U-Esta 1
1 Lokhu yikho okwenzakala ngesikhathi sika-Ahasuweru, owayebusa izifunda ezingaphezu kwekhulu elilamatshumi amabili lasikhombisa kusukela e-Indiya kuze kuyefika eTopiya.
And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
2 Ngalesosikhathi inkosi u-Ahasuweru wayebusa esesigodlweni saseSusa,
in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,
3 kwathi ngomnyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwakhe, wenzela izikhulu zakhe kanye leziphathamandla zakhe idili elikhulu. Abakhokheli bebutho basePhezhiya labaseMediya, amakhosana, kanye lezikhulu zezifunda zonke zazikhona.
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
4 Okwensuku ezilikhulu lamatshumi ayisificaminwembili watshengisa ubukhulu benotho yombuso wakhe kanye lobucwazicwazi lobukhosi bombuso wakhe.
And after this, after he had shown to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
5 Kwathi lezonsuku seziphelile, inkosi yenza idili elikhulu elabakhona okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, endaweni ehonqolozelweyo esigodlweni senkosi, lisenzelwa bonke abantu abaziwayo labantukazana ababesesigodlweni saseSusa.
when, [I say], the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king's house,
6 Egumeni kwakulezilengiso ezimhlophe leziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, zibotshelwe emasongweni esiliva ngentambo zelineni elimhlophe lelembu eliyibubende ensikeni zamatshe aqinileyo. Kwakulemibheda yegolide lesiliva phezu kwephansi elaligandelwe ngamatshe aligugu, abomvu, aluhlaza, amhlophe lamnyama lamanye adulayo.
[which was] adorned with [hangings] of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: [there were] golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
7 Iwayini lalinathelwa ezinkezweni zegolide, inye ngayinye yehlukene kwezinye, njalo iwayini lesikhosini lalilinengi, kutshengisa ukukhululeka kwesandla senkosi.
gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
8 Ngokulaya kwenkosi, isethekeli sinye ngasinye sasikhululekile ukuthi sinathe ngokwentando yaso, ngoba inkosi yayilaye zonke iziphathamandla ezazisipha iwayini ukuthi ziphe umuntu wonke njengokufisa kwakhe.
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
9 INdlovukazi uVashithi layo yenzela abesifazane ababesesigodlweni seNkosi u-Ahasuweru idili elikhulu.
Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [lived].
10 Ngelanga lesikhombisa, inkosi u-Ahasuweru isidakiwe ngenxa yewayini, yalaya abathenwa abayisikhombisa ababeyisebenzela, uMehumani, uBhizitha, uHaribhona, uBhigitha, u-Abhagitha, uZethari loKharikhasi,
Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
11 ukuthi balethe kuyo iNdlovukazi uVashithi ethwele umqhele wakhe wobukhosi ukuze abukise ubuhle bakhe ebantwini kanye lezikhulwini, ngoba wayemuhle kakhulu.
to bring in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
12 Kodwa kwathi abathenwa beyitshela ngokulaya kwenkosi, iNdlovukazi uVashithi yala ukuya. Ngakho inkosi yathukuthela yavutha ngolaka.
But queen Astin listened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
13 Njengoba kwakuyinjwayelo ukuthi inkosi icebisane lezingcitshi ezindabeni eziphathelene lemithetho kanye lokwahlulela, yakhuluma lamadoda ahlakaniphileyo ayezwisisa ngomumo walezozikhathi
And he said to his friends, Thus have Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] law and judgement.
14 njalo ayeseduzane kakhulu lenkosi kwakunguKharishena, uShethari, u-Adimatha, uThashishi, uMeresi, uMarisena loMemukhani, izikhulu eziyisikhombisa zasePhezhiya laseMediya ezazilemvumo yokuya enkosini njalo zilezikhundla eziphakemeyo embusweni.
So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief [in rank] by the king, drew near to him,
15 Yasibuza yathi, “Umthetho uthi kwenziweni eNdlovukazini uVashithi? Phela kayilalelanga umlayo wenkosi u-Ahasuweru awuthumele kuyo ngabathenwa.”
and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
16 UMemukhani wasephendula phambi kwenkosi kanye lezikhulu zayo wathi, “INdlovukazi uVashithi yonile, hatshi enkosini kuphela, kodwa lasezikhulwini zonke kanye labantu bonke bezabelo zonke zeNkosi u-Ahasuweru.
And Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king's rulers and princes:
17 Phela isenzo seNdlovukazi sizakwazakala kuwo wonke amakhosikazi, abesedelela omkawo esithi, ‘Inkosi u-Ahasuweru yalaya iNdlovukazi uVashithi ukuthi ilethwe phambi kwayo, kodwa yala ukuza.’
for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
18 Lamhlanje amakhosikazi aphakemeyo asePhezhiya kanye laseMediya asizwileyo isenzo seNdlovukazi azaphendula izikhulu zenkosi zonke ngendlela efananayo. Kuzakuba khona ukungahloniphi kanye lengxabangxoza.
so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
19 Ngakho-ke, nxa kulungile enkosini, kakube lomthetho ozaphuma esigodlweni njalo ulotshwe emithethweni yelizwe lePhezhiya leMediya, ongeke uguqulwe njalo, ukuthi uVashithi akumelanga aphinde angene lapho okulenkosi u-Ahasuweru. Njalo inkosi kayiphe isikhundla sayo sobundlovukazi komunye ongcono kulayo.
If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter [it]: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
20 Kuzakuthi nxa umthetho wenkosi umenyezelwa kuwo wonke umbuso wayo omkhulu, abesifazane bonke bazahlonipha omkabo kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu.”
And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
21 Inkosi kanye lezikhulu zayo bathokoza ngalokhu kucebisa, inkosi yasisenza khona lokho uMemukhani akucebisayo.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,
22 Yathumela izincwadi kuzozonke izabelo zombuso, kuleso laleso sabelo incwadi yaso ngolimi olukhulunywa kuso, kwamenyezelwa ngendimi zazo ukuthi yileyo laleyo ndoda kumele ibuse umuzi wayo.
and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.
