The Jews Are Told to Fight Back
1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther all the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was related to her, and Mordecai was invited to enter the king's presence. 2 The king took off his ring with his seal on it (which he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.
3 Then Esther spoke to the king again, throwing herself at his feet. She begged him to do something to stop the evil plot that Haman had made against the Jews. 4 The king held out the gold scepter to her, so she stood up 5 and said, “If it please Your Majesty and if you care about me, please issue a proclamation to keep Haman's orders from being carried out—those orders he gave for the destruction of all the Jews in the empire. 6 How can I endure it if this disaster comes on my people? How can I go on living if my whole nation is destroyed?”
7 Then the king said to Esther, “I have hanged Haman for his plot against the Jews, and I have given you his property. If that is not enough, 8 you may write to the Jews whatever you like; and you may write it in my name and stamp it with the royal seal, for a proclamation issued in the king's name and stamped with the royal seal cannot be revoked.”
9 On the twenty-third day of the first month, the month of Nisan, the king's secretaries were called and letters were written to the Jews and to the governors and administrators of all 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. The letters were written to each province in its own language. 10 They were written in the name of the king and stamped with the royal seal and they were delivered by runners.
11 These letters explained that the king would allow the Jews in every city of the empire to live by their own laws and organize for self-defense. They were permitted to treat their opponents and enemies in any way they liked. 12 This decree was to take effect throughout the Persian Empire on the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
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The King's Decree in Favor of the Jews
13 This is a copy of the decree:
“Greetings from King Xerxes the Great to the governors of the 127 provinces, which extend from India to Ethiopia, and to all those who are loyal to us.
14 “Many people become increasingly arrogant when honors are given to them and favors are done for them. 15 They do not know what to do with so much good fortune, so they not only try to harm our subjects, but they even scheme against those who grant them favors. 16 They are never grateful for what people do for them, and they even think they can escape the judgment of God, who hates evil and sees everything. In their arrogance they listen to the flattery of ignorant, sinful people.
17 “It often happens also that friends who have been entrusted with administrative responsibilities exert pressure on those in authority. They make their leaders their partners in killing people and bring about misfortunes that can never be remedied. 18 These friends, by their lies and deceitful ways, take advantage of the good will of their rulers.
19 “You can see examples of this misuse of power not only in the stories that have been handed down to us from the past, but in the more recent outrageous things which have happened among you.
20 “I intend to make sure that in the future my kingdom will remain untroubled and peaceful for all people. 21 This can be done by changing certain policies and by judging fairly each situation that comes to my attention.
22 “Consider, for example, the case of Haman son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian. He is a foreigner with no Persian blood and with no trace of my generosity; but I welcomed him, 23 and he received the benefit of my concern and love for all people. He was, in fact, proclaimed ‘Father’ of the empire and received more honor than anyone else, except the king.
24 “But his arrogance knew no limits, and he tried to murder me and take over the empire. 25 In his crafty and deceitful way, he asked that Mordecai be put to death—Mordecai, who once saved my life and who has always supported me. He even asked for the death of Esther, our blameless queen, and in fact, the death of all the Jewish people. 26 His purpose was to leave us helpless and to allow the Macedonians to take over the Persian Empire. 27 Even though this wicked criminal plotted to wipe out the Jews, I find that they are not traitors at all but are governed by very just laws. 28 They worship the living God, the highest and greatest God, who has kept our empire in its excellent condition from the time of our ancestors until our own day.
29 “Therefore I advise you not to carry out the instructions issued in the letters sent out by Haman. 30 He is the person responsible for all of this, and he has been hanged, along with his entire family, at the gates of Susa. God, who governs all things, has given him the speedy punishment that he deserved.
31 “I order you to post copies of this decree in every public place. Permit the Jews to live by their own customs, 32 and give them support when they defend themselves against those who attack them on the day set for their destruction, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. 33 God, who governs all things, has turned that day of destruction into a day of celebration for his chosen people.
