1 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. 2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 ¶ And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s provinces: 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7 ¶ Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. 8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse. 9 Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is , the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely , upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15 ¶ And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. 17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
8–BOB
Shoh yahudiylarni himoya qiladi
1 Oʻsha kuni shoh Axashverash yahudiylar dushmani Xomonning mol–mulkini malika Esterga inʼom qildi. Mardoxay shoh huzuriga kirib chiqadigan boʻldi. Chunki malika Mardoxayning oʻziga qarindosh ekanini aytgan edi.
2 Shoh Xomondan qaytarib olgan muhr uzugini barmogʻidan chiqarib Mardoxayga berdi. Ester esa Mardoxayni Xomonning mol–mulki ustidan boshqaruvchi qilib tayinladi.
3 Ester shoh bilan yana gaplashdi. Shohning oyogʻiga yiqilib: “Oʻgax naslidan boʻlgan Xomonning yahudiylarga qarshi oʻylagan xusumatini va rejasini daf qiling”, deb yigʻlab yolvordi. 4 Shoh saltanatning oltin hassasini Ester tomon uzatgan edi, Ester oʻrnidan turib, shohning qarshisiga keldi 5 va aytdi:
— Agar shohimiz maʼqul koʻrib, mendan mamnun boʻlsalar, bu ishni oʻrinli deb bilsalar, oʻzlariga yoqqan boʻlsam, Oʻgax naslidan Xamadoto oʻgʻli Xomonning shohlik hududidagi hamma yahudiylarni qirib tashlash toʻgʻrisida qasddan yozgan maktubini bekor qilish uchun boshqa maktub yozilsin. 6 Axir, xalqimning boshiga tushadigan kulfatni tomosha qilib chidab tura olamanmi?! Qabiladoshlarim oʻldirilayotganda, guvoh boʻlib tura olamanmi?!
7 Shunda shoh Axashverash malika Esterga va yahudiy Mardoxayga aytdi:
— Xomonning mol–mulkini Esterga berdim. Xomon esa yahudiylarni qirib tashlamoqchi boʻlgani uchun uni dorga ostirdim . 8 Endi shoh nomidan yahudiylar toʻgʻrisidagi maktubni oʻzlaringizga maʼqul keladigan tarzda yozib, shohning uzugi bilan muhrlanglar. Shoh nomidan yozilib, shohning uzugi bilan muhrlangan maktubni hech kim oʻzgartirishi mumkin emas.
9 Shundan soʻng uchinchi oyda — Shavon oyining yigirma uchinchi kuni shohning mirzalari chaqirildi. Hindistondan Habashistongacha boʻlgan bir yuz yigirma yetti viloyatdagi yahudiylarga, noiblarga, hokimlarga, viloyatlarning beklariga xuddi Mardoxay buyurganiday maktub yozildi. Maktub har bir viloyat xalqining yozuvi va tilida, yahudiylarga ham oʻzlarining yozuvida va tilida yozildi. 10 Mardoxay shoh Axashverash nomidan maktubni yozdirgach, shohning uzugi bilan muhrladi va shohning yilqisidagi uchqur otlarga choparlarni oʻtqazib joʻnatdi.
11 Shoh maktubda yahudiylarga hamma shaharlarda toʻplanib, oʻzlarini himoya qilishlariga huquq berdi. Bundan tashqari, yahudiylarga hujum qiladigan har qanday dushman xalqning yoki yurtning qurolli kuchlarini, bolalarini va ayollarini yoʻq qilishga, oʻldirishga, mol–mulkini talon–taroj qilishga, qirib tashlashga ijozat berdi. 12 Buning uchun shoh Axashverashning qoʻli ostidagi hamma yurtlarda bir kun — oʻn ikkinchi oyning, yaʼni Adar oyining oʻn uchinchi kuni belgilandi. 13 Ushbu farmon matni har bir viloyatga, barcha xalqlarga qonun oʻrnida eʼlon qilindi. Shunday qilib, yahudiylar oʻsha kuni oʻz dushmanlaridan qasos olishga tayyor turishlari kerak edi.
14 Choparlar shohning uchqur otlariga mindilar–u, uning farmoniga koʻra, toʻrt tomonga yelib ketdilar.
Shushandagi qalʼada ham farmon eʼlon qilindi. 15 Mardoxay koʻk va oq rangli shohona liboslarga burkanib, katta oltin tojni kiyib, safsar rangli zigʻir ridoga oʻranib, shoh huzuridan chiqdi. Shushanda xursandchilik, shodu xurramlik hukm surardi. 16 Bundan yahudiylarning qalbi umidga toʻldi, shodu xurram, vaqti chogʻ boʻldi, ular uchun sharafli kunlar boshlangan edi. 17 Hamma viloyatlarda, har bir shaharda, shohning amru farmoni yetib borgan har qanday joyda yahudiylar shodu xurram boʻlib, oʻynab–kuldilar, ziyofatlar uyushtirdilar, bayram qildilar. Shohlikdagi koʻp xalqlar yahudiy boʻldi, chunki hammani yahudiylardan qoʻrquv hissi qamrab olgan edi.
