U-Esta 8
1 Mhlalokho inkosi u-Ahasuweru yanika iNdlovukazi u-Esta impahla kaHamani, isitha samaJuda. UModekhayi weza phambi kwenkosi, ngoba u-Esta wayesechazile ngobuhlobo babo.
On that day king Assuerus gave the house of Aman, the Jews’ enemy, to queen Esther, and Mardochai came in before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her uncle.
2 Inkosi yakhupha indandatho yayo yophawu lobukhosi, eyayisiyithathele uHamani, yayipha uModekhayi. U-Esta wamkhetha uModekhayi ukuba aphathe impahla kaHamani.
And the king took the ring which he had commanded to be taken again from Aman, and gave it to Mardochai. And Esther set Mardochai over her house.
3 U-Esta wabuye wancenga enkosini, eziwisela ezinyaweni zayo njalo ekhala. Wayicela ukuba inqabele icebo elibi likaHamani umʼAgagi, ayelicebe ngamaJuda.
And not content with these things, she fell down at the king’s feet and wept, and speaking to him besought him, that he would give orders that the malice of Aman the Agagite, and his most wicked devices which he had invented against the Jews, should be of no effect.
4 Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esta owasukuma wama phambi kwayo.
But he, as the manner was, held out the golden sceptre with his hand, which was the sign of clemency: and she arose up and stood before him,
5 Wathi, “Nxa kuyithokozisa inkosi, njalo nxa ingamukela ngokuthokoza ibona kuyinto efanele ukwenziwa, njalo nxa ithokoza ngami, akubhalwe umlayo ozachitha izincwadi ezalotshwa nguHamani indodana kaHamedatha, umʼAgagi, ezazibhalwe ngezimiso zokuchitha amaJuda kuzozonke izabelo zenkosi.
And said: If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and my request be not disagreeable to him, I beseech thee, that the former letters of Aman the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he commanded that they should be destroyed in all the king’s provinces, may be reversed by new letters.
6 Kambe kungavuma njani ukubona incithakalo isehlela abantu bakithi? Kungavuma njani ukuba ngibone incithakalo yemuli yakithi?”
For how call I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?
7 Inkosi u-Ahasuweru waphendula iNdlovukazi loModekhayi umJuda ngokuthi, “Ngoba uHamani ehlasele amaJuda, sengiphe u-Esta impahla yakhe, njalo sebemlengise esakhiweni sokulengisa.
And king Assuerus answered Esther the queen, and Mardochai the Jew: I have given Aman’s house to Esther, and I have commanded him to be hanged on a gibbet, because he durst lay hands on the Jews.
8 Ngakho-ke bhala omunye umlayo ngebizo lenkosi usenzela amaJuda njengokubona kwakho, ubusuyingcina ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, ngoba awukho umbiko olotshwe ngebizo lenkosi wangcinwa ngophawu lwendandatho yayo ongadilizwa.”
Write ye therefore to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king’s name, and seal the letters with my ring. For this was the custom, that no man durst gainsay the letters which were sent in the king’s name, and were sealed with his ring.
9 Onobhala besigodlweni bahle babizwa masinyane, ngelanga lamatshumi amabili lantathu ngenyanga yesithathu, inyanga ethiwa nguSivana. Babhala yonke imilayo kaModekhayi kumaJuda, lakuziphathamandla, kubabusi lakuzikhulu kuzozonke izabelo ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa kusukela e-Indiya kuze kuyefika eTopiya. Imilayo leyo yayibhalwe ngombhalo walelo lalelo lizwe ngolimi lwalabobantu njalo lakubaJuda ngombhalo wabo lolimi lwabo.
Then the king’s scribes and secretaries were called for (now it was the time of the third month which is called Siban) the three and twentieth day of the month, and letters were written, as Mardochai had a mind, to the Jews, and to the governors, and to the deputies, and to the judges, who were rulers over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia: to province and province, to people and people, according to their languages and characters, and to the Jews, according as they could read and hear.
10 UModekhayi wabhala ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru, wangcina izincwadi lezo ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, wathuma izithunywa ezazigada amabhiza ayelesiqubu efuyelwe ukusetshenziswa yinkosi.
And these letters which were sent in the king’s name, were sealed with his ring, and sent by posts: who were to run through all the provinces, to prevent the former letters with new messages.
11 Isimiso somlayo wenkosi sasinika amaJuda kuwo wonke amadolobho imvumo yokuhlangana lokuzivikela; ukuchitha, ukubulala babhubhise yonke impi ehlomileyo eyaloba yisiphi isizwe loba isifunda esasingabahlasela kanye labesifazane labantwana; lokuthi baphange impahla yezitha zabo.
And the king gave orders to them, to speak to the Jews in every city, and to command them to gather themselves together, and to stand for their lives, and to kill and destroy all their enemies with their wives and children and all their houses, and to take their spoil.
12 Ilanga elamiswayo ukuba amaJuda enze lokho kuzozonke izabelo zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru lalingeletshumi lantathu ngenyanga yetshumi lambili, inyanga ethiwa ngu-Adari.
And one day of revenge was appointed through all the provinces, to wit, the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar.
13 Isimiso somlayo lowo sasizakhutshwa sibe ngumthetho kuzozonke izabelo, umenyezelwe ebantwini bezizwe zonke ukuze amaJuda ahlale elungele ngalelolanga ukuphindisela ezitheni zawo.
And this was the content of the letter, that it should be notified in all lands and peoples that were subject to the empire of king Assuerus, that the Jews were ready to be revenged of their enemies.
14 Izithunywa zaphuma ngokuphangisa zigade amabhiza esigodlweni, zifuqwa ngumlayo wenkosi. Isimiso somlayo samenyezelwa edolobheni laseSusa.
So the swift posts went out carrying the messages, and the king’s edict was hung up in Susan.
15 UModekhayi wasuka phambi kwenkosi egqoke izembatho zobukhosi ezilombala oluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka lomhlophe, umqhele wegolide omkhulu kanye lesembatho esiyibubende eselembu lelineni elihle. Kwaba ledili lentokozo edolobheni laseSusa.
And Mardochai going forth out of the palace, and from the king’s presence, shone in royal apparel, to wit, of violet and sky colour, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was glad.
16 Kwaba yisikhathi sokuthaba lokuthokoza, injabulo lodumo kubaJuda.
But to the Jews a new light seemed to rise, joy, honour, and dancing.
17 Kuzozonke izabelo lakuwo wonke amadolobho, ingqe lapho isimiso somlayo wenkosi esaya khona, kwaba lentokozo lenjabulo kubaJuda, kwaba lamadili kwadliwa. Abantu abanengi bakwezinye izizwe baba ngabaJuda ngenxa yokwesaba amaJuda.
And in all peoples, cities, and provinces, whithersoever the king’s commandments came, there was wonderful rejoicing, feasts and banquets, and keeping holy day: insomuch that many of other nations and religion, joined themselves to their worship and ceremonies. For a great dread of the name of the Jews had fallen upon all.
