutsu gadzraɖoƒe la dzikpɔla be woatsɔ axe fe na ame siwo awɔ dɔ sia.”
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those that have charge of the affairs, to bring [it] into the king's treasuries.
10 Fia la lɔ̃ ɖe susu sia dzi. Eɖe eƒe ŋkɔsigɛ le eƒe asibidɛ ŋu hetsɔ na Haman, Hamedata, Agagitɔ la ƒe vi, Yudatɔwo ƒe futɔ la, abe kpeɖoɖo nya sia dzi ƒe dzesi ene.
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
11 Fia la gblɔ na Haman be, “Wò ga la nenɔ anyi ko, gake wɔ nu si dze ŋuwò, eye wònyo na wò kple ame siawo la.”
And the king said to Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as seems good to thee.
12 Le ɣleti gbãtɔ ƒe ŋkeke wuietɔ̃lia dzi la, woyɔ agbalẽŋlɔla siwo katã le fiasã me la ƒo ƒu, woŋlɔ agbalẽ ɖe nuto ɖe sia ɖe ƒe gbegbɔgblɔ me kple gbegbɔgblɔ ɖe sia ɖe si wogblɔna le fiaɖuƒe la me la me. Wowɔe ɖe Haman ƒe sedede nu na fia la ƒe dɔnunɔlawo, mɔmefia siwo le nutowo me dzi kpɔm kple gbegbɔgblɔ vovovowo ƒe ame ŋkutawo. Woŋlɔ lɛta la ɖe Fia Ahasuerus ƒe ŋkɔ me, eye wotsɔ eƒe ŋkɔsigɛ de ete.
Then were the king's scribes called, in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the [month], and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language: in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
13 Wotsɔ agbalẽa na dɔtsɔlawo be woatsɔ ayi nuto ɖe sia ɖe me le fiaɖuƒe blibo la me, ale be woaɖe gbe be woawu Yudatɔwo katã, ɖeviwo kple ame tsitsiwo, nyɔnuwo kple vidzĩwo siaa le ɣleti wuievelia, Ada ƒe ŋkeke wuietɔ̃lia dzi, eye woaha woƒe nuwo abe afunyinuwo ene.
And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, upon the thirteenth of the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey.
14 Wogblɔ kpe ɖe ɖoɖo sia ŋu be, “Miɖe gbeƒã se sia le miaƒe nuto ɖe sia ɖe me, eye miana ame sia ame nanya nu tso eŋu, ale be wòawɔ eƒe dɔdeasi le ŋkeke ɖoɖo la dzi.”
That the decree might be given in every province, a copy of the writing was published to all peoples, that they should be ready against that day.
15 Woɖo agbalẽwo ɖa to fia la ƒe dɔtsɔla zazɛ̃tɔwo dzi le gbeƒãɖeɖe le Susa du la me megbe. Fia Ahasuerus kple Haman wonɔ anyi nɔ aha nom esime vɔvɔ̃ lé amewo, eye ʋunyaʋunya dzɔ le du blibo la me.
The couriers went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the fortress. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was in consternation.

< Ester 3 >