Esther 1

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,^[a] the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush^[b]:

Saa nhoma yi fi Kristo Yesu somafo Paulo a Onyankopɔn pɛ nti, ɔde rebɛkyerɛ baako a yɛne Kristo Yesu ayɛ nti wahyɛ yɛn asetena ho bɔ no.

At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,

De kɔma me ba pa Timoteo: Adom, mmɔborɔhunu ne asomdwoe mfi Agya Nyankopɔn ne yɛn Awurade Kristo Yesu nka wo.

and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

Meda Onyankopɔn a mede adwene mu fann som no sɛnea me mpanyimfo yɛe no ase. Daa, anadwo ne awia, mekae wo wɔ me mpaebɔ mu.

For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.

Mekae su a wusu na mepɛ sɛ mihu wo a, na m’ani agye.

When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa.

Mekae gyidi a emu yɛ den a wowɔ. Saa ara nso na mekae gyidi a na wo nena Lois ne wo na Eunike nso wɔ. Migye di sɛ wo nso wowɔ bi saa ara.

The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.

Eyi nti merebɔ wo nkae sɛ kae akyɛde a bere a mede me nsa guu wo so no Onyankopɔn de maa wo no.

Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.

Efisɛ, Honhom a Onyankopɔn de maa yɛn no mma yɛnyɛ ahufo; na mmom, Honhom no ma yɛn tumi, ɔdɔ ne ahohyɛso.

By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

Mfɛre sɛ wubedi Awurade ho adanse; saa ara nso na mma me odeduani nso ho nyɛ wo fɛre. Na sɛ ɔhaw bi to wo Asɛmpa no ka ho a, gyina pintinn wɔ ahoɔden a Onyankopɔn de ama wo no mu.

Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

Ogyee yɛn nkwa frɛɛ yɛn sɛ yɛmmɛyɛ ne de. Ɛnyɛ biribi pa bi a yɛyɛ nti, na mmom n’adom ara kwa. Ansa na wɔrehyɛ wiase ase no, na ɔnam Kristo Yesu so kyɛɛ yɛn saa adom no

On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—

nanso mprempren, wɔnam Agyenkwa Kristo Yesu no ba a ɔbɛba so ada no adi akyerɛ yɛn. Watwa owu tumi so nam Asɛmpa no so ama yɛahu nkwa a enni awiei.

to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.

Onyankopɔn ayi me sɛ menna Asɛmpa no adi sɛ ɔsomafo ne ɔkyerɛkyerɛfo.

But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

Ɛnam eyinom so nti na mihu saa amane yi. Nanso meda so wɔ gyidi, efisɛ, minim nea mede me ho ato no so no na minim nso sɛ ɔbɛkora nea mede ahyɛ ne nsa no ama da no nso.

Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times

So nokwasɛm a mekyerɛɛ wo no mu, na fa yɛ nhwɛsode di akyi, na tena gyidi ne ɔdɔ a ɛyɛ yɛn de a aka yɛne Kristo Yesu abom no mu.

and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

Hwɛ nneɛma pa a wɔnam Honhom Kronkron tumi a ɛte yɛn mu so de agyaw yɛn no so yiye.

“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

Sɛnea wunim no, Kristofo a wofii Asia baa ha no nyinaa aguan agya me. Figelo ne Hermogene nso ka wɔn ho.

Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.

Awurade nhu Onisiforo fifo mmɔbɔ efisɛ, ɔhyɛɛ me nkuran mpɛn pii. N’ani anwu wɔ me ho sɛ mada afiase pɛn,

For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’

na oduu Roma ara pɛ, ɔbɔɔ mmɔden hwehwɛɛ me ara kosii sɛ ohuu me.

This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

Awurade mmoa no na da no onnya ahummɔbɔ mfi Awurade no nkyɛn! Wunim akwan horow a ɔfaa so boaa me wɔ Efeso.

“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.

Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.

He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.