Ɛster 1
1 Saa asɛm yi sii wɔ ɔhene Ahasweros a odii amantam ɔha aduonu ason so, fi India kosi Etiopia no bere so.
In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
2 Saa bere no na ɔte ahengua so wɔ Susa aban mu de di nʼahemman no so.
when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
3 Nʼahenni mfe abiɛsa so no, ɔtoo pon kɛse maa nʼahenemma ne ne mpanyimfo. Ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ asraafo mpanyimfo a wɔwɔ Media ne Persia nyinaa, ne atitiriw ne amantam mu mpanyimfo.
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 Afahyɛ no dii asram asia, na ɔdaa nʼaheman mu sika mpempem ne emu anuonyam adi.
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 Eyi nyinaa twaa mu no, ɔhene no too pon sononko bi maa ahemfi hɔ asomfo ne mpanyimfo no nyinaa, efi ɔkɛse so de kosi ɔketewa so. Edii nnanson, na wɔyɛɛ no wɔ Susa ahemfi adiwo turo mu.
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 Wɔde ntama fɛfɛ hanahana fitaa ne tuntum a wɔanwen mu sensɛn adiwo hɔ. Na wɔde ahama kɔkɔɔ akyekyere ahyɛ dwetɛ nkaa a ɛhyehyɛ abohemaa afadum mu. Sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ nkongua sisi abohemaa ne abohyɛn ne abobiri ne aboɔdemmo ahorow nsɛso so.
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 Wɔde nsakuruwa a wɔadi ho adwinni ahorow papa bi somee, na adehyesa buu so wɔ hɔ, sɛnea ɔhene hyɛe no.
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 Nhyehyɛe a na ɛwɔ nsanom no ho ara ne sɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛ obi ma ɔnom boro nea obetumi so. Nanso wɔn a wobetumi anom no de, wɔnom sɛnea wɔpɛ, efisɛ na ɔhene no aka akyerɛ ne fifo no se obiara betumi anom sɛnea ɔpɛ.
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 Ɔhemmea Wasti too pon maa ahemfi mmea no saa bere koro no ara mu.
Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
10 Afahyɛ no nnanson so a nsa afa ɔhene Ahasweros ani so kakra no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Mehuman, Bista, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Setar ne Karkas a wɔyɛ piamfo baason a wɔhwɛ no no se
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 wɔmfa ɔhemmea Wasti a ɔhyɛ ahemmea kyɛw no mmrɛ no. Na ɔpɛ sɛ mmarima nyinaa hwɛ nʼahoɔfɛ, efisɛ na ɔyɛ ɔbea hoɔfɛfo pa ara.
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 Nanso wɔde ɔhene frɛtumi nkra kɔmaa ɔhemmea Wasti no, wamma. Eyi maa ɔhene ani bere yiye, maa abufuw hyɛɛ no ma.
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 Esiane sɛ na ɛyɛ amanne sɛ ɔhene bebisa nʼafotufo a wonim Persia mmara ne nʼamanne ne nea ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ nti, ɔne wɔn a wɔte mmere ase
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 na wɔbɛn ɔhene no sɛ Karsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena, Memukan, a wɔyɛ akunini baason a wofi Persia ne Media, na wɔyɛ ne nnamfo a wokura dibea akɛse wɔ ahemman no mu no kasae.
(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 Ɔhene no bisae se, “Dɛn na menyɛ ɔhemmea Wasti? Asotwe bɛn na mmara no kyerɛ sɛ wɔmfa mma ɔhemmea a mesomaa me piamfo sɛ wɔnkɔfrɛ no mmra na wamma no?”
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 Na Memukan buaa ɔhene no ne ahenemma no se, “Ɛnyɛ ɔhene no nko na ɔhemmea Wasti afom, na wafom ɔpanyin biara ne ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ wʼahenni no mu no nyinaa.
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 Sɛ mmea a wɔwɔ ɔman yi mu te sɛ ɔhemmea Wasti ankɔ ɔhene frɛ no a, wobefi ase atwiri wɔn kununom.
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 Ansa na ade bɛkyɛ no, yɛn yerenom, wo mpanyimfo yerenom nyinaa bɛte nea ɔhemmea no yɛe, na wɔafi ase akasa wɔn kununom ɔkwan koro no ara so. Na ntwirii no ne abufuw no to rentwa da wɔ wʼaheman mu ha.
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 “Enti sɛ ɔhene bɛpene so a, yesusuw sɛ, ebeye sɛ ɔhene bɛhyɛ mmara a wɔakyerɛw no Persiafo ne Mediafo mmara mu a wontumi nsakra mu. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɛhyɛ sɛ wɔmpam ɔhemmea Wasti mfi wʼani so, na wonsi ɔhemmea foforo a ɔsom bo kyɛn no.
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 Sɛ wɔde saa mmara yi to gua ma obiara te wɔ wʼaheman kɛse yi mu a, mmea awarefo de obu a ɛsɛ na ɛfata bɛma wɔn kununom.”
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 Ɔhene no ne nʼahenemma no faa Memukan afotu no sɛ ɛyɛ adwene pa, enti wodii so.
His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
22 Ɔkyerɛw nkrataa kɔɔ nʼaheman no mu mmaa nyinaa. Ɔkyerɛw ɔmantam biara wɔ ne kasa mu, sɛ ɔbarima biara nni ne fi so.
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.
