< Esta 3 >

1 Baada ya mambo haya, Mfalme Ahusiero alimpandisha cheo Hamani mwana wa Hammedatha mwagagi, na akaweka kiti chake cha ukuu juu ya wakuu wote waliokuwa pamoja naye.
After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him to a place above all the officials who were with him.
2 Na watumishi wote wa mfalme waliokuwa katika lango la mfalme walipaswa kupiga magoti na kusujudia Hamani, kama mfalme alivyoagiza. Lakini Modekai hakupiga magoti wala kusujudu mbele ya Hamani.
All the king’s courtiers who were in the king’s gate used to bow down before Haman, for so the king had commanded, but Mordecai did not bow down nor prostrate himself.
3 Kisha watumishi wa mfalme waliokuwa langoni mwa mfalme walimwambia Modekai, kwa nini hautii amri ya mfalme?
Then the king’s courtiers, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, ‘Why do you disobey the king’s command?’
4 Walisema naye siku kwa siku, lakini alikataa kufuata matakwa yao. Hivyo wakaongea na Hamani kuona kama swala la Modekai lingebaki hivyo alikuwa amewataarifu kuwa Modekai alikuwa Muyahudi.
When they had spoken to him day after day without his listening to them, they informed Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s acts would be tolerated, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 Hamani alipoona kuwa Modekai hapigi magoti wala kumsujudia, alipatwa na hasira.
When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down nor prostrate himself before him, he was furious.
6 Alikuwa na wazo la kumuua Modekai, watumishi wa mfalme walikuwa wamemueleza kuwa Modekai na jamaa zake walikuwa Wayahudi. Hamani akaazimu kuwaangamiza Wayahudi wote, watu wa Modekai, ambao walikuwa katika ufalme wa Ahusiero.
But it seemed to him beneath his dignity to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who Mordecai’s people were. Instead Haman sought to destroy all the people of Mordecai, all the Jews throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
7 Katika mwezi wa kwanza, (ambao ni mwezi wa Nisani) ndani ya mwaka wa kumi na mbili wa Mfalme Ahusiero, walipiga kura mbele ya Hamani kura kila siku na mwezi, kuchagua siku na mwezi hadi walipochagua mwezi wa kumi na mbili, (mwezi wa Adari.
In the first month (the month of Nisan) in the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, Haman had “pur” (which means “lot”) cast before him to determine the best day and best month for his actions. The lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month – the month of Adar.
8 Kisha Hamani akamwambia mfalme Ahusiro, “kuna watu fulani katika majimbo yote ya ufalme wako wasiofuata sheria zako. Na kwa tabia yao ya kutofuata sheria zako hawapasi kuendelea kuwa hai.
So Haman said to King Ahasuerus, ‘There is a certain people scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, whose laws differ from those of every other and who do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not right for the king to tolerate them.
9 Kama ikimpendeza mfalme, toa amri watu hawa wote wakatiliwe mbali, nami nitapima talanta elfu kumi za fedha katika mikono ya wale ambao ni wasimamizi wa maswala ya mfalme, ili kwamba waweke katika hazina ya mfalme.”
If it seems best to the king, let an order be given to destroy them, and I will pay ten thousand silver coins into the royal treasury.’
10 Ndipo mfamle akavua pete yake ya muhuri na kumpa Hamani, adui wa Wayahudi.
So the king took off his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
11 Mfalme akamwambia Hamani, “Nitahakikisha kwamba fedha inarudi kwako na kwa watu wako. Ili muitumie kama mpendavyo.”
‘The money is yours,’ the king said to Haman, ‘and the people also to do with them as you wish.’
12 Kisha waandishi wa mfalme walikusanyika katika siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kwanza, na mbiu iliyokuwa na matakwa ya Hamani yalikuwa yameandikwa na kupelekwa kwa wasimamizi wa majimbo, na wale wote waliokuwa juu ya wasimamizi wa majimbo yote, na wasimamizi wa watu, na kwa kila jimbo kwa andiko lao, na kila watu na lugha yao. Mbiu hii ilikuwa imeandikwa kwa jina la mfalme Ahusiero na kupigwa muhuri wa pete yake.
And so, on the thirteenth day of the first month, the king’s secretaries were summoned and as Haman instructed an edict was issued to the king’s satraps and provincial governors and the rulers of each of the peoples in their own script and their own language. The edict was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with his ring.
13 Barua hizi za kutaka kuwakatilia mbali Wayahudi wote zilizambazwa katika majimbo yote ya Mfalme Ahusiero, kuangamiza, kuua na kuwaharibu Wayahudi wote, tangu mdogo hadi mkubwa, watoto na wanawake, ndani ya siku moja katika siku ya kumi na tatu ya mwezi wa kumi na mbili (ambao ni mwezi wa Adari) na kuteka mali zo.
Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, saying: Destroy, kill, put an end to all the Jews, young and old, little children and women, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, and plunder their possessions.
14 Nakala ya ilifanywa kuwa sheria na kupelekwa kila jimbo. Taarifa juu ya maangamizi ya Wayahudi ilienea katika kila jimbo kwamba watu wote wajiandae katika siku hiyo.
A copy of the edict was to be published as a decree in every province – publicly displayed so that everyone might be ready for that day.
15 Wasambazajia walisambaza agizo la mfalme. Tangazo hili pioa lilitolewa na kusambazwa katika mji wa Shushani. Mfalme alikuwa na Hamani walikaa na kunywa, lakini mji wa Shushani, lakini mjiwa Shushani ulikuwa katika uangamivu.
By command of the king the couriers raced off, and the edict was published in Susa itself. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in turmoil.

< Esta 3 >