Ester 1
1 Fia Ahasuerus nye fia ɖe Media kple Persianyigbawo dzi. Eɖu fia ɖe dukɔ alafa ɖeka kple blaeve-vɔ-adre dzi, tso India yi keke Kus.
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 Le ɣe ma ɣi me la, Fia Ahasuerus nɔ eƒe fiazikpui dzi le Susa mɔ gã la me.
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 Le eƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe etɔ̃lia me la, eɖo kplɔ̃ gã aɖe ɖe Susa fiasã la me. Ekpe bubumewo, fiaŋumewo kple aʋakplɔlawo kple ame ŋkutawo tso Media kple Persia ƒe nutowo katã me.
In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
4 Woɖu ŋkekenyui sia ŋkeke alafa ɖeka kple blaenyi sɔŋ, eye wòɖe dziɖuɖu ƒe kesinɔnuwo kple bubu fia.
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 Esi wowu ŋkekenyui gã sia ɖuɖu nu la, Fia la ɖo kplɔ̃ tɔxɛ na fiasã la me nɔlawo, amegãwo kple subɔlawo siaa, ŋkeke adre le xɔxɔnu si le abɔ la ŋgɔ le Susa mɔ gã la me.
At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
6 Wotsi avɔ, ɣitɔ kple blɔtɔ siwo ŋu wosa aklala kple aɖabɛ dzĩtɔ ƒe kawo ɖo la ɖe klosalosigɛ siwo wowɔ ɖe sɔti siwo wotu kple kpe xɔasiwo me la ŋu. Sikazikpuiwo kple klosalozikpuiwo nɔ gbadzaƒe si wowɔ kple kpe xɔasi yibɔtɔwo, dzĩtɔwo, ɣitɔwo kple aŋgbaɖiɖitɔwo.
Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7 Wona wain ameawo ɖe sikakplu siwo to vovo tso wo nɔewo gbɔ la me. Wain si fia la na amewo la sɔ gbɔ ŋutɔ.
Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
8 Le fia la ƒe sedede nu la, ame sia ame ano wain agbɔsɔsɔ si eya ŋutɔ di be yeano la. Fia la ɖo na eƒe ahakulawo be woaɖe asi le ame sia ame ŋu wòawɔ nu si dze eŋu.
By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
9 Fianyɔnu Vasti hã ɖo kplɔ̃ gã aɖe na nyɔnu siwo nɔ Fia Ahasuerus ƒe fiasã la me ɣe ma ɣi tututu.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 Le ŋkeke adrea gbe esime wain na be Fia Ahasuerus mu aha afã kple afã, eye wònɔ dzidzɔ kpɔm la, eyɔ ŋutsusubɔla adre siwo wotia be woanɔ esubɔm la va eɖokui gbɔe. Ame siawoe nye Mehuman, Bizta, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Zetar kple Karkas.
On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
11 Fia la ɖe gbe na wo be woakplɔ Fianyɔnu Vasti vɛ, wòaɖɔ eƒe fiakuku, ale be ameawo katã nakpɔ eƒe tugbedzedze. Nyateƒe, Fianyɔnu Vasti dze tugbe ŋutɔŋutɔ.
to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
12 Ke esi dɔlawo gblɔ nɛ be fia la be wòava la, egbe meyi o. Fia la do dɔmedzoe ŋutɔ.
Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
13 Ke asi wònye woƒe kɔnu be fia la naxɔ aɖaŋu le se kple afiatsotso ƒe nyawo me le ame siwo nya se nyuie gbɔ la, eƒo nu kple nunyala siwo se ɣeyiɣiawo gɔme nyuie.
Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
14 Fiaŋume siwo fia la ƒo nu kplii la woe nye, Karsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena kple Memukan. Ame adre siawoe nye Persia kple Media bubumewo, wonye ame siwo tena ɖe fia la ŋu kpokploe, eye wonye ame siwo si ɖoƒe kɔkɔtɔwo kekeake le le fiaɖuƒe la me.
His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
15 Fia la bia wo be, “Le sea nu ɖe, nu ka wòle be woawɔ Fianyɔnu Vasti? Mewɔ ɖe gbe si Fia Ahasuerus ɖo ɖee to ŋutsu tatawo dzi la dzi o.”
“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
16 Memukan ƒo nu ɖe bubumeawo nu gblɔ be, “Fianyɔnu Vasti da vo, menye ɖe fia la ɖeɖe ko ŋu o, ke boŋ ɖe fiaŋume ɖe sia ɖe kple ame sia ame si le Fia Ahasuerus ƒe fiaɖuƒea me la ŋu.
And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
17 Ne Persia kple Media nyɔnu ɖe sia ɖe se nu si Fianyɔnu Vasti wɔ ɖe fia la ŋu la, woade asi aglãdzedze me ɖe wo srɔ̃wo ŋu, eye wòagblɔ be Fia Ahasuerus ɖe gbe be woakplɔ Fianyɔnu Vasti va ye ŋkume, gake egbe vava.
For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18 Hafi zã nado la, mí, wò aɖaŋuɖolawo katã srɔ̃wo ase nu si fiasrɔ̃ la wɔ, eye woade asi nuƒoƒo me na mí bubumewo, wo srɔ̃wo hã nenema tututu, ekema vlodoame kple dɔmedzoe koe anɔ wò fiaɖuƒe blibo la me. Nuwuwu manɔ anyi na amemabumabu kple tɔtɔ sia o,
This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
19 eya ta míele edom ɖa be, ne fia la lɔ̃ la, ekema nàde se tɔxɛ aɖe na Mediatɔwo kple Persiatɔwo, se si womate ŋu atrɔ gbeɖegbeɖe o la, be Fianyɔnu Vasti magado ɖe Fia Ahasuerus ŋkume gbeɖegbeɖe o, eye nàtia fianyɔnu bubu si nyo wu Vasti.
So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
20 Ne wode se sia le wò fiaɖuƒe gã la me la, nyɔnuwo ade bubu wo srɔ̃ŋutsuwo ŋu tso tsitsiawo dzi va se ɖe ɖeviawo dzi.”
The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
21 Fia la kple eƒe aɖaŋuɖolawo kpɔ ŋudzedze le Memukan ƒe aɖaŋuɖoɖo la ŋu, ale fia la wɔ ɖe Memukan ƒe susu la dzi.
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 Woɖo agbalẽwo ɖe nuto ɖe sia ɖe me le fiaɖuƒe la me le gbegbɔgblɔ ɖe sia ɖe me, eye wote gbe ɖe edzi le gbegbɔgblɔ ɖe sia ɖe me be ŋutsu ɖe sia ɖe naɖu eƒe aƒe dzi, eye wòana ame sia ame nade bubu eŋu abe aƒea ƒe tatɔ ene.
He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
