Eseza 1
1 Kino kye kyabaawo ku mirembe gya Akaswero, eyafuga amasaza kikumi mu abiri mu musanvu okuva e Buyindi okutuuka e Buwesiyopya.
King Xerxes ruled [a very big empire which had] 127 provinces. It extended from India [in the east] to Ethiopia [in the west].
2 Mu kiseera ekyo Kabaka Akaswero we yafugira mu lubiri e Susani,
He ruled the empire [while he lived] in the capital city, 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.
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.
4 Yayolesa obugagga n’ekitiibwa n’ettendo eby’obwakabaka bwe okumala emyezi mukaaga.
[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).
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.
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.
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.
[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.
7 Mu kugabula kwa kabaka, wayini yaweerezebwa mu bikopo bya zaabu, nga buli kimu tekifanagana na kinnaakyo, ne wayini wa Kabaka yali mungi ddala.
[The guests] drank wine from gold cups. Each cup had a different design on it.
8 Buli mugenyi yanywanga nga bwe yayagala kubanga kabaka yalagira nti, “Buli mugenyi anywe nga bw’ayagala.”
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.
9 Ne Nnabagereka Vasuti naye n’agabula abakyala embaga mu lubiri lwa Kabaka Akaswero.
[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].
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,
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.
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.
He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her crown. He wanted his guests to see that she was very 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 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.
13 Naye Kabaka yalina empisa ey’okwebuuzanga ku bakugu mu by’amateeka, era n’ateesa n’abasajja abagezigezi abategeera ebifa ku nsonga eyo.
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.
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.
15 Awo Kabaka n’ababuuza nti, “Okusinziira ku mateeka, Nnabagereka Vasuti agwanidde kibonerezo ki olw’obutagondera kiragiro kya Kabaka Akaswero ekimutuusibbwako abalaawe?”
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]?”
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.
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).
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.’
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
20 Awo ekiragiro kya kabaka bwe kinaabuna mu bwakabaka bwonna, abakyala bonna banassangamu ba bbaabwe ekitiibwa okuva ku wawagulu okutuukira ddala ku wawansi asembayo.”
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.”
21 Ekigambo ekyo kyasanyusa nnyo Kabaka n’abakungu be, era Kabaka n’akola ng’ekiteeso kya Memukani bwe kyali.
The king and the other officials liked what Memucan suggested, so he [did that. He wrote a law] proclaiming that.
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.
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.
