Queen Vashti Disobeys King Xerxes
1-2 King Xerxes of Persia lived in his capital city of Susa and ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. 3 During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came. 4 For 180 days he showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the greatness of his kingdom.
5 At the end of this time, King Xerxes gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens. 6 The area was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple linen cords that ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from costly bright-colored stones and marble and mother-of-pearl.
7 The guests drank from gold cups, and each cup had a different design. The king was generous 8 and said to them, “Drink all you want!” Then he told his servants, “Keep their cups full.”
9 While the men were enjoying themselves, Queen Vashti gave the women a big dinner inside the royal palace.
10 By the seventh day, King Xerxes was feeling happy because of so much wine. And he asked his seven personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, 11 to bring Queen Vashti to him. The king wanted her to wear her crown and let his people and his officials see how beautiful she was. 12 The king's servants told Queen Vashti what he had said, but she refused to go to him, and this made him terribly angry.
13-14 The king called in the seven highest officials of Persia and Media. They were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were very wise and understood all the laws and customs of the country, and the king always asked them what they thought about such matters.
15 The king said to them, “Queen Vashti refused to come to me when I sent my servants for her. What does the law say I should do about that?”
16 Then Memucan told the king and the officials:
Your Majesty, Queen Vashti has not only embarrassed you, but she has insulted your officials and everyone else in all the provinces.
17 The women in the kingdom will hear about this, and they will refuse to respect their husbands. They will say, “If Queen Vashti doesn't obey her husband, why should we?” 18 Before this day is over, the wives of the officials of Persia and Media will find out what Queen Vashti has done, and they will refuse to obey their husbands. They won't respect their husbands, and their husbands will be angry with them.
19 Your Majesty, if you agree, you should write for the Medes and Persians a law that can never be changed. This law would keep Queen Vashti from ever seeing you again. Then you could let someone who respects you be queen in her place.
20 When the women in your great kingdom hear about this new law, they will respect their husbands, no matter if they are rich or poor.
21 King Xerxes and his officials liked what Memucan had said, 22 and he sent letters to all of his provinces. Each letter was written in the language of the province to which it was sent, and it said that husbands should be in charge of their wives and children.
Ombara oserekaze Vasṱi ma nyengura Kerkes
1 Ombara Kerkes wa honaparera otukondwa esere nomirongo vivari na hambombari twomahi mOsusa, otjihuro ohongora tja Persie, okuza kOindie nga kOetiopie. 2 Neye tja za nokurira ombara, 3 mombura oitjatatu youhona we otja tjitira ovahongore novanane ve ozohongora avehe omukandi. Ovahongore vovimbumba vyovita vya Persie novya Medie opu va ri, na wina ozongooneya, novaingona votukondwa. 4 Oure womieze hamboumwe okuura Kerkes wa raisa outumbe wouhona we nongongo nounene nouwa wawo auhe.
5 Kombunda yomayuva nga, ombara ya tjitira ovandu avehe, ovatumbe novasyona, omukandi motjihuro ohongora Susa. Omukandi mbwi wa kara oure wotjivike atjihe, nu wa tjitirwa movikunino vyondjuwo youhona. 6 Orupanda rwondjuwo youhona rwa harekerwe nomarapi omatjizikize nga ungurwa nozosepa ozondovazu nozombapa. Ozo za kutirwe nozongoze zorupera oruserarovazu kozongoho ozosilveri, nu za turikirwe kozongunḓe zomawe omavapa omahuze. Ovihavero vyomasuviro mbya ungurirwe potusepa twongoldo nosilveri vya tuwa morupanda rwondjuwo youhona, ku kwa vandekwa ouwe ouvapa ouhuze, nouwe ouserandu nouserarovazu oukeṋakeṋe. 7 Omanuwa aaye yandjerwa movinwino vyongoldo, atjihe tji tja sana peke; nombara ya yandja omavinu wayo omengi ngaa e ha manuka. 8 Kapa ri omatjaerero komavinu; ombara ya rakiza ovakarere vondjuwo youhona kutja omundu auhe a pewe pu pe ṱa otja puma vanga.
