U-Esta 4
1 Kwathi uModekhayi esezwile ngakho konke okwasekwenziwe, wadabula iziqgoko zakhe, wagqoka amasaka okulila, wazihuqa ngomlotha, waphuma wangena phakathi komuzi ekhala kakhulu njalo kabuhlungukazi.
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the middle of the city, and cried out with a loud and a bitter cry.
2 Kodwa wahamba wayafika esangweni lenkosi, ngoba akulamuntu owayevunyelwa ukungena egqoke amasaka okulila.
He went up only as far as the king's gate, because no one was allowed to go through it clothed in sackcloth.
3 Kuzozonke izabelo lapho isimiso somthetho lomlayo wenkosi okwafika khona, kwaba lokulila okukhulu kubaJuda, bazila ukudla, bakhala njalo belila. Abanengi balala emlotheni begqoke amasaka okulila.
In every province, wherever the king's command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and lamenting. Many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 Kwathi izinceku zika-Esta kanye labathenwa bakhe befika bemtshela ngoModekhayi, waba lokudabuka okukhulu. Wamthumela izembatho zokuthi agqoke endaweni yamasaka okulila, kodwa wala ukuzamukela.
When Esther's young women and her servants came and told her, the queen was in great distress. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai (so he could take off his sackcloth), but he would not accept them.
5 U-Esta wasebiza uHathakhi, omunye wabathenwa benkosi owayekhethwe ukuba yinceku yakhe, wamlaya ukuba ayedingisisa lokho okwakukhathaza uModekhayi lembangela yakho.
Then Esther called for Hathak, one of the king's officials who had been assigned to serve her. She ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what had happened and what it meant.
6 Ngakho uHathakhi waya kuModekhayi egcekeni ledolobho phambi kwesango lenkosi.
So Hathak went to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king's gate.
7 UModekhayi wamtshela konke okwakwenzakale kuye, kugoqela inani lemali uHamani ayethembise ukulibhadala lingene enothweni yenkosi kusenzelwa ukubhujiswa kwamaJuda.
Mordecai reported to him all that had happened to him, and the total amount of the silver that Haman had promised to weigh out and put into the king's treasuries in order to put the Jews to death.
8 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.
He also gave him a copy of the decree that was issued in Susa for the Jews' destruction. He did this so that Hathak could show it to Esther, and that he should give her the responsibility of going to the king to beg for his favor, and to plead with him on behalf of her people.
9 UHathakhi wabuyela wayamtshela u-Esta lokho okwakukhulunywe nguModekhayi.
So Hathak went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
10 Yena wasemlaya ukuba athi kuModekhayi,
Then Esther spoke to Hathak and told him to go back to Mordecai.
11 “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.”
She said, “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner courtyard without being summoned, there is only one law: That he must be put to death—except for anyone to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. I have not been called to come to the king these thirty days.”
12 Kwathi amazwi ka-Esta ebikwa kuModekhayi,
So Hathak reported Esther's words to Mordecai.
13 waphendula wathi: “Ungacabangi ukuthi ngoba wena usendlini yenkosi nguwe wedwa kuwo wonke amaJuda ozaphepha.
Mordecai sent back this message: “You must not think that in the king's palace, you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
14 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?”
If you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will rise up for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows whether you have come to this royal position for such a time as this?”
15 U-Esta wasethumela impendulo le kuModekhayi:
Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai,
16 “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.”
“Go, gather together all the Jews who live in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My young girls and I will fast in the same way. Then I will go to the king, even though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
17 Ngakho uModekhayi wasuka wayakwenza lokho okwakulaywe ngu-Esta.
Mordecai went and did all that Esther told him to do.
