Esther 1
1 This is an account of what happened during the time of King Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
Saa asɛm yi sii wɔ ɔhene Ahasweros a odii amantam ɔha aduonu ason so, fi India kosi Etiopia no bere so.
2 At the time King Xerxes was ruling from his royal throne at the fortress in Susa.
Saa bere no na ɔte ahengua so wɔ Susa aban mu de di nʼahemman no so.
3 In the third year of his reign he organized a feast for his officials and administrators. The army commanders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were all there with him.
Nʼahenni mfe abiɛsa so no, ɔtoo pon kɛse maa nʼahenemma ne ne mpanyimfo. Ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ asraafo mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ Media ne Persia nyinaa, ne atitiriw ne amantam mu mpanyimfo.
4 He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 days.
Afahyɛ no dii asram asia, na ɔdaa nʼaheman mu sika mpempem ne emu anuonyam adi.
5 After that the king gave a feast lasting for seven days for all the people, great and small, who were there in the fortress of Susa in the garden courtyard of the king's pavilion.
Eyi nyinaa twaa mu no, ɔhene no too pon sononko bi maa ahemfi hɔ asomfo ne mpanyimfo no nyinaa, efi ɔkɛse so de kosi ɔketewa so. Edii nnanson, na wɔyɛɛ no wɔ Susa ahemfi adiwo turo mu.
6 It was decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with cords of fine linen and purple thread on silver rings, held up by marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were placed on a pavement made of purple porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and expensive stones.
Wɔde ntama fɛfɛ hanahana fitaa ne tuntum a wɔanwen mu sensɛn adiwo hɔ. Na wɔde ahama kɔkɔɔ akyekyere ahyɛ dwetɛ nkaa a ɛhyehyɛ abohemaa afadum mu. Sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ nkongua sisi abohemaa ne abohyɛn ne abobiri ne aboɔdemmo ahorow nsɛso so.
7 Drinks were served in golden goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine flowed freely because of the king's generosity.
Wɔde nsakuruwa a wɔadi ho adwinni ahorow papa bi somee, na adehyesa buu so wɔ hɔ, sɛnea ɔhene hyɛe no.
8 The king had ruled that there was to be no limit on how much a guest could drink; he had told his servants to give each guest whatever they wanted.
Nhyehyɛe a na ɛwɔ nsanom no ho ara ne sɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛ obi ma ɔnom boro nea obetumi so. Nanso wɔn a wobetumi anom no de, wɔnom sɛnea wɔpɛ, efisɛ na ɔhene no aka akyerɛ ne fifo no se obiara betumi anom sɛnea ɔpɛ.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Xerxes.
Ɔhemmea Wasti too pon maa ahemfi mmea no saa bere koro no ara mu.
10 On the seventh day of the feast, the king, feeling happy from drinking wine, ordered the seven eunuchs who were his attendants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas,
Afahyɛ no nnanson so a nsa afa ɔhene Ahasweros ani so kakra no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Mehuman, Bista, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Setar ne Karkas a wɔyɛ piamfo baason a wɔhwɛ no no se
11 to bring Queen Vashti to him wearing her royal headdress, so he could show her beauty to the people and officials, for she was very good-looking.
wɔmfa ɔhemmea Wasti a ɔhyɛ ahemmea kyɛw no mmrɛ no. Na ɔpɛ sɛ mmarima nyinaa hwɛ nʼahoɔfɛ, efisɛ na ɔyɛ ɔbea hoɔfɛfo pa ara.
12 But when the eunuchs delivered the order from the king, Queen Vashti refused to come. The king became extremely angry—he was absolutely furious.
Nanso wɔde ɔhene frɛtumi nkra kɔmaa ɔhemmea Wasti no, wamma. Eyi maa ɔhene ani bere yiye, maa abufuw hyɛɛ no ma.
13 Then the king spoke with the wise men who would know what to do, for it was the custom for him to ask the opinion of experts in procedures and legal matters.
Esiane sɛ na ɛyɛ amanne sɛ ɔhene bebisa nʼafotufo a wonim Persia mmara ne nʼamanne ne nea ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ nti, ɔne wɔn a wɔte mmere ase
14 Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had frequent meetings with the king and had the highest positions in the kingdom.
na wɔbɛn ɔhene no sɛ Karsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena, Memukan, a wɔyɛ akunini baason a wofi Persia ne Media, na wɔyɛ ne nnamfo a wokura dibea akɛse wɔ ahemman no mu no kasae.
15 “What does the law say should be done with Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She refused to obey the direct order of King Xerxes as delivered by the eunuchs!”
Ɔhene no bisae se, “Dɛn na menyɛ ɔhemmea Wasti? Asotwe bɛn na mmara no kyerɛ sɛ wɔmfa mma ɔhemmea a mesomaa me piamfo sɛ wɔnkɔfrɛ no mmra na wamma no?”
16 Memucan gave his answer before the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti hasn't just insulted the king but all the nobles and all the people of all the provinces of King Xerxes.
Na Memukan buaa ɔhene no ne ahenemma no se, “Ɛnyɛ ɔhene no nko na ɔhemmea Wasti afom, na wafom ɔpanyin biara ne ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ wʼahenni no mu no nyinaa.
17 Once it gets out what the queen has done, all wives will despise their husbands, looking down on them and telling them, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti brought to him but she didn't come!’
Sɛ mmea a wɔwɔ ɔman yi mu te sɛ ɔhemmea Wasti ankɔ ɔhene frɛ no a, wobefi ase atwiri wɔn kununom.
18 By the end of the day, the wives of all the nobles throughout Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will treat their noble husbands with angry contempt!
Ansa na ade bɛkyɛ no, yɛn yerenom, wo mpanyimfo yerenom nyinaa bɛte nea ɔhemmea no yɛe, na wɔafi ase akasa wɔn kununom ɔkwan koro no ara so. Na ntwirii no ne abufuw no to rentwa da wɔ wʼaheman mu ha.
19 If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal decree, in accordance with the laws of Persia and Media which cannot be changed, that Vashti is banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that Your Majesty will give her royal position to another, one who is better than her.
“Enti sɛ ɔhene bɛpene so a, yesusuw sɛ, ebeye sɛ ɔhene bɛhyɛ mmara a wɔakyerɛw no Persiafo ne Mediafo mmara mu a wontumi nsakra mu. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɛhyɛ sɛ wɔmpam ɔhemmea Wasti mfi wʼani so, na wonsi ɔhemmea foforo a ɔsom bo kyɛn no.
20 When Your Majesty's decree is proclaimed throughout your vast empire, all wives will respect their husbands, highborn or lowborn.”
Sɛ wɔde saa mmara yi to gua ma obiara te wɔ wʼaheman kɛse yi mu a, mmea awarefo de obu a ɛsɛ na ɛfata bɛma wɔn kununom.”
21 This advice looked good to the king and the nobles, so the king did what Memucan had said.
Ɔhene no ne nʼahenemma no faa Memukan afotu no sɛ ɛyɛ adwene pa, enti wodii so.
22 He sent letters to all provinces in the empire, in each province's script and language, that every man should rule his own home, and use his own mother tongue.
Ɔkyerɛw nkrataa kɔɔ nʼaheman no mu mmaa nyinaa. Ɔkyerɛw ɔmantam biara wɔ ne kasa mu, sɛ ɔbarima biara nni ne fi so.
