< Esteri 1 >
1 Izvi ndizvo zvakaitika panguva yaZekisesi, uya Zekisesi akatonga nyika zana namakumi maviri nenomwe kubva kuIndia kusvika kuEtiopia:
And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
2 Panguva iyo mambo Zekisesi akatonga ari pachigaro chake choumambo munhare yeShushani
in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city 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, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
4 Akaratidza kuwanda kwepfuma youmambo hwake uye nokuyevedza nokubwinya kwoumambo hwake kwamazuva zana namakumi masere akazara.
And after this, after he had shown to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
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.
when, [I say], the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king's house,
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.
[which was] adorned with [hangings] of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: [there were] golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
7 Waini yaipiwa vanhu mumidziyo yegoridhe, yakasiyana-siyana, uye waini yamambo yakanga yakawanda, samambo, asingavanyimi napaduku.
gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
8 Vakakokwa vakabvumirwa kunwa pamadiro, nokuti mambo akarayira vatariri vewaini vose kuti vagovere mumwe nomumwe sezvaaida.
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
9 VaHosi Vhashiti vakaitawo mabiko amadzimai mumuzinda waMambo Zekisesi.
Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [lived].
10 Pazuva rechinomwe, Mambo Zekisesi afara kwazvo mumwoyo make nokuda kwewaini, akarayira varanda vanomwe vaimushumira, Mehumani, Bhizita, Habhona, Bhigita, Abhagita, Zeta naKakasi,
Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
11 kuti vauye navaHosi Vhashiti, vakapfeka korona youmambo, kuti aratidze runako rwavo kuvanhu nokumakurukota, nokuti vakanga vakanaka pakuonekwa.
to bring in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
12 Asi pakasvika shoko rakanga rarayirwa namambo, vaHosi Vhashiti vakaramba kuuya. Ipapo mambo akashatirwa zvikuru uye akatsva nehasha.
But queen Astin listened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
13 Ipapo mambo akabvunza vachenjeri vaiziva murayiro uye vainzwisisa zvenguva sezvo yaiva tsika yamadzimambo kubvunza nyanzvi dzezvomurayiro nokururamisira,
And he said to his friends, Thus have Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] law and judgement.
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.
So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief [in rank] by the king, drew near to him,
15 Akabvunza achiti, “Pamurayiro chii chinofanira kuitwa kuna vaHosi Vhashiti? Havana kuteerera kurayira kwaMambo Zekisesi sokuudzwa kwavaitwa navaranda.”
and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
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 Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king's rulers and princes:
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 he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
18 Iye nhasi uno vakadzi vamakurukota ePezhia neveMedhia vanzwa zvaitwa navahosi vachaitawo saizvozvo kumakurukota amambo. Kusakudzana nenyonganyonga hazvimbozoperi.
so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
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.
If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter [it]: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
20 Ipapo kana chirevo chamambo chaziviswa muumambo hwake hwose, vakadzi vose vachakudza varume vavo, kubva kumudiki kusvikira kumukuru.”
And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
21 Mambo namakurukota ake vakafadzwa nezano iri, saka mambo akaita sezvakanga zvarehwa naMemukani.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,
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.
and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.