< Ester 1 >

1 Tala makambo oyo esalemaki na tango ya mokonzi Kizerisesi oyo azalaki kokamba bituka nkama moko na tuku mibale na sambo, longwa na Ende kino na Kushi.
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 Na tango wana, Kizerisesi akendeki kovanda na kiti na ye ya bokonzi kuna na Size, engumba mokonzi batonga makasi.
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 Na mobu ya misato ya bokonzi na ye, asalisaki feti monene mpo na bato na ye nyonso ya lokumu: bakalaka na ye, bakonzi ya basoda ya mokili ya Persi mpe ya Medi, bankumu mpe bayangeli ya bituka.
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 Na feti yango, azalaki kolakisa ebele ya bomengo ya bokonzi na ye mpe kongenga ya lokumu monene oyo azalaki na yango. Feti yango esalaki mikolo nkama moko na tuku mwambe.
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 Sima na mikolo yango, mokonzi asalisaki kati na elanga ya ndako na ye ya bokonzi, feti mosusu oyo esalaki mikolo sambo mpo na bato nyonso, ezala babola to bazwi, oyo bazalaki kati na Size, engumba mokonzi batonga makasi.
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 Elamba yango ezalaki na banzela ya langi ya mosaka, ya langi ya pembe mpe ya langi ya ble; bakangisaki yango na makonzi oyo basala na mabanga ya marbre, na basinga ya lino ya langi ya pembe mpe ya motane; bongo balekisaki yango kati na bapete ya palata. Batiaki bakiti minene ya wolo mpe ya palata, na etando ya lopango ya bakaro oyo basala na mabanga ya talo ya langi ya ndenge na ndenge: mabanga ya porfire, ya marbre, ya marbre ya mwindo mpe mabanga mosusu ya talo.
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 Bazalaki kokabola masanga ya vino na bakopo ya wolo; kopo na kopo ezalaki na lolenge na yango. Bongo vino ezalaki penza ebele kolanda motema ya kokaba ya mokonzi.
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 Mokonzi apesaki mitindo ete moto nyonso oyo abengami na feti amela masanga ndenge alingi, pamba te atindaki bato nyonso oyo bakabolaka masanga kopesa na moto nyonso masanga ya vino kolanda posa ya moto na moto.
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 Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi, ye mpe asalisaki feti mpo na basi, kati na ndako ya mokonzi Kizerisesi.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 Na mokolo ya sambo, lokola mokonzi Kizerisesi alangwaki vino, atindaki basoda na ye sambo oyo baboma bango mokongo mpe bazalaki kosalela ye: Mewumani, Bizita, Aribona, Bigita, Abagita, Zetari mpe Karikasi.
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 Atindaki bango ete bamema liboso na ye Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi; bongo alata motole na ye ya bokonzi mpo ete alakisa kitoko na ye epai ya bato mpe epai ya bakalaka, pamba te azalaki penza kitoko.
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 Kasi tango basoda oyo baboma bango mokongo bayebisaki Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi, mitindo oyo mokonzi apesaki; Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi, aboyaki kokende. Mokonzi atombokaki makasi mpe apelaki na kanda.
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 Asololaki na bato na ye ya bwanya oyo bayebaka kososola tango, pamba te ezalaki momesano ete makambo ya mokonzi esengeli koya liboso ya bato nyonso ya bwanya, ba-oyo bayebi malamu makambo etali mibeko mpe bosembo, mpo ete basosola yango.
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 Nzokande, ezalaki na bato sambo ya lokumu, bato ya Persi mpe ya Medi, oyo bazalaki bapesi toli oyo mokonzi azalaki kolinga makasi; bazalaki kosangana na mayangani ya mokonzi mpe basimbaki misala oyo eleki minene. Bakombo na bango ezalaki: Karishena, Shetari, Adimata, Tarsisi, Meresi, Marisena mpe Memukani.
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 Mokonzi atunaki bango: — Kolanda mobeko, esengi kosala nini epai ya Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi, mpo ete aboyi kotosa mitindo ya mokonzi Kizerisesi, mitindo oyo basoda oyo baboma bango mokongo bayebisaki ye?
“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 Memukani azongiselaki mokonzi liboso ya bakalaka na ye: — Vasti, mwasi ya mokonzi, asali mabe kaka liboso ya mokonzi te; kasi mpe, liboso ya bakalaka nyonso mpe ya bato nyonso kati bituka nyonso ya mokonzi Kizerisesi.
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 Pamba te sango ya ezaleli mabe ya mwasi ya mokonzi ekoyebana kati na basi nyonso; na bongo, bakokoma kotiola bokonzi ya mibali na bango na koloba: « Mokonzi Kizerisesi kutu apesaki mitindo ete babenga Vasti mpo ete akende liboso na ye, kasi mwasi ya mokonzi aboyaki kokende! »
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 Kaka na mokolo ya lelo, basi ya bakalaka ya bato ya Persi mpe ya Medi, oyo bayoki sango ya ezaleli mabe ya mwasi ya mokonzi, bakozongisela bakalaka nyonso ya mokonzi kaka ndenge moko. Boye, kozanga na bango limemia mpe botosi ekoluka ete mibali na bango bakoma na kanda.
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 Yango wana, soki esepelisi mokonzi, tika ete mokonzi azwa mobeko oyo ekoki kobongwana te; mpe tika ete mobeko yango ekomama kati na mibeko ya Persi mpe ya Medi: Vasti akoki lisusu te kotelema liboso ya mokonzi Kizerisesi; mokonzi akopesa lokumu na ye ya mwasi ya mokonzi epai ya mwasi mosusu oyo azali malamu koleka ye.
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 Boye tango mobeko ya mokonzi ekopanzana na mokili na ye mobimba, basi nyonso bakotosa mibali na bango, ezala babola to bazwi.
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 Toli oyo esepelisaki mokonzi elongo na bakalaka na ye. Mokonzi asalaki ndenge Memukani alobaki.
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 Atindaki mikanda na bituka nyonso ya mokili: etuka na etuka kolanda ndenge ezali ekomeli na yango; mpe bato na bato, kolanda lokota na bango. Mikanda yango elobaki ete mobali nyonso asengeli kozala mokonzi ya ndako na ye mpe koloba monoko ya mboka na ye.
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.

< Ester 1 >