9 Moruveze tjingero ndo ombara oserekaze Vasṱi tjandje wina ma tjitire ovakazendu omukandi mondjuwo youhona.
10 Meyuva oritjahambombari romukandi wayo, ombara ya nwine tjinene nai nyanda; notji ya isana ovakarere vayo hambombari ozombondo, okutja oMehuman na Biseta na Harbona na Bigta na Abagta na Setar na Karkas. 11 Oyo ye ve rakiza kutja ve hitise ombara oserekaze Vasṱi, ngunda a twako ekori re rouhona. Ombara oserekaze ya ri omukazendu omuwa omumanise momuhapo, nombara ya vanga okuraisa ouwa womukazendu ngwi kovahongore na kovaṋangwa vayo avehe. 12 Nungwari ovakarere mba tji va karaera ombara oserekaze Vasṱi inga omarakiza wombara, oserekaze otji ya panḓa okuya. Nu ihi atji pindikisa ombara.
13 Nambano imbwi wa ri omuhingo wombara okuningira ondunge kozonongo moviṋa vyomatwako novyousemba; oyo otji ya isana ovayandjandunge vayo mbu mave tjiwa kutja mape sokutjitwa vi. 14 Imba kaa pura ondunge, va ri Karsena na Setar na Admata na Tarsis na Meres na Marsena na Memukan, ovahongore hambombari vOvapersie novOvamedie mba ri moviungura vyokombanda mouhona. 15 Oyo ya tja nai kovarumendu mba: “Ami, ngu mbi ri ombara Kerkes, mba hindire ovakarere vandje kombara oserekaze Vasṱi nomarakiza worive; noyo ya panḓa okukara nonḓuviro ku wo! Omatwako maye tja oserekaze ndji i sokutjitwa vi?”
16 Memukan arire tja tja nai kombara na kovahongore vayo a tja: “Ombara oserekaze Vasṱi ka yambururire ombara porwayo, nungwari wa yamburura ovahongore vombara wina, novarumendu avehe mouhona! 17 Omukazendu auhe mouhona tja zuu otjitjitwa hi ma utu okunyengura omurumendu we, tjinga amave tja nai: ‘Ombara Vasṱi tje hi nonḓuviro komurumendu we, ongwaye eṱe tji matu sokukara nonḓuviro kuye?’ 18 Ovakazendu vovahongore vouhona wa Persie nowa Medie tji va zuu otjikaro tjoserekaze ombara, mave karaera ovarumendu vawo, eyuva ngunda ari hiya hita. Ovakazendu koṋa akuhe kave nokukara nondengero kovarumendu vawo, novarumendu mave ṱomazenge novakazendu vawo. 19 Omuhona ombara tji ma vanga, nga yandje erakiza rokutja Vasṱi ngaa munika komurungu wombara rukwao. Erakiza ndi nga ri tjangwe membo romatwako wa Persie nowa Medie kokutja ari ha rundururwa ko. Tjazumba u yandje ousemba wokurira ombara oserekaze komukazendu warwe omusemba pu ye. 20 Erakiza roye ndi tji ra tjivisiwa mouhona auhe mbwi, omukazendu auhe otji ma zara omurumendu we nondengero ombwa, nangarire kutja omutumbe poo omusyona.”
21 Ombara novahongore vayo va tjaterwa i ondunge ndji; nombara otji ya tjita otja Memukan pe i raera. 22 Oyo ya hinda ombuze kotukondwa atuhe mouhona we, meraka na momatjangero worukondwa ndo, ndji mai tja nai: “Omurumendu auhe ma sokurira omuhona monganda ye omuini, nu ma sokuhungira otja ngu nouvara.”
