Ɛster 9

1 Na Adar bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛtɔ so nson, wɔde ɔhene no mmara mmienu no yɛɛ adwuma. Saa ɛda no, na Yudafoɔ no atamfoɔ no ani da so sɛ, wɔbɛsɛe wɔn, nanso ani daneeɛ.

So on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which as we have said above is called Adar, when all the Jews were designed to be massacred, and their enemies were greedy after their blood, the case being altered, the Jews began to have the upper hand, and to revenge themselves of their adversaries.

2 Yudafoɔ no boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ wɔn nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ ɔhene amantam no mu no nyinaa so, bɔɔ wɔn ho ban, de tiaa obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔbɛha wɔn. Nanso, obiara antumi ansɔre antia wɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, na obiara suro wɔn.

And they gathered themselves together in every city, and town, and place, to lay their hands on their enemies, and their persecutors. And no one durst withstand them, for the fear of their power had gone through every people.

3 Esiane Mordekai ho hu enti, amantam so asafohene nyinaa, mmapɔmma, amradofoɔ ne ɔhene adwumayɛfoɔ nyinaa boaa Yudafoɔ no.

And the judges of the provinces, and the governors, and lieutenants, and every one in dignity, that presided over every place and work, extolled the Jews for fear of Mardochai:

4 Ɛfiri sɛ na wama Mordekai panin wɔ ahemfie hɔ, ama ne din ahyeta amantam no nyinaa so wɔ ɛberɛ a na ne tumi nso rekɔ soro.

For they knew him to be prince of the palace, and to have great power: and the fame of his name increased daily, and was spread abroad through all men’s mouths.

5 Na da a wɔahyɛ no, Yudafoɔ no kunkumm wɔn atamfoɔ, sɛee wɔn wɔ akofena ano. Wɔkunkumm wɔn atamfoɔ, tɔree wɔn ase, na wɔyɛɛ wɔn a wɔtan wɔn no deɛ wɔpɛ biara.

So the Jews made a great slaughter of their enemies, and killed them, repaying according to what they had prepared to do to them:

6 Wɔkunkumm nnipa ahanum wɔ Susa aban no mu.

Insomuch that even in Susan they killed five hundred men, besides the ten sons of Aman the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews: whose names are these:

7 Afei, wɔkumm Parsandata, Dalfon ne Aspata,

Pharsandatha, and Delphon, and Esphatha,

8 Porata, Adalia, Aridata,

And Phoratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

9 Parmasta, Arisai, Aridai ne Waisata

And Phermesta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Jezatha.

10 a wɔyɛ Hamedata babarima Haman a ɔyɛ Yudafoɔ ɔtamfoɔ no mmammarima edu no. Nanso, wɔamfa asadeɛ biara.

And when they had slain them, they would not touch the spoils of their goods.

11 Ɛberɛ a wɔbɔɔ ɔhene no amaneɛ a ɛfa nnipa dodoɔ a wɔkumm wɔn wɔ Susa aban mu ho anwummerɛ no,

And presently the number of them that were killed in Susan was brought to the king.

12 ɔmaa wɔfrɛɛ Ɔhemmaa Ɛster, na ɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yudafoɔ no akunkum nnipa ahanum wɔ Susa aban mu nko ara ne Haman mmammarima edu. Sɛ wɔayɛ saa wɔ ha deɛ a, ɛnneɛ asɛm bɛn na asi wɔ amantam a aka no mu? Afei, ɛdeɛn bio na wohwehwɛ? Wɔde bɛma wo. Ka kyerɛ me na mɛyɛ.”

And he said to the queen: The Jews have killed five hundred men in the city of Susan, besides the ten sons of Aman: how many dost thou think they have slain in all the provinces? What askest thou more, and what wilt thou have me to command to be done?

13 Na Ɛster kaa sɛ, “Ɔhenkɛseɛ, sɛ ɛsɔ wʼani a, ma Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Susa no kwan na wɔnyɛ deɛ wɔyɛɛ no ɛnnɛ no bio ɔkyena, na wɔmfa Haman mmammarima edu no amu nsensɛn dua no so.”

And she answered: If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews, to do tomorrow in Susan as they have done today, and that the ten sons of Aman may be hanged upon gibbets.

