U-Esta 5
1 Ngelanga lesithathu u-Esta wagqoka izembatho zakhe zobukhosi wema enkundleni engaphakathi kwesigodlo phambi kwendlu yenkosi. Inkosi yayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi endlini yayo, ikhangele emnyango.
Three days later Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, opposite the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the king's hall, facing the entrance.
2 Yathi ibona iNdlovukazi u-Esta imi enkundleni, yathokoza ngaye, yasiselula intonga yayo yegolide eyayisesandleni sayo, yamkhomba ngayo. U-Esta wasesondela wathinta isihloko sentonga.
When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the inner court she won his approval so he acted favorably by holding out his scepter to her. So Esther went over and touched the end of the scepter.
3 Inkosi yasibuza yathi, “Kutheni Ndlovukazi Esta? Siyini isicelo sakho na? Uzanikwa loba yini, okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”
The king asked her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I'll give it to you, as much as half my empire!”
4 U-Esta wathi, “Nxa inkosi ithokoza ngalokhu, bengicela ukuthi inkosi kanye loHamani beze lamhla edilini engililungisele yona.”
Esther replied, “If it please Your Majesty, may the king and Haman come today to a dinner I have prepared for him.”
5 Inkosi yathi, “UHamani keze khathesi, ukuze kwenziwe okucelwa ngu-Esta.” Inkosi loHamani baya edilini elalilungiswe ngu-Esta.
“Bring Haman here at once so we can do what Esther has requested,” the king ordered. The king and Haman went to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
6 Kwathi besanatha iwayini, inkosi yambuza njalo u-Esta yathi, “Siyini isicelo sakho? Uzakukwamukeliswa. Kuyini okucelayo na? Uzanikwa loba yini okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”
As they drank their wine, the king asked Esther, “What are you really asking for? It will be given to you. What do you want? You shall have it, as much as half my empire!”
7 U-Esta waphendula wathi, “Isikhalazo sami lesicelo sami yilokhu:
Esther answered, “This is what I'm asking for, and this is what I want.
8 Nxa inkosi ingamukela ngomusa njalo nxa inkosi ithokoza ngokwamukela isikhalazo sami njalo igcwalise isicelo sami, bengicela ukuthi inkosi kanye loHamani kusasa beze edilini engizabalungisela lona. Kulapho engizaphendula okubuzwe yinkosi.”
If the king looks on me favorably, and if it please Your Majesty to grant my request and do as I ask, may the king and Haman come to a dinner I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer Your Majesty's question.”
9 UHamani wasuka lapho mhlalokho ethabe kakhulukazi. Kodwa uthe ebona uModekhayi esesangweni lenkosi wananzelela ukuthi kamsukumeli loba ukutshengisa ukwesaba phambi kwakhe, wagcwalelana ngokumthukuthelela uModekhayi.
When Haman left that day he was very happy and pleased with himself. But when he saw Mordecai at the palace gate and that he didn't stand up or tremble with fear before him, Haman was furious with Mordecai.
10 Kodwa wazibamba waya emzini wakhe, wabiza abangane bakhe ndawonye kanye loZereshi umkakhe,
However, Haman controlled himself and he went home. There he invited his friends over. Once they and his wife Zeresh had gathered,
11 uHamani wasezincoma kubo ngenotho yakhe enengi, langamadodana akhe amanengi, kanye lazozonke izindlela inkosi eyayimhlonipha ngazo lokuthi imphakamise yambeka phezu kwezinye izikhulu leziphathamandla.
Haman went into great detail about how much money and possessions he had, and how many children, and how the king had made him so important by promoting him above all the other nobles and officials.
12 UHamani wengeza wathi, “Njalo akusikho kodwa lokhu. Yimi ngedwa zwi umuntu omenywe yiNdlovukazi u-Esta ukuba ngiphelekezele inkosi edilini elenzileyo. Njalo usenginxusile kanye lenkosi kusasa.
“Added to all that,” Haman went on, “I was the only other person Queen Esther invited to come to a dinner she had prepared for the king. I'm also invited by her to eat together with the king tomorrow.”
13 Kodwa konke lokhu akungisuthisi ikakhulu nxa ngilokhu ngibona umJuda loya onguModekhayi ehlezi esangweni lenkosi.”
Then he said, “But all of this is worthless to me while I keep on seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate.”
14 Umkakhe uZereshi kanye labangane bakhe bonke bathi kuye, “Yenza indawo yokulengisa abantu, ibe zingalo ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu ubude, ubusucela inkosi ekuseni ukuba ilengise uModekhayi lapho. Ube usuziyela edilini uchelesile.” Umcabango lo wamthokozisa kakhulu uHamani, yasisakhiwa indawo yokulengisa.
His wife Zeresh and his friends told him, “Arrange for a pole to be set up, fifty cubits high. Then, in the morning, go and ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Afterwards, you'll be happy as you go with the king to the dinner.” Haman thought this was good advice, so he had the pole set up.
