Ehetere 1
1 Na i nga ra i a Ahahueruha, ara a Ahahueruha i kingi nei i Inia a tae noa ki Etiopia, kotahi rau e rua tekau ma whitu nga kawanatanga:
In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
2 I aua ra, i te mea e ata noho ana a Kingi Ahahueruha i runga i te torona o tona kingitanga i Huhana, i te whare kingi,
When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
3 I te toru o nga tau o tona kingitanga, ka tukua e ia he hakari ma ana rangatira katoa ratou ko ana tangata; i tona aroaro ano te hunga nunui o Pahia, o Meria, nga tangata rarahi, me nga rangatira o nga kawanatanga:
Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
4 I a ia e whakakite ana i te taonga me te kororia o tona kingitanga, i tona honore, i tona ataahua nui, he maha nga ra, kotahi rau e waru tekau nga ra.
That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
5 Na, ka taka aua ra, ka tukua e te kingi he hakari ma te iwi katoa i reira i Huhana, i te whare kingi, ma te rahi, ma te iti, e whitu nga ra, i te marae i te kari te whare o te kingi;
And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
6 Ko nga hipoki he mea ma, he kakariki, he puru; ko nga aho he rinena pai he mea papura, ko nga mowhiti i mau ai, he hiriwa; ko nga pou he mapere; ko nga tokotoranga he koura, he hiriwa; a ko te papa o raro he mapere whero, ma, kowhai, mangu hoki.
And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
7 Ko nga kapu inu i hoatu ma ratou he oko koura; rere ke tonu te ahua o tenei oko, o tenei oko; tona nui ano o te waina kingi, rite tonu ki ta te kingi tikanga.
And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king’s magnificence.
8 I rite ano te inu ki ta te ture, kahore he tohe; na te kingi taua tikanga i whakatakoto ki nga rangatira katoa o tona whare, ko ta te tangata i pai ai ko tana tera e mea ai.
Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
9 I tukua ano e te kuini, e Wahati, he hakari ma nga wahine i roto i te whare kingi o Kingi Ahahueruha.
Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
10 I te whitu o nga ra, i te mea e koa ana te ngakau o te kingi i te waina, ka mea ia ki a Mehumana ratou ko Pitita, ko Harapona, ko Pikita, ko Apakata, ko Tetara, ko Karakaha, ki nga rangatira ruma tokowhitu i mahi i te aroaro o Kingi Ahahueruha,
Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
11 Kia kawea mai te kuini, a Wahati, ki te aroaro o te kingi, me te karauna kuini, kia whakakitea atu ai tona ataahua ki nga iwi, ki nga rangatira: he pai hoki tona ahua.
To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
12 Otiia kihai a Kuini Wahati i pai kia haere mai i ta te kingi kupu i korerotia e ana rangatira ruma. Na reira i riri rawa ai te kingi, a mura ana tona riri i roto i a ia.
But she refused, and would not come at the king’s commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
13 Katahi te kingi ka korero ki nga tangata whai whakaaro i mohio nei ki nga taima, ko ta te kingi tikanga hoki ia, ki te hunga katoa e mohio ana ki te ture, ki te whakarite tikanga;
Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
14 Ko Karahena hoki i tata ki a ia, ko Hetara, ko Aramata, ko Tarahihi, ko Merehe, ko Marahena, ko Memukana, ara ko nga rangatira tokowhitu o Pahia, o Meria, i kite nei i te mata o te kingi, a i noho hei tuatahi i te kingitanga;
(Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him: )
15 Ki ta te ture, ko te aha kia meatia ki te kuini, ki a Wahati, mona kihai i whakarite i te kupu a Kingi Ahahueruha i kawea atu e nga rangatira ruma?
What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs?
16 Na ka mea a Memukana i te aroaro o te kingi ratou ko nga rangatira, Ehara i te mea ki te kingi anake ta Kuini Wahati he; engari ki nga rangatira katoa ano, ki nga iwi katoa o nga kawanatanga katoa a Kingi Ahahueruha.
And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
17 Ka haere hoki te rongo o tenei mahi a te kuini ki nga wahine katoa, a ka whakahawea o ratou kanohi ki a ratou tane, ina ka korerotia, i mea a Kingi Ahahueruha kia kawea mai a Kuini Wahati ki tona aroaro, a kihai tera i haere mai.
For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
18 Ka pena ano aianei te kupu a nga wahine rangatira o Pahia, o Meria. kua rongo nei ki te mahi a te kuini ki nga rangatira katoa a te kingi. Na tera e nui atu te whakahawea me te riri.
And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king’s indignation is just.
19 Ki te pai te kingi, kia puta he kupu kingi mana, me tuhituhi hoki ki roto ki nga ture o nga Pahi, o nga Meri, kei taka, ara kia kaua a Wahati e haere mai ki te aroaro o Kingi Ahahueruha; ko tona kuinitanga hoki kia hoatu e te kingi ki tetahi atu e pai ake ana i a ia.
If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
20 A, ka rangona ta te kingi tikanga e whakatakoto ai ia puta noa i tona kingitanga nui nei, katahi nga wahine katoa ka whakahonore i a ratou tane, i te iti, i te rahi.
And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
21 Na pai tonu te kupu ki te whakaaro o te kingi, o nga rangatira; a rite tonu ki te kupu a Memukana ta te kingi i mea ai.
His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
22 I tukua hoki e ia he pukapuka ki nga kawanatanga katoa a te kingi, ki tenei kawanatanga, ki tenei kawanatanga, he mea whakarite ki to reira tikanga mo te tuhituhi, ki tenei iwi, ki tenei iwi, he mea whakarite ki to reira reo, ara ko nga tane kat oa hei rangatira i roto i o ratou whare; a kia korerotia i te reo o to reira iwi.
And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.
