< Esther 1 >

1 King Xerxes ruled [a very big empire which had] 127 provinces. It extended from India [in the east] to Ethiopia [in the west].
Izi ndi zimene zinachitika pa nthawi ya ufumu wa Ahasiwero, amene analamulira zigawo 127 kuyambira ku India mpaka ku Kusi.
2 He ruled the empire [while he lived] in the capital city, Susa.
Pa nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti mfumu Ahasiwero atakhazikika pa mpando wake wa ufumu mu mzinda wa Susa,
3 During the third year that he ruled his empire, he invited all his administrators and [other] officials to a big banquet/feast. He invited all the commanders of the armies of Persia and Media to come to the banquet. He also invited the governors and other leaders of the provinces.
ndipo mʼchaka chachitatu cha ufumu wake anakonza phwando la olemekezeka ndi nduna zake. Atsogoleri a nkhondo a ku Peresiya ndi Mediya, anthu olemekezeka pamodzi ndi nduna za mʼzigawo zonse anasonkhana kwa iye.
4 [The celebration] lasted for six months. During that time the king showed his guests all his wealth and other things that showed how great his kingdom was (OR, how great a king he was).
Pa nthawi yomweyi kwa masiku 180 a phwando mfumu inkaonetsa kulemera kwa ulemerero wa ufumu wake ndiponso kukongola ndi kukula kwa ufumu wake.
5 At the end of those six months, the king invited people to another banquet. He invited to the banquet all the men who worked in the palace, including those who had important jobs and those who had unimportant jobs. [This celebration] lasted for seven days. It was in the courtyard of the palace in Susa.
Atatha masiku amenewa, kwa masiku ena asanu ndi awiri mfumu inakonzanso phwando la anthu onse okhala mu mzinda wa Susa kuyambira anthu olemekezeka mpaka anthu wamba ku bwalo la munda la nyumba yake yaufumu.
6 [In the courtyard] were beautiful blue and white curtains that were fastened by white and purple cords/ribbons to rings that were on pillars made from [expensive white stone called] marble. [The guests sat on] gold and silver couches. The couches were on a pavement/floor which had on top of it designs made from various kinds of expensive stones.
Bwalo la mundali analikongoletsa ndi makatani a nsalu zoyera ndi za mtundu wamtambo zimene anazimangirira ndi zingwe za nsalu zoyera ndi zapepo ku mphete za siliva zimene anazikoloweka pa nsanamira za maburo. Anayika mipando yopumirapo yagolide ndi siliva pabwalo la miyala yoyala yamtengowapatali yofiira, ya marabulo, ndi yonyezimira.
7 [The guests] drank wine from gold cups. Each cup had a different design on it.
Anapereka zakumwa mʼchikho zagolide zamitundumitundu, ndipo vinyo waufumu anali wochuluka kwambiri monga mwa kukoma mtima kwa mfumu.
8 There was a lot of wine, because the king wanted the guests to drink as much as they wanted. But the king told the servants that they should not force anyone to drink more than he wanted.
Monga mwa lamulo la mfumu aliyense anamwa mʼmene anafunira, pakuti mfumu inawuza otumikira ake kuti apatse aliyense monga mwa kukonda kwake.
9 [At the same time, the king’s wife, ] Queen Vashti, invited the wives of the men who worked in the palace to a banquet [in another room in the palace].
Mkazi wa mfumu Vasiti nayenso anakonzera phwando amayi ku nyumba ya ufumu ya mfumu Ahasiwero.
10 On the last/seventh day of those banquets, when King Xerxes was partially drunk from drinking wine, he [summoned] seven of his personal servants. They were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.
Pa tsiku la chisanu ndi chiwiri, pamene mfumu Ahasiwero inaledzera ndi vinyo, inalamula adindo ofulidwa asanu ndi awiri amene ankamutumikira: Mehumani, Bizita, Haribona, Bigita, Abagita, Zetara, ndi Karikasi
11 He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her crown. He wanted his guests to see that she was very beautiful.
kuti abwere naye mfumukazi Vasiti pamaso pa mfumu atavala chipewa chaufumu. Cholinga cha mfumu chinali choti adzamuonetse kwa anthu onse ndi olemekezeka, chifukwa anali wokongola kwambiri.
12 But when those servants told Vashti what the king wanted, she refused to go to the king [because she did not want to display her beauty in front of a group of half-drunk men]. So that caused the king to become very angry.