34 “Include this day among your national holidays and celebrate it as a festival. 35 Now and in the future it will remind us and all our allies of the way God watches over our nation, and those who plot against us will be reminded of God's threat of destruction.
36 “Every province, every city, without exception, which does not obey these orders will feel my anger. It will be destroyed in battle and burned to the ground. No human being will ever go there again, and even the birds and wild animals will avoid it forever.
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37 “Post copies of this decree in plain view in every province, so that all the Jews can be ready to fight their enemies when that day comes.”
38 Messengers on horses rode off at top speed to carry out the orders of the king, and the decree was also made public in Susa.
39 Mordecai left the palace, wearing royal robes, a turban of fine purple linen, and a gold crown. When the people of Susa saw him, they cheered, 40 and the Jews were happy and joyful. 41 They held a joyful holiday with feasting and happiness in every city and province, wherever the king's proclamation was posted. In fact, many Gentiles were circumcised and became Jews, because they were now afraid of them.
Jodeǁîn ge ǃkhamǃoan nîsa ra mîbahe
1 [1] ǁNā tsēs ǁkhās aib ge gao-aob Artaxerxeba, gao-aos Estersa, Hamanni Jodeǁîn di khākhoe ge ib di hoaraga xūna ge mā. Esters ge gao-aoba Mordekaib a ǁîs di ǀaokhoe ǃkhaisa ge mîba tsîb ge Mordekaiba gao-aob trons di ǃnā-oms ǃnâ ǂgâsa ge mā-amhe. 2 [2] Gao-aob ge gao-aosi ǁgauǁgausa ūhâ ǀkhunuǂnûidas, Hamanna xub ge ū-oa hâ isa ūǁnâ tsî Mordekaiba ge mā tsîs ge Estersa Mordekaiba, Hamanni di ūhâxūnab nî kōǃgâse ge ǁgaumâi.
3 [3] Os ge Estersa gao-aob di ǂai-am ǁnāǁgoe tsî ǁkhawa ǁîb ǀkha ge ǃhoa. ǁÎs ge gao-aoba ge ǀkhoma, îb Hamanni ge Jodeǁîn ǃoagu dī ǂkhaba ǀapesa ǀû kai. 4 [4] Gao-aob ge ǁîb di ǃhuniǀuri gaohaiba ǁîs ǃoa ge ǀhōǂui, tsîs ge khâi 5 [5] tsî ge mî: “ǃGôahesatse, satsa iga ǃgâibao tsîts ga ǃgâise tita xa ǂâio, toxopa Hamanni di mîmāde nî ǁkhae ǂanǂan-e xoaǂui, î di ǁîb di ǀapedi, hoaraga Jodeǁîn nî sa gaosib ǃnâ hîkākāhe ǃkhais dide tā dīǀoaǀoahe. Nē sîǂkhanidi ge ǀnai sîǂuihe hâ. 6 [6] Mâti ta ti ǁaes nēti ī tsūǀkhāb xa hāǂamhe hâ hîa nî mâǃkharu ǁkhā? Mâti ta ti hoaraga ǁaes ra hîkākāhe ǃkhaisa nî mûǃhara?”
7 [7] Ob ge gao-aoba Esters ǃoa ge mî: “Hamanna ta ge ǁîb di ǀapes, Jodeǁîn ǃoagub ge dīs ǃaroma ge ǂgāmâi tsî ta ge ǁîb di ūhâxūn hoana ǃgâiǂâibasensa xu sasa ge mā. ǁNās ga ǂâuba si tama i, 8 [8] os ge ǂgaos ra xū-i hoa-e Jodeǁîn ǃoa ti ǀons ǃnâ xoa tsî ti gao-aosi ǁgauǁgaus ǀkha ǁgâi-ai ǁkhā. Gao-aob ǀons ǃnâ xoahe tsî gao-aosi ǁgauǁgaus ǀkha ǁgâi-aihe hâ mîmā-i ge tātsēs tsîna a ǂgae-oahe ǁoa.”
