< Eseza 1 >
1 Kino kye kyabaawo ku mirembe gya Akaswero, eyafuga amasaza kikumi mu abiri mu musanvu okuva e Buyindi okutuuka e Buwesiyopya.
And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
2 Mu kiseera ekyo Kabaka Akaswero we yafugira mu lubiri e Susani,
in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,
3 mu mwaka ogwokusatu ogw’obufuzi bwe, yagabula abakungu n’abaami be abakulu embaga. Abaduumizi ba magye aga Buperusi ne Bumeedi, n’abalangira n’abakungu b’amasaza bonna baagiriko.
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
4 Yayolesa obugagga n’ekitiibwa n’ettendo eby’obwakabaka bwe okumala emyezi mukaaga.
And after this, after he had shown to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
5 Ennaku ezo bwe zaggwaako, Kabaka n’agabula abantu bonna okuva ku asemberayo ddala okutuuka ku asingirayo ddala ekitiibwa embaga endala eyali mu luggya, mu lubiri e Susani okumala ennaku musanvu.
when, [I say], the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king's house,
6 Oluggya lwalimu entimbe ez’engoye enjeru n’eza bbululu, nga zisibiddwa n’emiguwa egya linena omulungi n’olugoye olwa kakobe nga lusibiddwa n’empeta eza ffeeza ku mpagi ez’amayinja aganyirira. Waaliwo n’ebitanda ebya zaabu n’effeeza ku lubalaza olwaliire n’amayinja aganyirira, amamyufu, n’ameeru, n’aga kyenvu n’amaddugavu.
[which was] adorned with [hangings] of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: [there were] golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
7 Mu kugabula kwa kabaka, wayini yaweerezebwa mu bikopo bya zaabu, nga buli kimu tekifanagana na kinnaakyo, ne wayini wa Kabaka yali mungi ddala.
gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
8 Buli mugenyi yanywanga nga bwe yayagala kubanga kabaka yalagira nti, “Buli mugenyi anywe nga bw’ayagala.”
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
9 Ne Nnabagereka Vasuti naye n’agabula abakyala embaga mu lubiri lwa Kabaka Akaswero.
Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [lived].
10 Awo ku lunaku olwomusanvu, Kabaka Akaswero mu ssanyu lingi olwa wayini gwe yali anywedde, n’alagira abalaawe musanvu, abaamuweerezanga: Mekumani, ne Bizusa, ne Kalubona, ne Bigusa, ne Abagusa, ne Zesali ne Kalukasi,
Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
11 okugenda okuyita Nnabagereka Vasuti ajje mu maaso ge ng’atikkiddwa engule eya Nnabagereka, asobole okulaga obubalagavu bwe eri abantu n’abakungu, kubanga yali mulungi, mubalagavu okukamala.
to bring in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
12 Naye abaweereza bwe baatuusa ekiragiro kya kabaka, Nnabagareka Vasuti n’agaana okugenda. Era ekyavaamu kabaka n’asunguwala, era obusungu bwe ne bubuubuuka.
But queen Astin listened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
13 Naye Kabaka yalina empisa ey’okwebuuzanga ku bakugu mu by’amateeka, era n’ateesa n’abasajja abagezigezi abategeera ebifa ku nsonga eyo.
And he said to his friends, Thus have Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] law and judgement.
14 Amannya ga bakungu abo abakulu omusanvu mu bwakabaka bwe Buperusi ne Bumeedi ge gano: Kalusena, ne Sesali, ne Adumasa, ne Talusiisi, ne Meresi, ne Malusema ne Memukani. Bano be baamubeeranga ku lusegere.
So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief [in rank] by the king, drew near to him,
15 Awo Kabaka n’ababuuza nti, “Okusinziira ku mateeka, Nnabagereka Vasuti agwanidde kibonerezo ki olw’obutagondera kiragiro kya Kabaka Akaswero ekimutuusibbwako abalaawe?”
and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
16 Memukani n’addamu Kabaka n’abakungu nti, “Nnabagereka Vasuti asobezza nnyo, ate si eri Kabaka yekka, naye n’eri abakungu n’abantu bonna ab’omu bitundu byonna Kabaka Akaswero by’afuga.
And Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king's rulers and princes:
17 Era olw’enneeyisa Nnabagereka gye yeeyisizaamu, bwe kinaamanyibwa abakyala, nabo bajja kunyoomanga ba bbaabwe nga bagamba nti, ‘Nga Kabaka Akaswero yalagira Nnabagereka Vasuti okuleetebwa gy’ali, n’ajeema.’
for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
18 Era olunaku lwa leero abakyala bonna mu Buperusi ne Bumeedi aba bakungu abawulidde ku nneeyisa ya Nnabagereka bajjanga kweyisa mu ngeri y’emu eri abakungu ba Kabaka. Era obunyoomi wamu n’obutabanguko tebuggwengawo mu maka.
so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
19 Noolwekyo Kabaka bw’anaasiima, awe ekiragiro, era kiwandiikibwe mu mateeka ga Buperusi ne Bumeedi agatakyuka, nti Vasuti aleme okujja nate mu maaso ga Kabaka Akaswero. Ate n’ekifo kye eky’Obwannabagereka, kiweebwe omukazi omulala amusinga.
If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter [it]: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
20 Awo ekiragiro kya kabaka bwe kinaabuna mu bwakabaka bwonna, abakyala bonna banassangamu ba bbaabwe ekitiibwa okuva ku wawagulu okutuukira ddala ku wawansi asembayo.”
And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
21 Ekigambo ekyo kyasanyusa nnyo Kabaka n’abakungu be, era Kabaka n’akola ng’ekiteeso kya Memukani bwe kyali.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,
22 N’aweereza obubaka eri ebitundu byonna eby’obwakabaka buli ssaza ebbaluwa yaayo, era buli bantu mu lulimi lwabwe nga bugamba nti buli musajja afugenga mu nnyumba ye.
and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.