< Esther 1 >

1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus who reigned, from India even to Cush, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
Nke a bụ ihe mere nʼoge ọchịchị eze Sekses, bụ Sekses nke chiri alaeze nwere mpaghara dị iche iche nke karịrị otu narị na iri abụọ na asaa, nke gbasakwara site nʼIndia rụọ Kush.
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
Nʼoge ahụ, isi ọchịchị obodo eze Sekses bụ Susa ebe ocheeze ya dịkwa.
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
Nʼafọ nke atọ nke ọchịchị ya, o mere mmemme oke oriri nye ndịisi ọrụ ya niile. Ndị ọzọ ọ kpọkwara bụ ndịisi agha nke Peshịa na Midia, na ụmụ eze, na ndị ọchịchị sitere na mba dị iche iche ọ na-achị.
4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and eighty days.
Mmemme a were otu narị na iri ụbọchị asatọ. Eze jikwa oge a gosi akụnụba, na ịma mma na ebube nke alaeze ya.
5 And when these days had ended, the king made a feast for all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both for great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
Mgbe ụbọchị ndị a gafesịrị, eze kpọrọ oke oriri nọrọ ụbọchị asaa nʼubi a gbara ogige dị nʼụlọeze, nye ndị niile nọ na Susa, site nʼonye ukwu ruo nʼonye nta.
6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
Ihe ịchọ mma e ji dozie ogige ahụ bụ ezi akwa mgbochi dị ọcha, nke e ji ogho ọcha kpaa na nke e jikwa ogho na-acha anụnụ anụnụ kpaa. E jikwa eriri ogho dị ezi ọcha na nke na-acha odo odo kekọtaa akwa mgbochi ndị ahụ, nʼihe mgbaaka ọlaọcha dị nʼogidi nkume dị oke ọnụahịa e wuru nʼebe ahụ. A dọbakwara oche ọlaọcha na ọlaedo ndị ahụ nʼebe e wulitụrụ elu, nke e ji nkume mabụl na nkume ndị ọzọ dị oke ọnụahịa, ndị na-acha ezi ọcha, ndị na-acha odo odo na nke na-eji oji wuo ala ya.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels differing one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
E jikwa iko ọlaedo ṅụọ ihe ọṅụṅụ. Iko ọlaedo ọbụla e wepụtara nʼụbọchị ahụ dị iche nʼiche. O nweghị nke yiri ibe ya. E mekwara ka mmanya eze baa ụba dịka afọ ọma aka eze si dị.
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none constrained: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
E nyeghịkwa iwu ọbụla banyere iko mmanya ole mmadụ kwesiri ịṅụ kama ndị chọrọ ga-aṅụ dịka o si masị ha. Nʼihi na eze agwalarị ndịisi ozi ya na onye ọbụla kwesiri ịṅụ dịka o si chọọ.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Nʼotu oge ahụ, eze nwanyị Vashti, kpọkwara oke oriri nye ụmụ nwanyị niile nọ nʼụlọeze, Sekses.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
Nʼụbọchị nke asaa, mgbe obi dị eze Sekses mma nʼihi mmanya ọ ṅụrụ, ọ nyere ndị onozi asaa ndị a na-ejere ya ozi iwu, ha bụ, Mehuman, na Bizta, na Habona, na Bigta, na Abagta, na Zeta, na Kakas,
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
sị ha gaa kpọọ Vashti nwunye eze ka ọ bịakwute ya. Eze nyekwara iwu ka Vashti kpuru okpueze nʼisi ya, maka igosi ndị mmadụ niile na ndị a na-asọpụrụ nọ nʼebe ahụ ịma mma ya. Nʼihi na Vashti mara mma.
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very angry, and his anger burned in him.
Ma mgbe e mere ka ozi eze ruo ya ntị, eze nwanyị, bụ Vashti jụrụ ịbịa. Nke a mere ka iwe wee eze nke ukwuu.
13 Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
Dịka eze Sekses na-eme, ọ kpọkwara ndị ọkachamara nʼihe gbasara iwu na ikpe ziri ezi. Eze na ndị a mara ihe, bụ ndị maara ihe ụbọchị nyere kparịtara ụka.
14 And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and who sat in the first place in the kingdom; )
Ha bụkwa ndị na-anọkarị eze nso. Aha ha bụ Kashena, na Sheta, na Admata, na Tashish, na Meres, na Masena, na Memukan. A maara aha mmadụ asaa ndị a nʼala Midia na Peshịa. Ha bụ ndị na-aga nʼihu eze mgbe ọbụla ha chọrọ, bụrụkwa ndị dịkarịsịrị elu nʼalaeze ahụ.
15 What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
Eze jụrụ sị, “Dịka iwu si dị, gịnị ka a ga-eme Vashti bụ nwunye eze nʼihi na o nupuru isi nʼiwu eze Sekses nyere nke o zigaara ya site nʼọnụ ndị onozi ya?”
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
Memukan kwuchitere ọnụ ndị ọzọ sị, “Ihe Vashti nwunye eze mere jọrọ njọ. O mehiela eze, mehiekwa ndị ọchịchị niile, na ndị niile bi nʼakụkụ niile nke alaeze Sekses.
17 For this deed of the queen shall become known to all women, so that they shall look with contempt upon their husbands, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
Nʼihi na ndị inyom niile ga-amata ihe eze nwanyị mere, malite ilelị ndị di ha anya, ma na-ekwu sị, ‘Eze Sekses nyere Vashti nwunye ya iwu ka ọ bịa nʼihu ya, ma ọ jụrụ ịbịa.’
18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day to all the king’s princes, who have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
Nʼụbọchị taa ka ndị inyom ndịisi nke Peshịa na Midia, bụ ndị nụrụ banyere omume nwunye eze mere, ga-azakwa ndịisi ọchịchị alaeze gị nʼụzọ dị otu a. A ga-enwe nleda anya na esemokwu nʼala a mgbe niile.
19 If it pleaseth the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she.
“Ya mere, ọ bụrụ na ọ masị eze, ya nye iwu, nke a ga-edepụta, ka ọ bụrụ iwu nʼala Peshịa na Midia, nke na-agaghị agbanwe, na Vashti agaghị abatakwa nʼihu eze Sekses ọzọ. Ka eze werekwa ọnọdụ eze nwanyị ahụ nye onye ọzọ ka ya mma.
20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be proclaimed throughout all his empire, (for it is great, ) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
Ọ ga-erukwa na mgbe a gụpụtara iwu a eze nyere nʼakụkụ alaeze a niile, ndị inyom niile ga-asọpụrụ ndị di ha site nʼonye dịkarịsịrị nta nʼetiti ha ruo nʼonye dị ukwuu.”
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
Eze na ndịisi ọchịchị ya nabatara ndụmọdụ a, nʼihi ya, eze mere ihe Memukan kwuru.
22 For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be proclaimed in the language of every people.
O zipụrụ akwụkwọ ozi a nye akụkụ niile a na-achị achị nke alaeze ahụ. E dekwara akwụkwọ ozi ahụ nʼasụsụ dị iche iche, na-ekwupụta nʼasụsụ ọbụla na nwoke ọbụla kwesiri ịbụ onye na-achị ezinaụlọ ya.

< Esther 1 >