Ɛster 3
1 Eyinom akyi no, ɔhene Ahasweros pagyaw Agagni Hamedata babarima Haman dibea, yɛɛ no ɔsoafo panyin wɔ ahemman no mu ma ɔbɛyɛɛ ɔhene abediakyiri.
After this, king Artaxerxes exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was of Agag lineage, and he set his throne above all the rulers whom he had.
2 Sɛ Haman reba a, ɔhene mpanyimfo no bɔ wɔn mu ase de kyerɛ obu ne nidi a wɔwɔ ma no, efisɛ saa na ɔhene ahyɛ. Nanso Mordekai ammɔ ne mu ase da, na wankyerɛ obu ne nidi nso da.
And all the king’s servants, who passed by the doors of the palace, bent their knees and adored Haman, for so the ruler had instructed them. Only Mordecai did not bend his knee, nor adore him.
3 Ahemfi mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ ɔhene pon ano no bisaa Mordekai se, “Adɛn nti na worebu ɔhene mmara so?”
The king’s servants, who presided over the doors of the palace, said to him, “Why do you, more than the others, not observe the king’s command?”
4 Wɔkasa kyerɛɛ no mpɛn pii nanso ɔkɔɔ so buu mmara no so. Enti wɔbɔɔ Haman amanneɛ hwɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛpene Mordekai suban no so ana, efisɛ na Mordekai aka akyerɛ wɔn sɛ ɔyɛ Yudani.
And when they were saying this frequently, and he would not listen to them, they reported it to Haman, desiring to know whether he would continue in his resolution, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 Bere a Haman huu sɛ Mordekai nkotow no, anaa ɔnna obu ne nidi adi nkyerɛ no no, ne bo fuwii.
Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.
6 Enti Haman yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ, ɔrenhaw Mordekai nko ara. Esiane sɛ na wate sɛ Mordekai yɛ Yudani no nti, ɔyɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛhwehwɛ ɔkwan a ɔbɛfa so de atɔre Yudafo a wɔwɔ Ahasweros ahemman mu no nyinaa ase.
And he considered it pointless to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, for he had heard that he was part of the Jewish people. And so he wanted more: to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Artaxerxes.
7 Na ɔsram Abib (bɛyɛ Oforisuo) mu a ɛyɛ ɔhene Ahasweros adedi mfe dumien so no, wɔbɔɔ ntonto a wɔfrɛ no Pur de hwehwɛɛ da ne ɔsram a ɛfata sɛ wɔhyɛ fa no. Na da a woyii no yɛ Abib ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛto so ason a na ɛreyɛ akɔ ntontobɔ no akyi afe mu.
In the first month, which is called Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Pur, in the presence of Haman, to determine on what day and in which month the Jewish people should be destroyed. And it turned out to be the twelfth month, which is called Adar.
8 Na Haman kɔɔ ɔhene Ahasweros nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nnipa bi wɔ hɔ a wɔabɔ apete amantam a ɛwɔ wʼahenni yi nyinaa so. Wɔn mmara ne ɔman foforo biara de bɔ abira, na mpo, wobu ɔhene mmara so. Ɛno nti, enye mma ɔhene sɛ ɔbɛhwɛ ama wɔatena ase.
And Haman said to king Artaxerxes, “There is a people dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom and separated one from another, who make use of unusual laws and ceremonies, and who, in addition, show contempt for the king’s ordinances. And you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that they should become insolent through independence.
9 Sɛ ebetumi a, Ɔhempɔn, hyɛ mmara na wɔntɔre wɔn ase, na mɛma aban amammuifo dwetɛ tɔn ahaasa aduɔson anum na wɔde agu adehye foto no mu.”
If it pleases you, declare that they may be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents to the keepers of your treasury.”
10 Ɔhene no penee so, worɔw ne pɛtea de maa Agagni Hamedata babarima Haman a ɔyɛ Yudafo tamfo no de sii asɛm no so dua.
And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.
11 Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Haman se, “Ma sika no ntena hɔ, nanso wo ne nnipa no nni no sɛnea wopɛ no biara.”
And he said to him, “Let the silver, which you promise, be for yourself. As for the people, do with them as it pleases you.”
12 Abib (bɛyɛ Oforisuo) da a ɛto so dunson no, Haman frɛɛ ɔhene akyerɛwfo ma ɔkaa nea ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkyerɛw de kɔma mmapɔmma, amantam amradofo a wɔwɔ mmeae nyinaa, adwumayɛfo a wɔwɔ amantam no mu ma wɔkyerɛw no wɔ wɔn ankasa kasa mu. Ɔhene Ahasweros na wɔde ne din hyɛɛ nkrataa no ase, na wɔde ne kaa no sɔw ano,
And the scribes of the king were summoned, in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month. And it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s governors, and to the judges of the provinces, and to various peoples, so that each people could read and hear according to their various languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes. And the letters were sealed with his ring.
13 na wɔde somaa abɔfo ma wɔde kokɔɔ amantam a ɛwɔ ahemman no mu nyinaa. Nkrataa no hyɛɛ mmara sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wokunkum Yudafo nyinaa, mmofra ne mpanyin, mmea ne mmarima, tɔre wɔn ase da koro na wɔfa wɔn agyapade. Wɔhyɛɛ sɛ, saa asɛm yi nsi wɔ Adar ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛto so ason, a ɛyɛ afe akyi a wɔhyɛɛ mmara no.
These were sent by the king’s messengers to all the provinces, so as to kill and destroy all the Jews, from children all the way to the elderly, even little children and women, on one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods, even their necessities.
14 Wɔde mmara no sɛso bi bɛkɔ amantam no nyinaa so, na wɔbɛma ɔmanfo nyinaa nso ate mu nsɛm, sɛnea wobetumi adi dwuma no wɔ da a wɔahyɛ no.
And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.
15 Ɔhene no hyɛ ma wɔde mmara no somaa abɔfo a wɔn ho yɛ hare ma wɔbɔɔ no dawuru wɔ Susa aban no mu. Afei, ɔhene no ne Haman tenaa ase nom nsa; nanso Susa kuropɔn no mu yɛɛ basabasa.
The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.
