U-Esta 7
1 Inkosi loHamani basebesiyakudla leNdlovukazi u-Esta,
And so the king and Haman entered to drink with the queen.
2 kwathi besanatha iwayini ngalelolanga lesibili, inkosi yabuza njalo yathi, “Ndlovukazi Esta, kuyini okucelayo na? Uzakukwamukeliswa. Kuyini okucelayo na? Uzanikwa loba yini okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”
And the king said to her again on the second day, after he was warmed with wine, “What is your request, Esther, so that it may be given to you? And what do you want done? Even if you ask for half of my kingdom, you will obtain it.”
3 INdlovukazi yaphendula yathi, “Nxa ngifumene umusa kuwe nkosi, njalo nxa inkosi kuyithokozisa, bengicelela ukuphila, yiso isicelo sami lesi.
She answered him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, O king, and if it pleases you, spare my soul, I ask you, and spare my people, I beg you.
4 Ngoba mina kanye labantu bakithi sithengisiwe ukuze sichithwe njalo sibulawe ukuze singabikhona emhlabeni. Ngabe besimane sathengiswa njengezigqili zesilisa lezesifazane, bengizazithulela, ngoba akulahlupho olunje olungabangela ukuthi inkosi iphanjaniswe.”
For I and my people have been handed over to be crushed, to be slain, and to perish. And if we were only being sold as servants and slaves, the evil might be tolerable, and I would have mourned in silence. But now our enemy is one whose cruelty overflows upon the king.”
5 Inkosi u-Ahasuweru wathi ku-Esta iNdlovukazi, “Ngubani lowo? Ungaphi umuntu obelesibindi sokwenza into enje?”
And king Artaxerxes answered and said, “Who is this, and of what power, that he would dare to do these things?”
6 U-Esta wathi, “Isitha lomuntu ololunya nguyenalo uHamani olomona.” UHamani wasethuthumela phambi kwenkosi lendlovukazi.
And Esther said, “This is our most wicked enemy and foe: Haman!” Hearing this, Haman was suddenly dumbfounded, unable to bear the faces of the king and the queen.
7 Inkosi yasukuma igcwele ulaka yatshiya iwayini layo yaya phandle esivandeni sesigodlo. Kwathi uHamani ebona ukuthi inkosi yayisiyenze isinqumo ngempilo yakhe, wasala ngemuva ukuba azincengele impilo yakhe eNdlovukazini u-Esta.
But the king, being angry, rose up and, from the place of the feast, entered into the arboretum of the garden. Haman likewise rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his soul, for he understood that evil was prepared for him by the king.
8 Kwathi inkosi isiphendukile esivandeni sesigodlo ingena endlini yedili, yathola uHamani eziphosa esihlalweni lapho u-Esta ayehlezi khona. Inkosi yababaza yathi, “Kambe ungadlova indlovukazi ngikhonapha endlini na!” Kwathi ilizwi lelo liphuma emlonyeni wenkosi, bagubuzela ubuso bukaHamani.
When the king returned from the arboretum of the garden and entered into the place of the feast, he found Haman collapsed on the couch on which Esther lay, and he said, “And now he wishes to oppress the queen, in my presence, in my house!” The word had not yet gone out of the king’s mouth, and immediately they covered his face.
9 Kwathi uHaribhona, omunye wabathenwa ababesebenzela inkosi wathi, “Kulensika yokulengisa abantu ephakeme okuzingalo ezingamatshumi amahlanu emiswe eduze lendlu kaHamani. Yena ubeyenzele uModekhayi, owaveza icebo elibi ukusiza inkosi.” Inkosi yathi, “Mlengiseni kuyo!”
And Harbona, one of the eunuchs who stood in ministry to the king, said, “Behold the wood, which he had prepared for Mordecai, who spoke up on behalf of the king, stands in Haman’s house, having a height of fifty cubits.” The king said to him, “Hang him from it.”
10 Bamlengisa kuleyonsika ayeyilungisele ukulengisa uModekhayi. Ulaka lwenkosi lwaseludeda.
And so Haman was hanged on the gallows, which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s anger was quieted.
