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),
In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
2 dia tamin’ izany andro izany, raha nipetraka teo ambonin’ ny seza fiandrianan’ ny fanjakany, izay tany Sosana renivohitra, Ahasoerosy mpanjaka,
when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
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;
And so, in the third year of his reign, he made a great feast for all the leaders and his servants, for the most powerful among the Persians and the distinguished among the Medes, and for the rulers of the provinces before him,
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.
so that he might show the glorious riches of his kingdom, as well as its greatness, and so boast of his power, for a long time, namely, one hundred and eighty days.
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;
And when the days of the feast were nearly completed, he invited all the people, who had been found in Susa, from the greatest even to the least, and he commanded a feast to be prepared, for seven days, in the court of the garden and the arboretum, which had been planted by the care and by the hand of the king.
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.
And, in every direction, tents the color of the sky and of flax as well as hyacinth were hung up, suspended by cords of linen and even purple, which had been placed through rings of ivory and were held up with marble columns. The couches also, of gold and silver, had been arranged over a pavement of emerald-green, bearing scattered jewels, which was decorated with a wonderful variety of images.
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.
Moreover, those who had been invited drank from golden cups, and dishes of foods were brought in one after another. Likewise, choice wine was presented in abundance, as was worthy of royal magnificence.
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.
Nor was anyone compelled to drink who was unwilling, but, just as the king had appointed, one of his nobles was set over each table, so that each one might select what he wanted.
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.
Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
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,
And so, on the seventh day, when the king was more cheerful, and, after excessive drinking, had become warmed with wine, he ordered Mehuman, and Biztha, and Harbona, and Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zethar, and Charkas, seven eunuchs who served in his presence,
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 in queen Vashti before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to the whole people and to the leaders, for she was very beautiful.
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.
She refused, and she showed contempt towards the king’s command, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry and inflamed with a very great fury,
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;
questioned the wise men, who, according to royal custom were always near him and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws as well as the judgments of their ancestors,
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):
(but first and foremost were Carshena, and Shethar, and Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, seven rulers of the Persians as well as the Medes, who saw the face of the king and who were accustomed to sitting down first after him, )
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?
as to what sentence should fall upon Vashti the queen, who had refused to do the commandment of king Artaxerxes, which he had delivered to her 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 Memucan answered, in the hearing of the king as well as the rulers, “Queen Vashti has wounded not only the king, but also all the people and the leaders, who are in all the provinces of king Artaxerxes.
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 word about the queen will go out to all the women, so that they will show contempt for their husbands, and they will say, ‘King Artaxerxes ordered that queen Vashti should enter before him, and she would not.’
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.
And so, by this example all the wives of the leaders of the Persians and the Medes will belittle the authority of their husbands; therefore, the indignation of the king is just.
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.
If it pleases you, let an edict be sent out from your presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and the Medes, which it is forbidden to disregard, that Vashti shall no longer enter before the king, but let another, who is better than her, receive her queenship.
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.
And let this be published in all the provinces of your empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, the greater as much as the lesser, give honor to their husbands.”
21 Dia sitraky ny mpanjaka sy ny mpanapaka izany teny izany; ka dia nanao araka ny tenin’ i Memokana ny mpanjaka,
His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
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.
and he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, so that every nation was able to hear and to read, in various languages and letters, that husbands are to be the greater rulers in their own houses, and that this should be published to every people.
