< Esteri 1 >
1 Izvi ndizvo zvakaitika panguva yaZekisesi, uya Zekisesi akatonga nyika zana namakumi maviri nenomwe kubva kuIndia kusvika kuEtiopia:
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 Panguva iyo mambo Zekisesi akatonga ari pachigaro chake choumambo munhare yeShushani
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 uye mugore rake rechitatu akaitira makurukota ake ose navabati vake mabiko. Vakuru vehondo yePezhia neMedhia, machinda namakurukota enyika aivapo.
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 Akaratidza kuwanda kwepfuma youmambo hwake uye nokuyevedza nokubwinya kwoumambo hwake kwamazuva zana namakumi masere akazara.
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 Mazuva aya akati apera, mambo akaita mabiko akapedza mazuva manomwe, mumunhanga webindu romuzinda wamambo achiitira vanhu vose kubva kuvadiki kusvikira kuvakuru, vaigara munhare yeShushani.
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 Bindu raiva nezvakarembedzwa zvichena nezvebhuruu zvomucheka, zvakanga zvakasungirirwa nezvisungo zvomucheka muchena nowepepuru, kuzvikochekedzo zvesirivha pamusoro pembiru dzamatombo akanga akavezwa. Paiva nezvigaro zvegoridhe nezvesirivha pamusoro penzira yamatombo mashava, machena namamwewo anokosha.
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 Waini yaipiwa vanhu mumidziyo yegoridhe, yakasiyana-siyana, uye waini yamambo yakanga yakawanda, samambo, asingavanyimi napaduku.
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 Vakakokwa vakabvumirwa kunwa pamadiro, nokuti mambo akarayira vatariri vewaini vose kuti vagovere mumwe nomumwe sezvaaida.
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 VaHosi Vhashiti vakaitawo mabiko amadzimai mumuzinda waMambo Zekisesi.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 Pazuva rechinomwe, Mambo Zekisesi afara kwazvo mumwoyo make nokuda kwewaini, akarayira varanda vanomwe vaimushumira, Mehumani, Bhizita, Habhona, Bhigita, Abhagita, Zeta naKakasi,
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 kuti vauye navaHosi Vhashiti, vakapfeka korona youmambo, kuti aratidze runako rwavo kuvanhu nokumakurukota, nokuti vakanga vakanaka pakuonekwa.
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 Asi pakasvika shoko rakanga rarayirwa namambo, vaHosi Vhashiti vakaramba kuuya. Ipapo mambo akashatirwa zvikuru uye akatsva nehasha.
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 Ipapo mambo akabvunza vachenjeri vaiziva murayiro uye vainzwisisa zvenguva sezvo yaiva tsika yamadzimambo kubvunza nyanzvi dzezvomurayiro nokururamisira,
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 uye vaiva pedyo kwazvo namambo vaiti: Kashena, Sheta, Adhumata, Tashishi, Meresi, Masena naMemukani, makurukota manomwe ePezhia neMedhia avo vaiva nekodzero yokupinda kuna mambo uye vaikudzwa muumambo.
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 Akabvunza achiti, “Pamurayiro chii chinofanira kuitwa kuna vaHosi Vhashiti? Havana kuteerera kurayira kwaMambo Zekisesi sokuudzwa kwavaitwa navaranda.”
“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 Ipapo Memukani akapindura pamberi pamambo namakurukota akati, “VaHosi Vhashiti vaita zvakaipa, kwete kuna mambo chete asi nokumakurukota ose nokuvanhu vose venyika dzose dzamambo Zekisesi.
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 Nokuti zvaitwa navahosi zvichazivikanwa navakadzi vose, nokudaro vachazvidza varume vavo vachiti, ‘Inga wani Mambo Zekisesi vakarayira vaHosi Vhashiti kuti vauye vamire pamberi pavo, asi vakaramba kuuya.’
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 Iye nhasi uno vakadzi vamakurukota ePezhia neveMedhia vanzwa zvaitwa navahosi vachaitawo saizvozvo kumakurukota amambo. Kusakudzana nenyonganyonga hazvimbozoperi.
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 “Naizvozvo, kana mambo achifara nazvo, ngaateme chirevo chamambo uye ngachinyorwe mumirayiro yavaPezhia navaMedhia, isingagoni kushandurwa kuti Vhashiti haachazosvikizve pamberi paMambo Zekisesi. Uyezve mambo ngaape chinzvimbo chake muumambo kuno mumwe ari nani kupinda iye.
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 Ipapo kana chirevo chamambo chaziviswa muumambo hwake hwose, vakadzi vose vachakudza varume vavo, kubva kumudiki kusvikira kumukuru.”
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 Mambo namakurukota ake vakafadzwa nezano iri, saka mambo akaita sezvakanga zvarehwa naMemukani.
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 Akatumira matsamba kumativi ose oumambo hwake, kunyika imwe neimwe norunyoro rwayo nokumunhu mumwe nomumwe nomutauro wake achizivisa norurimi rwavanhu kuti murume mumwe nomumwe ave nesimba pamusoro peimba yake.
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.