Vashti Is Removed From Her Position as Queen
1King Xerxes ruled over the 127 territories in his kingdom. They reached from India all the way to Cush. Here is what happened during the time Xerxes ruled over the whole Persian kingdom. 2He was ruling from his royal throne in the fort of Susa. 3In the third year of his rule King Xerxes gave a feast. It was for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there. So were the princes and the nobles of the territories he ruled over.
4Every day for 180 days he showed his guests the great wealth of his kingdom. He also showed them how glorious his kingdom was. 5When those days were over, the king gave another feast. It lasted for seven days. It was held in the garden of the king’s courtyard. It was for all the people who lived in the fort of Susa. Everyone from the least important person to the most important was invited. 6The garden was decorated with white and blue linen banners. They hung from ropes that were made out of white linen and purple cloth. The ropes were connected to silver rings on marble pillars. There were gold and silver couches in the garden. They were placed on a floor that was made out of small stones. The floor had purple crystal, marble, mother-of-pearl and other stones of great value. 7Royal wine was served in gold cups. Each cup was different from all the others. There was plenty of wine. The king always provided as much as his guests wanted. 8He commanded that they should be allowed to drink as much or as little as they wished. He directed all his servants to give his guests what they asked for.
9Queen Vashti also gave a feast. Only women were invited. It was held in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10On the seventh day Xerxes was in a good mood because he had drunk a lot of wine. So he gave a command to the seven officials who served him. They were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas. 11King Xerxes told them to bring Queen Vashti to him. He wanted her to come wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and nobles. She was lovely to look at. 12The attendants told Queen Vashti what the king had ordered her to do. But she refused to come. So the king became very angry.
13It was the king’s practice to ask for advice about matters of law and fairness. So he spoke with the wise men who understood what was going on at that time. 14They were the men closest to the king. Their names were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan. They were the seven nobles of Persia and Media. They were the king’s special advisers and the most important men in the kingdom.
15“You know the law,” the king said. “What should I do to Queen Vashti? She hasn’t obeyed my command. The officials told her what I ordered her to do, didn’t they?”
16Then Memukan gave a reply to the king and the nobles. He said, “Queen Vashti has done what is wrong. But she didn’t do it only against you, King Xerxes. She did it also against all the nobles. And she did it against the people in all the territories you rule over. 17All the women will hear about what the queen has done. Then they won’t respect their husbands. They’ll say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought to him. But she wouldn’t come.’ 18Here is what will start today. The leading women in Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s actions will act in the same way. They’ll disobey all your nobles, just as she disobeyed you. They won’t have any respect for their husbands. They won’t honor them.
19“So if it pleases you, send out a royal order. Let it be written down in the laws of Persia and Media. Those laws can never be changed. Let the royal order say that Vashti can never see you again. Also let her position as queen be given to someone who is better than she is. 20And let your order be announced all through your entire kingdom. Then all women will have respect for their husbands, from the least important to the most important.”
21The king and his nobles were pleased with that advice. So he did what Memukan had suggested. 22The king sent messages out to every territory in the kingdom. He sent them to each territory in its own writing. He sent them to every nation in its own language. The messages announced that every man should rule over his own family, using his own language.
Vasiti Mkazi wa Mfumu Achotsedwa
1Izi ndi zimene zinachitika pa nthawi ya ufumu wa Ahasiwero, amene analamulira zigawo 127 kuyambira ku India mpaka ku Kusi. 2Pa nthawi imeneyi nʼkuti mfumu Ahasiwero atakhazikika pa mpando wake wa ufumu mu mzinda wa Susa, 3ndipo mʼchaka chachitatu cha ufumu wake anakonza phwando la olemekezeka ndi nduna zake. Atsogoleri a nkhondo a ku Peresiya ndi Mediya, anthu olemekezeka pamodzi ndi nduna za mʼzigawo zonse anasonkhana kwa iye.
