< Esteri 1 >
1 Izvi ndizvo zvakaitika panguva yaZekisesi, uya Zekisesi akatonga nyika zana namakumi maviri nenomwe kubva kuIndia kusvika kuEtiopia:
In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
2 Panguva iyo mambo Zekisesi akatonga ari pachigaro chake choumambo munhare yeShushani
when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
3 uye mugore rake rechitatu akaitira makurukota ake ose navabati vake mabiko. Vakuru vehondo yePezhia neMedhia, machinda namakurukota enyika aivapo.
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 Akaratidza kuwanda kwepfuma youmambo hwake uye nokuyevedza nokubwinya kwoumambo hwake kwamazuva zana namakumi masere akazara.
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 Mazuva aya akati apera, mambo akaita mabiko akapedza mazuva manomwe, mumunhanga webindu romuzinda wamambo achiitira vanhu vose kubva kuvadiki kusvikira kuvakuru, vaigara munhare yeShushani.
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 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.
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 Waini yaipiwa vanhu mumidziyo yegoridhe, yakasiyana-siyana, uye waini yamambo yakanga yakawanda, samambo, asingavanyimi napaduku.
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 Vakakokwa vakabvumirwa kunwa pamadiro, nokuti mambo akarayira vatariri vewaini vose kuti vagovere mumwe nomumwe sezvaaida.
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 VaHosi Vhashiti vakaitawo mabiko amadzimai mumuzinda waMambo Zekisesi.
Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
10 Pazuva rechinomwe, Mambo Zekisesi afara kwazvo mumwoyo make nokuda kwewaini, akarayira varanda vanomwe vaimushumira, Mehumani, Bhizita, Habhona, Bhigita, Abhagita, Zeta naKakasi,
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 kuti vauye navaHosi Vhashiti, vakapfeka korona youmambo, kuti aratidze runako rwavo kuvanhu nokumakurukota, nokuti vakanga vakanaka pakuonekwa.
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 Asi pakasvika shoko rakanga rarayirwa namambo, vaHosi Vhashiti vakaramba kuuya. Ipapo mambo akashatirwa zvikuru uye akatsva nehasha.
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 Ipapo mambo akabvunza vachenjeri vaiziva murayiro uye vainzwisisa zvenguva sezvo yaiva tsika yamadzimambo kubvunza nyanzvi dzezvomurayiro nokururamisira,
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 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.
(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 Akabvunza achiti, “Pamurayiro chii chinofanira kuitwa kuna vaHosi Vhashiti? Havana kuteerera kurayira kwaMambo Zekisesi sokuudzwa kwavaitwa navaranda.”
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 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 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 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 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 Iye nhasi uno vakadzi vamakurukota ePezhia neveMedhia vanzwa zvaitwa navahosi vachaitawo saizvozvo kumakurukota amambo. Kusakudzana nenyonganyonga hazvimbozoperi.
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 “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 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 Ipapo kana chirevo chamambo chaziviswa muumambo hwake hwose, vakadzi vose vachakudza varume vavo, kubva kumudiki kusvikira kumukuru.”
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 Mambo namakurukota ake vakafadzwa nezano iri, saka mambo akaita sezvakanga zvarehwa naMemukani.
His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
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 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.