9 [9] ǀGamdisiǃnonaǀaǁî tsēs, ǂguro ǁkhâb Nisanni dis ai gu ge gao-aob di xoa-aogu hoaga ǂgaiǀhaohe tsî sîǂkhanide Jodeǁîn tsî hoaraga ǀguikaidisi tsî ǀgamdisihûǀa ǀkharigu, Indiaba xu Etiopiab kōse ǁgoegu di gowoniagu tsî ǃkhōdana-aogu tsîn ǃoa ge xoa kaihe. Mâ ǀkharib hoab ǃoa i ge ǁnā ǀkharib khoen ra ǁnâuǃā gowab ǃnâ ge xoahe. 10 [10] Sîǂkhanidi ge gao-aob ǀons ǃnâ xoahe tsî gao-aosi ǁgauǁgaus ǀkha ǁgâi-aihe tsî sîǂkhanitani-aogu xa gere māǁnâhe.
11 [11] Nē sîǂkhanidi ǃnâb ge gao-aoba gaosib di ǃādi hoadi ǃnâ ǁan hâ Jodeǁîn hoan ǁîn di ǂhunuma ǂhanuga ǃoa ûi tsî ǁkhaubasens ǃaroma ǂhomisen ǁkhā ǃkhaisa ge mā-am. Jodeǁîn ge ǁkhāti ǁîn di mâǃoa-aon tsî khākhoen tsînan nî ǁîn ra ǂgao ǀgau-i hoa-i ai sîsenū ǃkhaisa ge mā-amhe. 12 [12] Nē mîmās ge disiǃnonaǀaǁî tsēs, disiǀgamǀaǁî ǁkhâb, Adari dis ai hoaraga gaosib Persiab dib ǃnâ ge sîsentsoatsoa.
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Gao-aob di sîǂkhanis Jodeǁîn di ǃgâiba ǃoa
13 [1] Nēb ge mîmās di ǁgâiǁnâba:
“Tawedes gao-aob Artaxerxeba xu ǀguikaidisi tsî ǀgamdisihûǀa ǀkharigu, Indiaba xu Etiopiab kōse khoraǂuisagu di gowoniagu tsî sida ǃoa îǂhôan hoan ǃoa.
14 [2] “ǂGui khoen ge ǁîn di ǃgâidī-aon xan ǃgâi xūn ǀkha ǃgôasiba ra māhe, o aiǃâb ǃoa ǀgui ra ǀgapiǀgapisen. 15 [3] ǁÎn ge nētikō kai, ǃgâi ǁuib ǀkhan nî tare-e dī ǃkhaisa a ǀū. ǁÎn ge sida ǃnaka hâ khoena tsûtsûs ǀguisa dītsâ tama, xawe ǁnān hîa ge nē ǃgâi xūna ǁîna dīban tsîna ra ǀapeǃgâ. 16 [4] ǁÎn ge tātsē khoen xan ra dībahe xūna gangan tama hâ, tsîn ge ǁkhāti Elob hîa ǂkhababa ǁkhan hâ tsî hoa xūna ra mûb di ǀgoraǃgâsa xun nî ǃnora ti ǂâi hâ. ǁÎn ge ǂamaǃhoaxa ǁore-aon xa ra ǂgaeǂhapu kaisen.
17 [5] “ǃNāsa ǁaeban ge ǂgaeǂguis ǃnâ hâ khoena, ǀhapio ǀaoba ǂnâxūs ǃaroma ǃkharese ǃereamxase ge ūhâhe tsî dī-unuheǁoasa ǂkhôaba ge ǃaroma, ǀhûhâsib ǃoabade ge ǂgomǃgâhe hâ i ǀhosaga ǃgôaǃgons ǀkha. 18 [6] Nē ǀhōsagu ge ǁîgu di ǂhumib tsî gāxaǃnâsib ǀkha aiǂhanugu tsî ǃgâiǂâis ǁîgu ǂgaeǂgui-aogu disa, ǂhanu tamase ra sîsenū.
