U-Esta 7
1 Inkosi loHamani basebesiyakudla leNdlovukazi u-Esta,
So the king and Aman went in, 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 the second day, after he was warm with wine: What is thy petition, Esther, that it may be granted thee? and what wilt thou have done: although thou ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.
3 INdlovukazi yaphendula yathi, “Nxa ngifumene umusa kuwe nkosi, njalo nxa inkosi kuyithokozisa, bengicelela ukuphila, yiso isicelo sami lesi.
Then she answered: If I have found Favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please thee, give me my life for which I ask, and my people for which I request.
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 we are given up, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen: the evil might be borne with, and I would have mourned in silence: but now we have an enemy, whose cruelty redoundeth upon the king.
5 Inkosi u-Ahasuweru wathi ku-Esta iNdlovukazi, “Ngubani lowo? Ungaphi umuntu obelesibindi sokwenza into enje?”
And king Assuerus answered and said: Who is this, and of what power, that he should do these things?
6 U-Esta wathi, “Isitha lomuntu ololunya nguyenalo uHamani olomona.” UHamani wasethuthumela phambi kwenkosi lendlovukazi.
And Esther said: It is this Aman that is our adversary and most wicked enemy. Aman hearing this was forthwith astonished, not being able to bear the countenance of the king and of 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 went from the place of the banquet into the garden set with trees. Aman also rose up to entreat Esther the queen for his life, 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.
And when the king came back out of the garden set with trees, and entered into the place of the banquet, he found Aman was fallen upon the bed on which Esther lay, and he said: He will force the queen also in my presence, in my own house. The word was 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 that stood waiting on the king, said: Behold the gibbet which he hath prepared for Mardochai, who spoke for the king, standeth in Aman’s house, being fifty cubits high. And the king said to him: Hang him upon it.
10 Bamlengisa kuleyonsika ayeyilungisele ukulengisa uModekhayi. Ulaka lwenkosi lwaseludeda.
So Aman was hanged on the gibbet, which he had prepared for Mardochai: and the king’s wrath ceased.