14 Na ɔhene no penee so, na wɔbɔɔ mmara no ho dawuro wɔ Susa. Wɔsane de Haman mmammarima edu no amu sensɛnee dua no so.

And the king commanded that it should be so done. And forthwith the edict was hung up in Susan, and the ten sons of Aman were hanged.

15 Na Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Susa no boaa wɔn ho ano Adar bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛtɔ so nwɔtwe, na wɔsane kunkumm nnipa ahasa, na bio, wɔamfa asadeɛ biara.

And on the fourteenth day of the month Adar the Jews gathered themselves together, and they killed in Susan three hundred men: but they took not their substance.

16 Saa ɛberɛ no mu, na Yudafoɔ nkaeɛ no a wɔwɔ Ɔhene no amantam mu nyinaa no aboa wɔn ho ano, rebɔ wɔn nkwa ho ban. Wɔkumm wɔn atamfoɔ no ɔpeduɔson enum, nam so nyaa ɔgyeɛ firii wɔn atamfoɔ nsam. Nanso, wɔamfa asadeɛ biara.

Moreover through all the provinces which were subject to the king’s dominion the Jews stood for their lives, and slew their enemies and persecutors: insomuch that the number of them that were Billed amounted to seventy-five thousand, and no man took any of their goods.

17 Amantam no nyinaa mu, saa ara na wɔyɛɛ Adar bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔbɛnem) da a ɛtɔ so nson no. Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, wɔhomeeɛ, didiiɛ, gyee wɔn ani wɔ wɔn nkonimdie no ho.

Now the thirteenth day of the month Adar was the first day with them all of the slaughter, and on the fourteenth day they left off. Which they ordained to be kept holy day, so that all times hereafter they should celebrate it with feasting, joy, and banquets.

18 Nanso, Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Susa no toaa so kunkumm wɔn atamfoɔ no da a ɛtɔ so mmienu no nso, na wɔhomee ne nnansa so didiiɛ, gyee wɔn ani.

But they that were killing in the city of Susan, were employed in the slaughter on the thirteenth and fourteenth day of the same month: and on the fifteenth day they rested. And therefore they appointed that day to be a holy day of feasting and gladness.

19 Enti, ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ yi, Yudafoɔ a wɔtete nkuraa a wɔntwaa afasuo mfaa ho no di saa afirinhyia dapɔnna yi. Wɔdi afoofi saa awɔberɛ da yi mu, sɛpɛ wɔn ho, de akyɛdeɛ mema wɔn ho wɔn ho.

But those Jews that dwelt in towns not walled and in villages, appointed the fourteenth day of the month Adar for banquets and gladness, so as to rejoice on that day, and send one another portions of their banquets and meats.

20 Mordekai twerɛɛ saa nsɛm a ɛsisiiɛ yi nyinaa, na wɔde nkrataa kɔmemaa Yudafoɔ a wɔbɛn ne wɔn a wɔwɔ akyiri wɔ ɔhene no amantam nyinaa mu,

And Mardochai wrote all these things, and sent them comprised in letters to the Jews that abode in all the king’s provinces, both those that lay near and those afar off,

21 hyɛɛ wɔn nkuran sɛ, wɔnni afirinhyia afahyɛ yi wɔ saa nnanu no mu.

That they should receive the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar for holy days, and always at the return of the year should celebrate them with solemn honour:

22 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, wɔnhyɛ saa nna no ho fa a adidie ne ɔnom ka ho, na wɔmma wɔn ho wɔn ho ne ahiafoɔ akyɛdeɛ. Yei bɛma Yudafoɔ no akae ɛberɛ a wɔnyaa ɔgyeɛ firii wɔn atamfoɔ nsam, wɔn awerɛhoɔ danee anigyeɛ, na wɔn su bɛyɛɛ ahosɛpɛ no.

Because on those days the Jews revenged themselves of their enemies, and their mourning and sorrow were turned into mirth and joy, and that these should be days of feasting and gladness, in which they should send one to another portions of meats; and should give gifts to the poor.

23 Enti, Yudafoɔ no faa Mordekai adwenkyerɛ no, hyɛɛ afirinhyia amanneɛ no ase.

And the Jews undertook to observe with solemnity all they had begun to do at that time, which Mardochai by letters had commanded to be done.