Koma antchito atapereka uthenga wa mfumu kwa mfumukazi, Vasiti anakana kubwera. Tsono mfumu inakwiya ndi kupsa mtima.
13 Immediately he had a meeting with the seven men who were the most important officials in Persia and Media. They were the men whom he often asked (for their advice/what he should do). And they were men who knew all the customs and laws [of Persia]. Their names were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan.
Mfumu inayankhula ndi anthu anzeru ndi ozindikira choyenera kuchita popeza chinali chikhalidwe chake kufunsa uphungu kwa akatswiri pa nkhani za malamulo ndi kuweruza kolungama.
Anthu amene ankakhala pafupi ndi mfumu anali awa: Karisena, Setara, Adimata, Tarisisi, Meresi, Marisena ndi Memukani, olemekezeka asanu ndi awiri a ku Peresiya ndi Medina amene ankaloledwa mwapadera kuonana ndi mfumu ndipo anali pamwamba kwambiri mu ufumuwo.
15 The king said to them, “Queen Vashti has refused to obey me when I sent my servants [to tell her to come here]. What do our laws say that we should do to someone who [acts/behaves like that]?”
Mfumu inafunsa kuti, “Kodi titani naye mfumukazi Vasiti mwa lamulo, popeza sanamvere lamulo la ine mfumu Ahasiwero limene adindo ofulidwa anakamuwuza?”
16 While the other officials were present, Memucan told the king, [“Your majesty], Queen Vashti has (insulted/done wrong against) you, but she has also insulted all your officials and everyone else (in your empire/that you rule over).
Ndipo Memukani anayankha pa maso pa mfumu ndi olemekezeka anzake kuti, “Mfumukazi Vasiti sanalakwire mfumu yokha, koma walakwiranso olemekezeka onse ndi anthu onse okhala mʼzigawo zonse za mfumu Ahasiwero.
17 All the women [throughout the empire] will hear what she has done, and they will say, ‘The king commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.’ [So they will not obey their husbands. Instead, ] they will begin to not respect their husbands.
Pakuti amayi onse adzadziwa zimene wachita mfumukazi ndipo kotero adzapeputsa amuna awo ndi kunena kuti, ‘Mfumu Ahasiwero analamulira kuti abwere naye mfumukazi Vasiti kwa iye koma sanapite.’
18 Before this day ends, the wives of all us officials in Persia and Media will hear what the queen did, and they also will refuse to obey their husbands. They will not respect us, and they will cause us to become very angry.
Lero lomwe lino amayi olemekezeka a ku Peresiya ndi Mediya amene amva zimene wachita mfumukazi adzaganiza zochita chimodzimodzi kwa nduna zonse za mfumu. Ndipo kupeputsana ndi kukongola zidzapitirira.”
19 So if it pleases you, O king, you should write a law. Like all the other laws of Persia and Media, it will be a law that (no one can change/cannot be changed.) Write a law that states that Queen Vashti will never be allowed to see you again [and will not continue to be the queen]. Then you can choose another woman to be queen, a woman who deserves to be queen more than Vashti does.
“Choncho, ngati chikukomerani mfumu, lamulirani kuti Vasiti asadzaonekerenso pamaso pa mfumu Ahasiwero. Lamuloli lilembedwe mʼmabuku a malamulo a Aperezi ndi Amedi kuti lisadzasinthike. Pamalo pa Vasiti ngati mfumukazi payikidwepo mkazi wina amene ali bwino kuposa iye.
20 Then, when everyone in your empire hears what you have commanded, all the women, including those who are important and those who are not important, will respect and obey their husbands.”
Ndipo lamulo la mfumuli lilengezedwa mʼdziko lake lonse ngakhale lili lalikulu, amayi onse adzapereka ulemu kwa amuna awo, amuna olemekezeka mpaka amuna wamba.”
21 The king and the other officials liked what Memucan suggested, so he [did that. He wrote a law] proclaiming that.
Mfumu ndi nduna zake anakondwera ndi uphungu uwu, kotero mfumu inachita monga momwe ananenera Memukani.
22 Then he sent letters to all the provinces, stating that all men should have complete authority over their wives and their children. He wrote the letters in every language and type of writing/alphabet that was used in each province.
Mfumu inatumiza makalata ku madera onse a ufumu wake, chigawo chilichonse mʼzilembo zawo ndi ku mtundu uliwonse mʼchiyankhulo chawochawo kulengeza kuti mwamuna ayankhule chilichonse chimene chikumukomera.

< Esther 1 >