U-Esta 8
1 Ngalolosuku inkosi uAhasuwerusi yanika uEsta indlovukazi indlu kaHamani isitha samaJuda. UModekhayi wasesiza phambi kwenkosi ngoba uEsta wayeselandisile ukuthi wayeyini kuye.
On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, and Mordecai began to serve before the king, for Esther told the king how Mordecai was related to her.
2 Inkosi yasikhupha indandatho yophawu lwayo eyayiyithathele uHamani, yayinika uModekhayi. UEsta wasebeka uModekhayi phezu kwendlu kaHamani.
The king took off his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman's estate.
3 UEsta wasebuya ekhuluma phambi kwenkosi, wawa phambi kwenyawo zayo wakhala inyembezi wayincenga ukuthi isuse ububi bukaHamani umAgagi, logobe lwakhe ayelucebe ngamaJuda.
Then Esther spoke again to the king. She lay facedown on the ground and wept as she pleaded with him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, to the scheme that he had devised against the Jews.
4 Inkosi yasiselulela intonga yobukhosi yegolide kuEsta. UEsta wasesukuma wema phambi kwenkosi,
Then the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, she arose and stood before the king.
5 wasesithi: Uba kukuhle enkosini, uba-ke ngithole umusa phambi kwayo, lodaba lulungile phambi kwenkosi, lami ngilungile emehlweni ayo, kakubhalwe ukubuyisela emuva izincwadi, ugobe lukaHamani indodana kaHamedatha umAgagi, ayelubhalele ukubhubhisa amaJuda asezabelweni zonke zenkosi.
She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in your eyes, if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in your eyes, let a decree be written to revoke the letters written by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the letters that he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
6 Ngoba ngingaba lakho njani ukubona ububi obuzathola isizwe sakithi? Kumbe ngingaba lakho njani ukubona ukubhujiswa kwezihlobo zami?
For how could I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How could I endure watching the destruction of my relatives?”
7 Inkosi uAhasuwerusi yasisithi kuEsta indlovukazi lakuModekhayi umJuda: Khangelani, indlu kaHamani ngiyinike uEsta, yena-ke bamlengise egodweni, ngenxa yokuthi welulela isandla sakhe kumaJuda.
King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he was going to attack the Jews.
8 Ngakho lina bhalelani amaJuda ebizweni lenkosi, njengokuhle emehlweni enu, likunameke ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, ngoba umbhalo obhalwe ngebizo lenkosi wananyekwa ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, kakho ongawubuyisela emuva.
Write another decree for the Jews in the name of the king and seal it with the king's ring. For the decree that has already been written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.”
9 Kwasekubizwa ababhali benkosi ngalesosikhathi ngenyanga yesithathu, eyinyanga uSivani, ngolwamatshumi amabili lantathu lwayo; kwasekubhalwa njengakho konke uModekhayi akulaya kumaJuda, lezikhulwini lakubabusi lakuziphathamandla zezabelo ezisukela eIndiya kuze kufike eEthiyophiya, izabelo ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa, isabelo lesabelo njengokombhalo waso, lesizwe ngesizwe njengokolimi lwaso, lakumaJuda njengokombhalo wawo lanjengokolimi lwawo.
Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month. A decree was written containing all that Mordecai was commanding concerning the Jews. It was written to the provincial governors, the governors and officials of the provinces that were located from India to Cush, 127 provinces, to every province written in their own writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing and language.
10 Wasebhala ebizweni lenkosi uAhasuwerusi, wanameka ngophawu lwendandatho yenkosi, wathumela izincwadi ngesandla sezigijimi ezigade amabhiza, ezigade amabhiza alejubane awesikhosini, amabhizakazi amatsha.
Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He sent the documents by couriers riding on the fast horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud.
11 Ukuthi inkosi yavumela amaJuda ayesemzini ngomuzi wonke ukuthi ahlangane amele impilo yawo ukubhubhisa abulale aqede wonke amandla abantu lesabelo abawahlaseleyo, abantwanyana labesifazana, lokuphanga impango yabo,
The king gave to the Jews who were in every city permission to gather together and to make a stand to protect their lives: To annihiliate, to kill, and to destroy any armed force from any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, or to plunder their possessions.
12 ngasuku lunye kuzo zonke izabelo zenkosi uAhasuwerusi, ngolwetshumi lantathu lwenyanga yetshumi lambili, eyinyanga uAdari.
This was to be in effect in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 Ikhophi yombhalo yomthetho ozamiswa kuso sonke isabelo ngesabelo yayisobala kubo bonke abantu, ukuthi amaJuda azilungisele lolusuku ukuziphindiselela ezitheni zawo.
A copy of the decree was to be issued as a law and publicly displayed to all the peoples. The Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.
14 Izigijimi zigade amabhiza esikhosini alejubane zaphuma, ziphangisiswa zicindezelwa yilizwi lenkosi, lomthetho wanikwa eShushani isigodlo.
So the couriers rode on the royal horses that were used in the king's service. They went without delay. The king's decree was also issued from the palace in Susa.
15 UModekhayi wasephuma phambi kwenkosi ekusembatho sobukhosi sobuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka lesimhlophe, lomqhele omkhulu wegolide, lesembatho selembu elicolekileyo kakhulu leliyibubende. Umuzi weShushani wasuthokoza wathaba.
Then Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal clothes of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
16 AmaJuda ayelokukhanya lentokozo lenjabulo lodumo.
The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.
17 Lakuso sonke isabelo ngesabelo lakuwo wonke umuzi ngomuzi endaweni lapho ilizwi lenkosi lomthetho wayo okwafika khona amaJuda aba lentokozo, lenjabulo, idili, losuku oluhle. Labanengi babantu belizwe baba ngamaJuda, ngoba ukwesaba amaJuda kwabehlela.
In every province and in every city, wherever the king's decree reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the variety of peoples of the land became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
