U-Esta 6
1 Ngalobobusuku inkosi yaswela ubuthongo; ngakho yalaya ukuba kulethwe kuyo ugwalo lwemiLando, imibhalo yombuso wayo, izobalelwa.
The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,
2 Kwatholakala emibhalweni ukuba uModekhayi wayeveze ukuba uBhigithani loThereshi, abathenwa benkosi ababelinda entubeni, babecebe ukubulala inkosi u-Ahasuweru.
they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.
3 Inkosi yathi, “UModekhayi wazuza dumo bani lokwaziwa ngalokhu?” Izinceku zenkosi zathi, “Akulalutho alwenzelwayo.”
When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”
4 Inkosi yasisithi, “Ngubani osenkundleni na?” UHamani wayesanda kungena enkundleni yangaphandle yesigodlo ezokhuluma lenkosi mayelana lokulengisa uModekhayi endaweni ayeyakhele lokho.
And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.
5 Izinceku zayo zathi, “UHamani umi enkundleni.” Inkosi yalaya yathi, “Mngeniseni.”
The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
6 UHamani esengenile, inkosi yathi kuye, “Kuyini okungenzelwa umuntu inkosi ethokoza ngaye ukuba imuphe udumo?” UHamani wacabanga ngaphakathi wathi, “Kambe ngubani ongaphiwa udumo yinkosi ngaphandle kwami?”
And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,
7 Ngakho waphendula inkosi wathi, “Emuntwini inkosi ethokoza ngaye ukuba imuphe udumo,
answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
8 kabamlethele isembatho sobukhosi esesake sagqokwa yinkosi kanye lebhiza eselake lagadwa yinkosi, elilomqhele wobukhosi ekhanda lalo.
ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.
9 Isembatho leso kanye lebhiza kakube sezandleni zesinye sezikhulu zenkosi ezihloniphekayo kakhulu. Umuntu lo inkosi ethokoza ngaye efuna ukumupha udumo kagqokiswe lezozembatho, abesekhokhelwa edabula phakathi kwemigwaqo yedolobho egade ibhiza, kumenyezwe phambi kwakhe ukuthi, ‘Lokhu yikho okwenziwa emuntwini inkosi ethokoza ngaye ukuba imuphe udumo!’”
And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’”
10 Inkosi yasilaya uHamani yathi, “Hamba khona manje uyethatha izembatho kanye lebhiza wenze njengokucebisa kwakho kuModekhayi umJuda ohlezi esangweni lenkosi. Ungaze watshiya loba yikuphi okuqambileyo.”
And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”
11 UHamani wasethatha izembatho kanye lebhiza. Wamgqokisa uModekhayi, wasemkhokhela ephezu kwebhiza, wadabula imigwaqo yedolobho, ehamba ememeza esithi, “Lokhu yikho okwenziwa emuntwini inkosi ethokoza ngaye ukuba imuphe udumo!”
And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”
12 Ngemva kwalokho uModekhayi wabuyela esangweni lenkosi. Kodwa uHamani watshitsha waya ngekhaya, emboze ikhanda ngosizi,
And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
13 watshela uZereshi umkakhe kanye labangane bakhe bonke ngakho konke okwakumehlele. Abeluleki bakhe lomkakhe uZereshi bathi kuye, “Njengoba uModekhayi osuqale ukuwa phambi kwakhe engumJuda ngokwemvelo, awungeke umelane laye, uzatshabalala ngempela.”
And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”
14 Kwathi besakhuluma laye, kwafika abathenwa benkosi bamthatha masinyane ukuya edilini elalilungiswe ngu-Esta.
As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.
