U-Esta 7
1 Bafika-ke inkosi loHamani ukuyakuba ledili loEsta indlovukazi.
The king and Haman went to Queen Esther's dinner.
2 Inkosi yasisithi kuEsta langosuku lwesibili edilini lewayini: Siyini isicelo sakho, Esta ndlovukazi? njalo uzasinikwa. Siyini-ke isifiso sakho? kuzakwenziwa ngitsho kuze kube yingxenye yombuso.
At this second dinner, as they were drinking wine, the king asked Esther again, “What are you really asking for, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What do you want? You shall have it, as much as half my empire!”
3 UEsta indlovukazi wasephendula wathi: Uba ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, nkosi, njalo uba kukuhle enkosini, impilo yami kangiyinikwe ngesicelo sami labantu bakithi ngesifiso sami.
Queen Esther answered, “If the king looks on me favorably, and if it please Your Majesty to grant me my life, that is my request; and the lives of my people, that is what I ask.
4 Ngoba sithengisiwe, mina labantu bakithi, ukuthi sibhujiswe sibulawe njalo sichithwe; kodwa uba besithengiswe ukuba yizigqili lezigqilikazi ngabe ngithule; lanxa isitha besingelinganise ukoniwa kwenkosi.
For my people and I have been sold to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we had only been sold as slaves, I would have kept quiet, because our suffering would not have justified disturbing the king.”
5 Inkosi uAhasuwerusi yasikhuluma yathi kuEsta indlovukazi: Ngubani lo, futhi ungaphi lo ogcwalise inhliziyo yakhe ukwenza njalo?
The king asked Queen Esther, demanding to know, “Who is this? Where is the man who has dared to do this?”
6 UEsta wasesithi: Umuntu, umbandezeli lesitha, nguHamani lo okhohlakeleyo. UHamani waseqhaqhazela phambi kwenkosi lendlovukazi.
“The man, the opponent, the enemy, is this evil Haman!” Esther replied. Haman shook with terror in front of the king and the queen.
7 Inkosi yasisukuma edilini lewayini olakeni lwayo, yaya esivandeni sesigodlo; uHamani wasesukuma ukuncengela impilo yakhe kuEsta indlovukazi, ngoba wabona ukuthi okubi sekuqunywe yinkosi ngaye.
The king was furious. He got up, leaving his wine, and went out into the palace garden. Haman stayed behind to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he realized the king planned an evil end for him.
8 Inkosi isiphendukile ivela esivandeni sesigodlo isiya endlini yedili lewayini, uHamani wayewele phezu kombheda uEsta ayekuwo. Inkosi yasisithi: Usuzadlova indlovukazi ilami endlini yini? Ilizwi laphuma emlonyeni wenkosi; basebembomboza ubuso bukaHamani.
When the king came back in from the palace garden to the dining room, Haman had thrown himself on the couch where Queen Esther was. The king shouted out, “Is he even going to rape the queen here in the palace, right in front of me?” As soon as the king said this, the servants covered Haman's face.
9 UHaribona omunye wabathenwa wasesithi phambi kwenkosi: Khangela-ke, ugodo uHamani alwenzele uModekhayi, owayeyikhulumele okuhle inkosi, lumi endlini kaHamani, ubude buzingalo ezingamatshumi amahlanu. Inkosi yasisithi: Umlengiseni kulo.
Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “Haman set up a pole beside his house for Mordecai, the one whose report saved the king's life. The pole is fifty cubits high.” “Impale him on it!” the king ordered.
10 Basebemlengisa uHamani kulologodo ayelulungisele uModekhayi. Lwaseludeda ulaka lwenkosi.
So they impaled Haman on the pole that he had set up for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king died down.
