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 Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.
2 Inkosi yakhupha indandatho yayo yophawu lobukhosi, eyayisiyithathele uHamani, yayipha uModekhayi. U-Esta wamkhetha uModekhayi ukuba aphathe impahla kaHamani.
The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 U-Esta wabuye wancenga enkosini, eziwisela ezinyaweni zayo njalo ekhala. Wayicela ukuba inqabele icebo elibi likaHamani umʼAgagi, ayelicebe ngamaJuda.
Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plan that he had planned against the Jews.
4 Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yayo yegolide ku-Esta owasukuma wama phambi kwayo.
Then the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.
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.
She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seems right to the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
6 Kambe kungavuma njani ukubona incithakalo isehlela abantu bakithi? Kungavuma njani ukuba ngibone incithakalo yemuli yakithi?”
For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”
7 Inkosi u-Ahasuweru waphendula iNdlovukazi loModekhayi umJuda ngokuthi, “Ngoba uHamani ehlasele amaJuda, sengiphe u-Esta impahla yakhe, njalo sebemlengise esakhiweni sokulengisa.
Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he laid his hand 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 also to the Jews as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may not be reversed by any man.”
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 were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
10 UModekhayi wabhala ngebizo leNkosi u-Ahasuweru, wangcina izincwadi lezo ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, wathuma izithunywa ezazigada amabhiza ayelesiqubu efuyelwe ukusetshenziswa yinkosi.
He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.
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.
In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives—to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
12 Ilanga elamiswayo ukuba amaJuda enze lokho kuzozonke izabelo zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru lalingeletshumi lantathu ngenyanga yetshumi lambili, inyanga ethiwa ngu-Adari.
on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13 Isimiso somlayo lowo sasizakhutshwa sibe ngumthetho kuzozonke izabelo, umenyezelwe ebantwini bezizwe zonke ukuze amaJuda ahlale elungele ngalelolanga ukuphindisela ezitheni zawo.
A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 Izithunywa zaphuma ngokuphangisa zigade amabhiza esigodlweni, zifuqwa ngumlayo wenkosi. Isimiso somlayo samenyezelwa edolobheni laseSusa.
So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.
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.
Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.
16 Kwaba yisikhathi sokuthaba lokuthokoza, injabulo lodumo kubaJuda.
The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honour.
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.
In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast and a holiday. Many from amongst the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
