Esther 2
1 Some time later, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered what Vashti had done and what had been decreed against her.
И по словесех сих утолися царь от гнева, и не воспомяну ктому Астини, воспоминая, елика глагола и како осуди ея.
2 Then the king’s servants who waited upon him said, ‘Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king,
И реша слуги царевы: да изыщутся царю девицы нерастленны, красны зраком, и да поставит царь взыскатели во всех странах царствия своего,
3 and let the king appoint commissioners to all the provinces of his kingdom to gather them all to Susa the royal residence. Let them be brought into the women’s quarters under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who has charge of the women. Then give them what is needed to make them beautiful,
и да изберут отроковиц девственных доброзрачных в Сусы град, в чертог женский, и да отдадутся евнухови цареву стражу жен, и да дадутся масти и прочыя потребы:
4 and let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.’ The proposal pleased the king so he put it into action.
и жена, юже возлюбит царь, да будет царицею вместо Астини. И угодно бе царю слово, и сотвори тако.
5 In Susa the royal residence lived a Jew named Mordecai. He was son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite.
И муж бе Иудеанин во граде Сусех, и имя ему Мардохей сын Иаиров, сына Семеина, сына Кисеова, от племене Вениаминя,
6 (Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the exiles who were deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took captive.)
иже бяше пленен от Иерусалима Навуходоносором царем Вавилонским:
7 Mordecai had adopted Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, since she had neither father nor mother. The girl was shapely and beautiful; and after her father and mother died, Mordecai raised her as if she was his own daughter.
и бяше ему отроковица воспитана, дщерь Аминадава брата отцу его, и имя ей Есфирь. По преставлении же родителей ея, прия ю Мардохей во дщере место: и бяше девица красна и доброзрачна.
8 When the king’s command and decree were known, many girls were gathered together to Susa the capital under the custody of Hegai. Esther was also taken into the king’s palace and placed under the custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.
И егда услышано бысть повеление царево, собраны быша девицы многи во град Сусы, под руку Гаиеву, и приведена бысть Есфирь ко Гаию хранителю жен:
9 The girl pleased him and gained his favour, so that he quickly gave her the cosmetics she needed to enhance her beauty and her allowance of food and the seven maids selected from the king’s household. He also transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
и угодна бысть ему отроковица и окрете благодать пред ним: и потщася дати ей масти и участие, и седмь девиц пристави к ней из дому царева, и снабдеваше ю и рабынь ея добре в дому женстем.
10 Esther had not revealed her people nor her family background because Mordecai had ordered her not to.
И не поведа Есфирь рода своего, ниже отечества, Мардохей бо заповеда ей не возвещати.
11 Every day Mordecai would to walk in front of the courtyard of the harem and ask after Esther’s health and what was happening to her.
На всяк же день хождаше Мардохей по двору женскому, назирая, что Есфири случится.
12 The girls were prepared for meeting King Ahasuerus for twelve months: six months being treated with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics. After the twelve months,
Сие же бе время девиц входити ко царю, егда исполнятся дванадесять месяцей: тако бо наполняхуся дние украшения, шесть месяц во ароматех и в мастех женских, и шесть месяц намазующяся смирновым елеем,
13 each girl went in to the king. She was allowed to take with her whatever she wished from the women’s quarters,
и тогда вхождаху ко цареви: и емуже аще речет привести ю, входит с ним купно из дому женскаго даже до дому царева:
14 and would enter the palace in the evening and return the next morning to another part of the harem under the care of the king’s eunuch Shaashgaz who was in charge of concubines. She would not go to the king again unless he desired her and summoned her by name.
на вечер вхождаше и заутра возвращашеся в дом женский вторый, идеже Гай евнух царев хранитель жен, и не вхождаше паки ко царю, аще не будет позвана именем.
15 When it was the turn of Esther (the girl adopted by Mordecai, daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go in to the king, she only took with her those things that Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, had advised her to take. Esther was liked by all who saw her.
Егда же исполнися время Есфири дщери Аминадава, брата отца Мардохеова, (иже поял ю себе в дщере место, ) внити ко цареви, ничтоже преступи от сих, яже заповеда ей евнух хранитель жен: бе бо Есфирь обретающая благодать пред всеми зрящими ю.
16 Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
И вниде Есфирь ко царю Артаксерксу во вторыйнадесять месяц, иже есть Адар, в лето седмое царства его.
17 And the king loved her more than all the other women, and she became his favourite and won his affection. He placed the royal diadem on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
И возлюби царь Есфирь, и обрете благодать паче всех девиц, и возложи венец женский на главу ея.
18 Then the king gave a great feast to all his officials and courtiers in honour of Esther, and he remitted the taxes of the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
И сотвори царь пир всем другом своим и силам седмь дний, и вознесе брак Есфирин, и сотвори отраду сущым во царствии его.
19 All the time the virgins were assembled again, Mordecai was sitting as an offical at the king’s gate.
Мардохей же служаше во дворе (цареве).
20 Esther had not revealed her people or family background because she still obeyed him as she had when he was bringing her up.
Есфирь же не поведа рода своего, (ни людий своих): сице бо заповеда ей Мардохей боятися Бога и творити заповеди Его, якоже бе с ним, Есфирь же не измени обычая своего.
21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the royal court attendants, Bigthan and Teresh, who guarded the entrance of the palace, became enraged and attempted to kill King Ahasuerus.
И опечалистася два евнуха царева началнейшии стражы тела его, яко предпочтен бысть Мардохей, и искаста убити Артаксеркса царя.
22 But Mordecai learned of the conspiracy and disclosed it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf.
И возвестися слово Мардохею, и сказа Есфири: она же поведа царю, яже наветуют.
23 When the affair was investigated and the facts discovered, the conspirators were both hanged on the gallows. The incident was recorded in the presence of the king in the daily record of events.
Царь же испыта дву евнуху, (и исповедаста, ) и обеси их. И повеле царь вписати на память в царстей книгохранителнице о благодеянии Мардохеове в похвалу.
