< Esther 1 >

1 In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
Nke a bụ ihe mere nʼoge ọchịchị eze Sekses, bụ Sekses nke chiri alaeze nwere mpaghara dị iche iche nke karịrị otu narị na iri abụọ na asaa, nke gbasakwara site nʼIndia rụọ Kush.
2 When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
Nʼoge ahụ, isi ọchịchị obodo eze Sekses bụ Susa ebe ocheeze ya dịkwa.
3 Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
Nʼafọ nke atọ nke ọchịchị ya, o mere mmemme oke oriri nye ndịisi ọrụ ya niile. Ndị ọzọ ọ kpọkwara bụ ndịisi agha nke Peshịa na Midia, na ụmụ eze, na ndị ọchịchị sitere na mba dị iche iche ọ na-achị.
4 That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
Mmemme a were otu narị na iri ụbọchị asatọ. Eze jikwa oge a gosi akụnụba, na ịma mma na ebube nke alaeze ya.
5 And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
Mgbe ụbọchị ndị a gafesịrị, eze kpọrọ oke oriri nọrọ ụbọchị asaa nʼubi a gbara ogige dị nʼụlọeze, nye ndị niile nọ na Susa, site nʼonye ukwu ruo nʼonye nta.
6 And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
Ihe ịchọ mma e ji dozie ogige ahụ bụ ezi akwa mgbochi dị ọcha, nke e ji ogho ọcha kpaa na nke e jikwa ogho na-acha anụnụ anụnụ kpaa. E jikwa eriri ogho dị ezi ọcha na nke na-acha odo odo kekọtaa akwa mgbochi ndị ahụ, nʼihe mgbaaka ọlaọcha dị nʼogidi nkume dị oke ọnụahịa e wuru nʼebe ahụ. A dọbakwara oche ọlaọcha na ọlaedo ndị ahụ nʼebe e wulitụrụ elu, nke e ji nkume mabụl na nkume ndị ọzọ dị oke ọnụahịa, ndị na-acha ezi ọcha, ndị na-acha odo odo na nke na-eji oji wuo ala ya.
7 And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king’s magnificence.
E jikwa iko ọlaedo ṅụọ ihe ọṅụṅụ. Iko ọlaedo ọbụla e wepụtara nʼụbọchị ahụ dị iche nʼiche. O nweghị nke yiri ibe ya. E mekwara ka mmanya eze baa ụba dịka afọ ọma aka eze si dị.
8 Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
E nyeghịkwa iwu ọbụla banyere iko mmanya ole mmadụ kwesiri ịṅụ kama ndị chọrọ ga-aṅụ dịka o si masị ha. Nʼihi na eze agwalarị ndịisi ozi ya na onye ọbụla kwesiri ịṅụ dịka o si chọọ.
9 Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
Nʼotu oge ahụ, eze nwanyị Vashti, kpọkwara oke oriri nye ụmụ nwanyị niile nọ nʼụlọeze, Sekses.
10 Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
Nʼụbọchị nke asaa, mgbe obi dị eze Sekses mma nʼihi mmanya ọ ṅụrụ, ọ nyere ndị onozi asaa ndị a na-ejere ya ozi iwu, ha bụ, Mehuman, na Bizta, na Habona, na Bigta, na Abagta, na Zeta, na Kakas,
11 To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
sị ha gaa kpọọ Vashti nwunye eze ka ọ bịakwute ya. Eze nyekwara iwu ka Vashti kpuru okpueze nʼisi ya, maka igosi ndị mmadụ niile na ndị a na-asọpụrụ nọ nʼebe ahụ ịma mma ya. Nʼihi na Vashti mara mma.
12 But she refused, and would not come at the king’s commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
Ma mgbe e mere ka ozi eze ruo ya ntị, eze nwanyị, bụ Vashti jụrụ ịbịa. Nke a mere ka iwe wee eze nke ukwuu.
13 Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
Dịka eze Sekses na-eme, ọ kpọkwara ndị ọkachamara nʼihe gbasara iwu na ikpe ziri ezi. Eze na ndị a mara ihe, bụ ndị maara ihe ụbọchị nyere kparịtara ụka.
14 (Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him: )
Ha bụkwa ndị na-anọkarị eze nso. Aha ha bụ Kashena, na Sheta, na Admata, na Tashish, na Meres, na Masena, na Memukan. A maara aha mmadụ asaa ndị a nʼala Midia na Peshịa. Ha bụ ndị na-aga nʼihu eze mgbe ọbụla ha chọrọ, bụrụkwa ndị dịkarịsịrị elu nʼalaeze ahụ.
15 What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs?
Eze jụrụ sị, “Dịka iwu si dị, gịnị ka a ga-eme Vashti bụ nwunye eze nʼihi na o nupuru isi nʼiwu eze Sekses nyere nke o zigaara ya site nʼọnụ ndị onozi ya?”
16 And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
Memukan kwuchitere ọnụ ndị ọzọ sị, “Ihe Vashti nwunye eze mere jọrọ njọ. O mehiela eze, mehiekwa ndị ọchịchị niile, na ndị niile bi nʼakụkụ niile nke alaeze Sekses.
17 For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
Nʼihi na ndị inyom niile ga-amata ihe eze nwanyị mere, malite ilelị ndị di ha anya, ma na-ekwu sị, ‘Eze Sekses nyere Vashti nwunye ya iwu ka ọ bịa nʼihu ya, ma ọ jụrụ ịbịa.’
18 And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king’s indignation is just.
Nʼụbọchị taa ka ndị inyom ndịisi nke Peshịa na Midia, bụ ndị nụrụ banyere omume nwunye eze mere, ga-azakwa ndịisi ọchịchị alaeze gị nʼụzọ dị otu a. A ga-enwe nleda anya na esemokwu nʼala a mgbe niile.
19 If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
“Ya mere, ọ bụrụ na ọ masị eze, ya nye iwu, nke a ga-edepụta, ka ọ bụrụ iwu nʼala Peshịa na Midia, nke na-agaghị agbanwe, na Vashti agaghị abatakwa nʼihu eze Sekses ọzọ. Ka eze werekwa ọnọdụ eze nwanyị ahụ nye onye ọzọ ka ya mma.
20 And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
Ọ ga-erukwa na mgbe a gụpụtara iwu a eze nyere nʼakụkụ alaeze a niile, ndị inyom niile ga-asọpụrụ ndị di ha site nʼonye dịkarịsịrị nta nʼetiti ha ruo nʼonye dị ukwuu.”
21 His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
Eze na ndịisi ọchịchị ya nabatara ndụmọdụ a, nʼihi ya, eze mere ihe Memukan kwuru.
22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.
O zipụrụ akwụkwọ ozi a nye akụkụ niile a na-achị achị nke alaeze ahụ. E dekwara akwụkwọ ozi ahụ nʼasụsụ dị iche iche, na-ekwupụta nʼasụsụ ọbụla na nwoke ọbụla kwesiri ịbụ onye na-achị ezinaụlọ ya.

< Esther 1 >