4Pa nthawi yomweyi kwa masiku 180 a phwando mfumu inkaonetsa kulemera kwa ulemerero wa ufumu wake ndiponso kukongola ndi kukula kwa ufumu wake. 5Atatha masiku amenewa, kwa masiku ena asanu ndi awiri mfumu inakonzanso phwando la anthu onse okhala mu mzinda wa Susa kuyambira anthu olemekezeka mpaka anthu wamba ku bwalo la munda la nyumba yake yaufumu. 6Bwalo la mundali analikongoletsa ndi makatani a nsalu zoyera ndi za mtundu wamtambo zimene anazimangirira ndi zingwe za nsalu zoyera ndi zapepo ku mphete za siliva zimene anazikoloweka pa nsanamira za maburo. Anayika mipando yopumirapo yagolide ndi siliva pabwalo la miyala yoyala yamtengowapatali yofiira, ya marabulo, ndi yonyezimira. 7Anapereka zakumwa mʼchikho zagolide zamitundumitundu, ndipo vinyo waufumu anali wochuluka kwambiri monga mwa kukoma mtima kwa mfumu. 8Monga mwa lamulo la mfumu aliyense anamwa mʼmene anafunira, pakuti mfumu inawuza otumikira ake kuti apatse aliyense monga mwa kukonda kwake.
9Mkazi wa mfumu Vasiti nayenso anakonzera phwando amayi ku nyumba ya ufumu ya mfumu Ahasiwero.
10Pa tsiku la chisanu ndi chiwiri, pamene mfumu Ahasiwero inaledzera ndi vinyo, inalamula adindo ofulidwa asanu ndi awiri amene ankamutumikira: Mehumani, Bizita, Haribona, Bigita, Abagita, Zetara, ndi Karikasi 11kuti abwere naye mfumukazi Vasiti pamaso pa mfumu atavala chipewa chaufumu. Cholinga cha mfumu chinali choti adzamuonetse kwa anthu onse ndi olemekezeka, chifukwa anali wokongola kwambiri. 12Koma antchito atapereka uthenga wa mfumu kwa mfumukazi, Vasiti anakana kubwera. Tsono mfumu inakwiya ndi kupsa mtima.
13Mfumu inayankhula ndi anthu anzeru ndi ozindikira choyenera kuchita popeza chinali chikhalidwe chake kufunsa uphungu kwa akatswiri pa nkhani za malamulo ndi kuweruza kolungama. 14Anthu amene ankakhala pafupi ndi mfumu anali awa: Karisena, Setara, Adimata, Tarisisi, Meresi, Marisena ndi Memukani, olemekezeka asanu ndi awiri a ku Peresiya ndi Medina amene ankaloledwa mwapadera kuonana ndi mfumu ndipo anali pamwamba kwambiri mu ufumuwo.
15Mfumu inafunsa kuti, “Kodi titani naye mfumukazi Vasiti mwa lamulo, popeza sanamvere lamulo la ine mfumu Ahasiwero limene adindo ofulidwa anakamuwuza?”
16Ndipo Memukani anayankha pa maso pa mfumu ndi olemekezeka anzake kuti, “Mfumukazi Vasiti sanalakwire mfumu yokha, koma walakwiranso olemekezeka onse ndi anthu onse okhala mʼzigawo zonse za mfumu Ahasiwero. 17Pakuti amayi onse adzadziwa zimene wachita mfumukazi ndipo kotero adzapeputsa amuna awo ndi kunena kuti, ‘Mfumu Ahasiwero analamulira kuti abwere naye mfumukazi Vasiti kwa iye koma sanapite.’ 18Lero lomwe lino amayi olemekezeka a ku Peresiya ndi Mediya amene amva zimene wachita mfumukazi adzaganiza zochita chimodzimodzi kwa nduna zonse za mfumu. Ndipo kupeputsana ndi kukongola zidzapitirira.”
19“Choncho, ngati chikukomerani mfumu, lamulirani kuti Vasiti asadzaonekerenso pamaso pa mfumu Ahasiwero. Lamuloli lilembedwe mʼmabuku a malamulo a Aperezi ndi Amedi kuti lisadzasinthike. Pamalo pa Vasiti ngati mfumukazi payikidwepo mkazi wina amene ali bwino kuposa iye. 20Ndipo lamulo la mfumuli lilengezedwa mʼdziko lake lonse ngakhale lili lalikulu, amayi onse adzapereka ulemu kwa amuna awo, amuna olemekezeka mpaka amuna wamba.”
21Mfumu ndi nduna zake anakondwera ndi uphungu uwu, kotero mfumu inachita monga momwe ananenera Memukani. 22Mfumu inatumiza makalata ku madera onse a ufumu wake, chigawo chilichonse mʼzilembo zawo ndi ku mtundu uliwonse mʼchiyankhulo chawochawo kulengeza kuti mwamuna ayankhule chilichonse chimene chikumukomera.