19 [7] “Aiǁgaudi nē ǀgaiba ǂhanu tamase sîsenūs didets ge ǃkharu ge ǁaeb di ǁgaeǂhôan sada ǃoa ge māǃkharuhen ǃnâ ǀguis ose, xawe ǁkhāti ǃnāsase nē ǁaeb ǃnâ ge sada ǁaegu ī ǂkhôadīn ǃnâs tsîna ge mû.
20 [8] “Tita ge ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâb nî ti gaosiba ǂhanihe tamase tsî ǂkhîb ǃnâ hoa khoen ǃaroma hâ ǃkhaisa ra ǂgao. 21 [9] Nēs ge ǂanǂansa ǂhanusi ǀgauga ǀkharaǀkharas tsî ti ǂans ǃnaka ra hā-ūhe ǁhōga ǂhauǃnâse ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ-ū a ī ǁkhā.
22 [10] “Aiǁgaus ase Hammedatab Masedoniaǁîb ôab, Hamanni di ǁhōb xa ǂâi re. ǁÎb ge ǃhao ǃhūb di tsî Persiaǁîs tsîna hî tama hâ, xawe ta ge sida ǁkhausabese ti ǃgâisib ǃoa ǁîba khoexaǃnâsib ǀkha ge ǃkhōǃoa 23 [11] tsîb ge ǁnāpa xu ǃgâib, ti khoexaǃnâsib dib tsî ǀnammi, mâ ǁaes hoasa ta ūba hâb tsîna ge ǃkhōǃoa. Khoen ge ǁîba gaosib di ‘ǁGûb’ ti gere ǂgai tsîn ge ǁîba gao-aob ǀguib ose, ǃnāsa ǃgôasiba nau khoen hoan ǃgâ-ai gere mā.
24 [12] “Xawe ǁîb di ǀgapiǂâixasib ge ǀam-e ge ūhâ tama hâ i, tsîb ge tita ǃgam tsîb ga gaosiba ūǃkhuni ǃkhaisa gere dītsâ. 25 [13] ǁÎb di gāxaǃnâ tsî ǀhôagao ǀgaub aib ge Mordekaib nî ǃgamhe ǃkhaisa ge ǂgan; Mordekaib hîa ti ûiba sâu tsî hoaǁae gere ǂkhâǃnâ teba. ǁÎb ge ǁkhāti sida di ǀhapio gao-aos Esters tsî hoaraga Jodeǁîn tsîn nî ǃgamhe ǃkhaisa gere ǂgao. 26 [14] ǁÎb ge ǁnā ǀgaub ǀkhab sida hui-ose ǁnāxū tsîb Masedoniaǁîna, Persiaǁîgaosiba ūǃkhunisa nî mā-am ti ge ǂâi hâ i. 27 [15] Nē ǂkhaba tsūdī-aob ge hoaraga Jodeǁîna ǃgamǂuisa gere ǀapeǀape, xawe ta ge nē khoen ǀapexū-ao tama tsî kaise ǂhanu-ai ǂhanugu ǃoa ra ûi ǃkhaisa ge ǂanǂui. 28 [16] ǁÎn ge ûitsama Elob, xūn hoan ǃgâ-ai ǀgapi tsî kaib, sida gaosiba ge sida aboxagu ǁaeba xu nēsis kōse ǃgâi mâsib ǃnâ ǂgaeǂguiba ra ǀgoreǀî.
29 [17] “ǁNā-amaga ta ge Hamanni ge māǂui sîǂkhanidi ǃnâ xoahe hâ mîmāde du sîsenǂui tide ǃkhaisa ra ǂanǂan du. 30 [18] ǁÎb ge nē xūn hoana ge ǃaroma hâ i tsîb ge ǁnās ǃaroma ǁîb hoaraga omaris ǀkha Susas di dao-ams tawa ge ǂgāmâihe. Elob, hoa xūna ra ǂgaeǂguib ge ǃhaese ǃoaǂuib hâ ǁkharaba ge mā bi.
31 [19] “Mîmā du ta ra, î du khoen ǃhaese a mû ǁkhā ǃkhaidi hoadi ai nē sîǂkhanis di ǁgâiǁnâga ǂaomâi. Jodeǁîna ǁîn di ǂhunuma ǁnaetigu ǃoan nî ûi ǃkhaisa mā-am, 32 [20] î ǁîna aitsaman ga ǁnān hîa ǁîna ra ǁnāǂamn ǃoagu disiǃnonaǀaǁî tsēs, disiǀgamǀaǁî ǁkhâb Adari dis, ǁîna hîkākās ǃaroma ǂnûiǂuihe hâs ai ǁkhaubaseno, huiba mā. 33 [21] Elob hîa hoa xūna ra ǂgaeǂguib ge hîkākās tsēsa, ǁîb di ǁhûiǂuihe hâ khoen di ǁâudīb tsēs ǃnâ ge ǀkharaǀkhara.
34 [22] “Jodeǁîdo, nē tsēsa sadu ǃhūb di kaitsēdi tawa ǃgôaǀaro, î nau kaitsēdi ai du ra dī khami ǁîs ais tsîna ǁâudī. 35 [23] Nēsi tsî ǃgoaxaǁaeb ǃnâs ge nēsa, sada tsî sada ǂgomǂgomsaba Persiaǁîn tsîda ores xa nî ǂâiǂâiǃnâ, xawes ge ǁnān sada ǃoagu ra ǀapeǀhaona hîkākāhes xa nî ǂâiǂâiǃnâ.
36 [24] “Mâ ǀkharib tsî mâ ǃās, hîa nē mîmāde ǁnâuǀnam taman hoan ge ǀgui-i tsîn ǁaraǂuihe tamase ti ǁaiba nî hōǃâ. ǁÎn ge torob ǃnâ hîkākāhe tsî ǃhūb kōse nî ǂhubiǁnâhe. ǀGui khoe-i tsîn ge ǁkhawa ǁnāǀî ǃgû tide tsîn ge ǁkhāti anin tsî ǃgarob di ǀgurun tsî xamarin tsîna ǁnā ǃkhaiba nî ǂgōsen.
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37 [13] “Mâ ǀkharib hoab ǃnâ, khoen ǃhaese a mû ǁkhā ǃkhaidi hoadi ai nē sîǂkhanis di ǁgâiǁnâga ǂaomâi, în hoaraga Jodeǁîna ǁîn khākhoen ǃoagun nî ǃkham tsēs ga hāo, ǂhomisen hâse hâ.”
38 [14] ǂHôatani-aogu ge ǃhae hāgu ai ǂoa tsî, gao-aob di mîmāsa gu nî dīǀoaǀoaga kaise ǃhaese ǁnāpa xu ge ǃgapi; nē mîmās ge ǁkhāti Susas ǃnâs tsîna ge ǂanǂanhe.
39 [15] Mordekaib ge gaosaraba ana hâse, ǃkhaiǀgapas tsaura ǂhoaǀapa lapin ǀkha kuruhe hâs tsî ǃhuniǀuri kronsa ǀgapa hâse gao-omma xu ge ǂoa. Tsî Susas khoen ge ǁîban ge mû, o ge dâ 40 [16] tsîn ge Jodeǁîn tsîna dâ tsî gere ǃgâiaǂgao. 41 [17] ǁÎn ge gao-aob di mîmās ge māǂuiǃnâhe hâ i ǃādi tsî ǀkharigu tsîn hoan ǃnâ, dâxa ǂûǁaredi tsî kai ǃgâiaǂgaob ǀkha gere ǁâudī. ǁNās ǀgui tamas, ǂgui Jodeǁî taman ge ǃgaohe tsî ge Jodeǁî kai, Jodeǁînan gere ǃao xui-ao.
