< Estera 1 >

1 Ary tamin’ ny andro nanjakan’ i Ahasoerosy (ity Ahasoerosy ity ilay nanjaka hatrany India ka hatrany Etiopia, ka nizarazara ho fito amby roa-polo amby zato toko ny fanjakany),
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 dia tamin’ izany andro izany, raha nipetraka teo ambonin’ ny seza fiandrianan’ ny fanjakany, izay tany Sosana renivohitra, Ahasoerosy mpanjaka,
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 tamin’ ny taona fahatelo nanjakany, dia nanao fanasana ho an’ ny mpanapaka sy ny mpanompony rehetra izy; ary teo anatrehany koa ny lehiben’ ny miaramilan’ i Persia sy Media sy ny mpanapaka mbamin’ ireo komandin’ ny isan-tokony amin’ ny fanjakany;
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 ary nasehony andro maro, dia valo-polo amby zato andro, ny harena amam-boninahitry ny fanjakany ary ny tabiha sy rehareha momba ny fahalehibiazany.
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 Ary rehefa tapitra izany andro izany, ny olona rehetra izay tany Sosana renivohitra, na lehibe na kely, dia nanaovan’ ny mpanjaka fanasana naharitra hafitoana teo amin’ ny kianjan’ ny tanimbolin’ ny tranon’ ny mpanjaka;
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 ary nisy lamba fotsy sy misoratsoratra sy manga nifehy tamin’ ny kofehy rongony fotsy sy volomparasy tamin’ ny masom-bolafotsy sy tsangantsangany vato marmora fotsy; ary nisy farafara volamena sy volafotsy teo amin’ ny lampivato alabastara sy marmora fotsy sy hara ary marmora mainty.
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 Ary ny olona dia nampisotroina tamin’ ny kapoaka volamena (samy hafa avokoa ny kapoaka, ) ary betsaka ny divain’ andriana araka ny fanomen’ ny mpanjaka.
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 Ary ny nisotroan’ ny olona dia araka ny tenin’ andriana, ka tsy nisy nanery; fa toy izany no nandidian’ ny mpanjaka ny mpitandrina ny tranony rehetra mba hanaovan’ ny olona araka izay sitrapony avy.
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 Ary Vasty, vadin’ ny mpanjaka, dia mba nanao fanasana ho an’ ny vehivavy koa tao amin’ ny tranom-panjakana, izay an’ i Ahasoerosy mpanjaka.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 Ary tamin’ ny andro fahafito, nony faly ny fon’ ny mpanjaka azon’ ny divay, dia nomeny teny Mehomana sy Bizta sy Harbona sy Bigta sy Abagta sy Zetara ry Karkasa, tsindranolahy fito izay nanompo teo anatrehan’ i Ahasoerosy mpanjaka,
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 ba hitondra an’ i Vasty, vadin’ ny mpanjaka, ho eo anatrehan’ ny mpanjaka, misatroka ny satro-boninahitry ny fanjakana, mba haseho amin’ ny olona sy ny mpanapaka ny hatsaran-tarehiny; fa maha-te-hizaha izy.
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 Fa Vasty, vadin’ ny mpanjaka, nandà ny tenin’ ny mpanjaka nentin’ ny tsindranolahy ka tsy nety nankany. Dia tezitra loatra ny mpanjaka, ka nirehitra tao am-pony ny fahatezerany.
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 Dia hoy ny mpanjaka tamin’ ny olon-kendry izay mpanandro (toy izany no nanaovana ny raharahan’ ny mpanjaka teo anatrehan’ izay rehetra nahalala lalàna sy fitsarana;
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 ary ny teo akaikiny dia Rarsena, Setara, Admata, Tarsisy, Maresa, Marsena, Memokana, mpanapaka fito tamin’ i Persia sy Media, izay nahita ny tarehin’ ny mpanjaka ka nipetraka tamin’ ny fitoerana aloha teo amin’ ny fanjakana):
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 Ahoana no hanaovana an’ i Vasty, vadin’ ny mpanjaka, raha araka ny lalàna, satria tsy nankato ny didiko, izaho Ahasoerosy mpanjaka, nentin’ ny tsindranolahy izy?
“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 Dia namaly Memokana teo anatrehan’ ny mpanjaka sy ny mpanapaka ka nanao hoe: Tsy tamin’ ny mpanjaka ihany no nanaovan’ i Vasty, vadin’ ny mpanjaka, izao ratsy izao, fa tamin’ ny mpanapaka rehetra koa sy ny vahoaka rehetra isan-tokony eran’ ny fanjakan’ i Ahasoerosy mpanjaka;
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 fa hiely any amin’ ny vehivavy rehetra izao zavatra nataon’ ny vadin’ ny mpanjaka izao, ka hanaovany ny vadiny ho tsinontsinona eo imasony, fa samy hanao hoe: Ahasoerosy mpanjaka aza nandidy an’ i Vasty vadiny ho entina eo anatrehany, nefa tsy nety izy.
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 Ary na dia amin’ izao andro izao aza ny andriambavin’ i Persia sy Media, izay mandre ny nataon’ ny vadin’ ny mpanjaka, dia samy hilaza izany amin’ ny mpanapaka rehetra voatendrin’ ny mpanjaka; ka dia ho loza loatra ny famingavingana sy ny faniratsirana.
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 Koa raha sitraky ny mpanjaka, dia aoka hisy didim-panjakana hivoaka avy eto amin’ ny mpanjaka ka hosoratana ao amin’ ny lalàn’ i Persia sy Media ka dia tsy hovana, fa tsy hahazo hankeo anatrehan’ i Ahasoerosy mpanjaka intsony Vasty; ary ny voninahitr’ i Vasty dia aoka homen’ ny mpanjaka ho an’ izay vehivavy hafa tsara noho izy.
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 Ary raha torina eran’ ny fanjakany rehetra (fa lehibe izany) ny lalàn’ ny mpanjaka izay hataony, dia samy hanome voninahitra ny vadiny avy na lehibe na kely, ny vehivavy rehetra.
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 Dia sitraky ny mpanjaka sy ny mpanapaka izany teny izany; ka dia nanao araka ny tenin’ i Memokana ny mpanjaka,
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 ka nampitondra taratasy izy ho any amin’ ny isan-tokony amin’ ny fanjakan’ ny mpanjaka, dia isan-tokony araka ny sorany avy, ary isam-pirenena araka ny fiteniny avy, mba hahatapaka ny ao an-tranony avy ny lehilahy rehetra, ary samy hiteny araka ny fiteniny avy isam-pirenena.
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.

< Estera 1 >