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 from then on Mordecai was allowed 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 and crying. She begged him to do something to stop the evil plot that Haman, the descendant of Agag, had made against the Jews. 4 The king held out the gold scepter to her, so she stood up and said, 5 “If it please Your Majesty, and if you care about me and if it seems right to you, please issue a proclamation to keep Haman's orders from being carried out—those orders that the son of Hammedatha the descendant of Agag gave for the destruction of all the Jews in the empire. 6 How can I endure it if this disaster comes on my people, and my own relatives are killed?”
7 King Xerxes then said to Queen Esther and Mordecai, the Jew, “Look, I have hanged Haman for his plot against the Jews, and I have given Esther his property. 8 But a proclamation issued in the king's name and stamped with the royal seal cannot be revoked. You may, however, write to the Jews whatever you like; and you may write it in my name and stamp it with the royal seal.”
9 This happened on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. Mordecai called the king's secretaries and dictated letters to the Jews and to the governors, administrators, and officials of all the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. The letters were written to each province in its own language and system of writing and to the Jews in their language and system of writing. 10 Mordecai had the letters written in the name of King Xerxes, and he stamped them with the royal seal. They were delivered by riders mounted on fast horses from the royal stables.
11 These letters explained that the king would allow the Jews in every city to organize for self-defense. If armed men of any nationality in any province attacked the Jewish men, their children, or their women, the Jews could fight back and destroy the attackers; they could slaughter them to the last man and take their possessions. 12 This decree was to take effect throughout the Persian Empire on the day set for the slaughter of the Jews, the thirteenth of Adar, the twelfth month. 13 It was to be proclaimed as law and made known to everyone in every province, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies when that day came. 14 At the king's command the riders mounted royal horses and rode off at top speed. The decree was also made public in Susa, the capital city.
15 Mordecai left the palace, wearing royal robes of blue and white, a cloak of fine purple linen, and a magnificent gold crown. Then the streets of Susa rang with cheers and joyful shouts. 16 For the Jews there was joy and relief, happiness and a sense of victory. 17 In every city and province, wherever the king's proclamation was read, the Jews held a joyful holiday with feasting and happiness. In fact, many other people became Jews, because they were afraid of them now.
Aajuda taa pitikwa okwiipopila
1 Esiku tuu ndyoka omukwaniilwa Kserkses okwa pe omunyekadhi Ester omaliko agehe gaHaman, omutondi gwAajuda. Ester okwa lombwele omukwaniilwa kutya Mordekai omukwawo, nokuza mpoka Mordekai okwa pitikilwa okukala koshipala shomukwaniilwa. 2 Omukwaniilwa okwa hukula ko okalinga ke koshihako (hoka a kuthululile Haman) e te ka pe Mordekai. Ester okwa langeke Mordekai metonatelo lyomaliko gaHaman.
3 Ester okwa popitha ishewe omukwaniilwa, i inyongamena koompadhi dhe e ta lili. Okwe mu indile, a ninge po sha, opo a keelele ondumbo yaHaman, oluvalo lwaAgag, yaa tsile kAajuda. 4 Omukwaniilwa okwe mu ganeke nondhimbo yuukwaniilwa yoshingoli, Ester nokwa thikama po e ta ti: 5 “Nkeyama, ngele tashi ku opalele nou na ohenda nangame nongele oshu uka kungoye, gandja eutho tali ningulula oshipango shaHaman yaHammedata, oluvalo lwaAgag, shokuhanagula po Aajuda miitopolwa ayihe yoshilongo. 6 Otandi vulu ngiini oku shi idhidhimikila, ngele oshiponga tashi adha oshigwana shetu, nezimo lyandje mwene tali dhipagwa po?”
7 Nena omukwaniilwa Kserkses okwa ti komunyekadhi Ester naMordekai, Omujuda: “Talii ko, onda tulitha Haman kohake omolwondumbo ndjika yokukondjitha Aajuda nonda pe Ester omaliko ge. 8 Eutho lya gandjwa medhina lyomukwaniilwa nolya sitombwa noshihako she, kali shi kuningululwa. Ihe medhina lyandje otamu vulu okunyola eutho epe tali popi Aajuda e tamu li sitomba noshihako shandje.”
9 Mesiku etimulongo netitatu lyomwedhi omutitatu, omwedhi Sivan, Mordekai okwa hiya oohamushanga yomukwaniilwa e te ya nyolitha eutho li tuminwe oongoloneya, ookomufala naaleli yomiitopolwa ayihe 127 okuza kuIndia sigo kuEtiopia. Eutho olya li lya nyolwa momalaka agehe gomiitopolwa moondanda dhago nokAajuda melaka lyawo nomoondanda dhalyo. 10 Mordekai okwa nyolitha oontumwafo medhina lyomukwaniilwa Kserkses e te dhi sitomba noshihako shuuwa. Odha tumwa naakayili ya londa uukambe womiigunda yuuwa u na ondapo.
11 Eutho ndika otali zimine Aajuda yi ilongekidhile okwiipopila. Ngele otaa matukilwa kaakwiita yomoshitopolwa shontumba, otaa vulu okukondja e taye ya hanagula po noku ya dhipaga pamwe naakiintu yawo noyana. Otaa vulu oku ya komba po nokuyuga po omaliko gawo. 12 Esiku uuna Aajuda taa vulu okuninga shika miitopolwa ayihe yoshilongo shaKserkses, olyo etimulongo netitatu lyomwedhi omutimulongo nomutiyali, omwedhi Adar. 13 Enyolululo lyeutho ndika oli na okuninga ompango moshitopolwa kehe noyi na okutseyithilwa iigwana ayihe, opo Aajuda ya kale yi ilongekidhila okugalulila aatondi yawo ondjahi, uuna esiku lya thiki. 14 Palombwelo lyomukwaniilwa eutho olya holokithwa moshilandolelo Susa, naakayili ya londa uukambe womiigunda yuuwa, oya yi koondjila nokweendelela.
15 Mordekai okwa zi muuwa a zala oonguwo dhuukwaniilwa oombulau noontokele, elwaakani lyoliina etiliganembwilili noshishani oshinene shoshingoli. Nomomapandaanda gaSusa omwa li tamu kwelengendja omawi genyanyu noondigolo. 16 Aajuda oya li ya nyanyukwa noya pepelelwa, oya adhika kelago nesimaneko. 17 Moshilando kehe nomoshikandjo kehe moka eutho lyomukwaniilwa lya leshwa, Aajuda oyi igidha esiku lyongondji, oshituthi nenyanyu. Aantu oyendji yomiigwana yilwe oyi iningi Aajuda, oshoka oya li ye ya tila.