24 Na Hamedata, a ɔfiri Agag babarima Haman, a ɔyɛ Yudafoɔ ɔtamfoɔ no pamm sɛ ɔbɛyam wɔn, asɛe wɔn saa da no ne ɔbosome a ɔnam ntontobɔ so nyaeɛ no. (Na wɔfrɛ saa ntonto no Purim).

For Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy and adversary of the Jews, had devised evil against them, to kill them and destroy them: and had cast Phur, that is, the lot.

25 Nanso, Ɛster baa ɔhene anim no, ɔhyɛɛ mmara, nam so maa Haman adwemmɔne no bɔɔ ne tiri so, na wɔsɛnee no ne mmammarima wɔ dua no so.

And afterwards Esther went in to the king, beseeching him that his endeavours might be made void by the king’s letters: and the evil that he had intended against the Jews, might return upon his own head. And so both he and his sons were hanged upon gibbets.

26 (Ɛno enti na wɔfrɛ saa afahyɛ no Purim no, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ tete kasa a asekyerɛ ne ntontobɔ.) Esiane Mordekai krataa no ne osuahunu a wɔanya enti,

And since that time these days are called Phurim, that is, of lots: because Phur, that is, the lot, was cast into the urn. And all things that were done, are contained in the volume of this epistle, that is, of this book:

27 Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ ahemman no mu no nyinaa penee so sɛ, wɔbɛhyɛ saa amanneɛ no ho fa, na wɔama wɔn awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ ne wɔn a wɔbɛyɛ Yudafoɔ no nyinaa abɛhyɛ bi. Wɔn nyinaa gye too mu sɛ, saa nnanu a wɔayi ato hɔ sɛ wɔnhyɛ fa no afe biara mu no, wɔremma ɛmmpa wɔn tiri so da.

And the things that they suffered, and that were afterwards changed, the Jews took upon themselves and their seed, and upon all that had a mind to be joined to their religion, so that it should be lawful for none to pass these days without solemnity: which the writing testifieth, and certain times require, as the years continually succeed one another.

28 Wɔbɛkae saa nna yi, wɔ awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ nyinaa mu na ɛsɛ sɛ abusua biara a ɛwɔ amantam ne nkuropɔn wɔ ahemman no mu no di. Wɔrennyae saa nna yi di wɔ Yudafoɔ mu, na nsɛm a ɛsiiɛ no nso wɔn asefoɔ werɛ remfiri da.

These are the days which shall never be forgot: and which all provinces in the whole world shall celebrate throughout all generations: neither is there any city wherein the days of Phurim, that is, of lots, must not be observed by the Jews, and by their posterity, which is bound to these ceremonies.

29 Na Ɔhemmaa Ɛster, Abihail babaa no ne Yudani Mordekai twerɛɛ krataa foforɔ a wɔde ɔhemmaa no tumi kɛseɛ foaa krataa no so de hyɛɛ Purim afahyɛ no mu den.

And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mardochai the Jew, wrote also a second epistle, that with all diligence this day should be established a festival for the time to come.

30 Ɛno akyi, wɔsoma maa wɔde nkrataa a wɔde bɛma asomdwoeɛ ne banbɔ aba, kɔɔ Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ amantam ɔha ne aduonu nson no a ɛwɔ Ahasweros ahemman no nyinaa so.

And they sent to all the Jews that were in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of king Assuerus, that they should have peace, and receive truth,

31 Saa nkrataa yi ma Purim Afahyɛ a ɛyɛ afirinhyiadeɛ a wɔdi no ɛnnɛ yi ara no tim. Yudani Mordekai ne Ɔhemmaa Ɛster na wɔhyɛɛ mmara no. (Nnipa no yɛɛ wɔn adwene sɛ wɔbɛhyɛ saa fa yi, sɛdeɛ wɔasi no gyinaeɛ ama wɔn ho ne wɔn asefoɔ de ama mmuadadie ne agyaadwotwa mmerɛ atim no.)

And observe the days of lots, and celebrate them with joy in their proper time: as Mardochai and Esther had appointed, and they undertook them to be observed by themselves and by their seed, fasts, and cries, and the days of lots,

32 Enti Ɛster ɔhyɛ no sii Purim ho nhyɛhyɛɛ so dua, na wɔtwerɛɛ ne nyinaa guu nkrataa mu.

And all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther.