Esther 1
1 In diebus Assueri, qui regnavit ab India usque Æthiopiam super centum viginti septem provincias:
Now it came about in the days of Ahasuerus, (that Ahasuerus who was ruler of a hundred and twenty-seven divisions of the kingdom, from India as far as Ethiopia: )
2 quando sedit in solio regni sui, Susan civitas regni eius exordium fuit.
That in those days, when King Ahasuerus was ruling in Shushan, his strong town,
3 Tertio igitur anno imperii sui fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus, et pueris suis, fortissimis Persarum, et Medorum inclytis, et præfectis provinciarum coram se,
In the third year of his rule he gave a feast to all his captains and his servants; and the captains of the army of Persia and Media, the great men and the rulers of the divisions of his kingdom, were present before him;
4 ut ostenderet divitias gloriæ regni sui, ac magnitudinem, atque iactantiam potentiæ suæ, multo tempore, centum videlicet et octoginta diebus.
And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.
5 Cumque implerentur dies convivii, invitavit omnem populum, qui inventus est in Susan, a maximo usque ad minimum: et iussit septem diebus convivium præparari in vestibulo horti, et nemoris, quod regio cultu et manu consitum erat.
And at the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.
6 Et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria aerii coloris et carbasini ac hyacinthini, sustentata funibus byssinis, atque purpureis, qui eburneis circulis inserti erant, et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur. Lectuli quoque aurei et argentei, super pavimentum smaragdino et pario stratum lapide, dispositi erant: quod mira varietate pictura decorabat.
There were fair hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone: the seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.
7 Bibebant autem qui invitati erant, aureis poculis, et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur. Vinum quoque, ut magnificentia regia dignum erat, abundans, et præcipuum ponebatur.
And they gave them drink in gold vessels, every vessel being different, and wine of the kingdom, freely given by the king.
8 Nec erat qui nolentes cogeret ad bibendum, sed sicut rex statuerat, præponens mensis singulos de principibus suis ut sumeret unusquisque quod vellet.
And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.
9 Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio, ubi rex Assuerus manere consueverat.
And Vashti the queen gave a feast for the women in the house of King Ahasuerus.
10 Itaque die septimo, cum rex esset hilarior, et post nimiam potationem incaluisset mero, præcepit Maumam, et Bazatha, et Harbona, et Bagatha, et Abgatha, et Zethar, et Charchas, septem eunuchis, qui in conspectu eius ministrabant,
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven unsexed servants who were waiting before Ahasuerus the king,
11 ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coram rege, posito super caput eius diademate, ut ostenderet cunctis populis et principibus pulchritudinem illius: erat enim pulchra valde.
That Vashti the queen was to come before him, crowned with her crown, and let the people and the captains see her: for she was very beautiful.
12 Quæ renuit, et ad regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, venire contempsit. Unde iratus rex, et nimio furore succensus,
But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come: then the king was very angry, and his heart was burning with wrath.
13 interrogavit sapientes, qui ex more regio semper ei aderant, et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio, scientium leges, ac iura maiorum:
And the king said to the wise men, who had knowledge of the times, (for this was the king's way with all who were expert in law and in the giving of decisions:
14 (erant autem primi et proximi, Charsena, et Sethar, et Admatha, et Tharsis, et Mares, et Marsana, et Mamuchan, septem duces Persarum, atque Medorum, qui videbant faciem regis, et primi post eum residere soliti erant)
And second only to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom: )
15 cui sententiæ Vasthi regina subiaceret, quæ Assueri regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, facere noluisset.
What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?
16 Responditque Mamuchan, audiente rege, atque principibus, Non solum regem læsit regina Vasthi, sed et omnes populos, et principes, qui sunt in cunctis provinciis regis Assueri.
And before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus;
17 Egredietur enim sermo reginæ ad omnes mulieres, ut contemnant viros suos, et dicant: Rex Assuerus iussit ut regina Vasthi intraret ad eum, et illa noluit.
For news of what the queen has done will come to the ears of all women, and they will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she came not.
18 Atque hoc exemplo omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum, parvipendent imperia maritorum: unde regis iusta est indignatio.
And the wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and wrath.
19 Si tibi placet, egrediatur edictum a facie tua, et scribatur iuxta legem Persarum atque Medorum, quam præteriri illicitum est, ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem, sed regnum illius, altera, quæ melior est illa, accipiat.
If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him, and let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her place to another who is better than she.
20 Et hoc in omne (quod latissimum est) provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium, et cunctæ uxores tam maiorum, quam minorum deferant maritis suis honorem.
And when this order, given by the king, is made public through all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give honour to their husbands, great as well as small.
21 Placuit consilium eius regi, et principibus: fecitque rex iuxta consilium Mamuchan,
And this suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains; and the king did as Memucan said;
22 et misit epistolas ad universas provincias regni sui, ut quæque gens audire et legere poterat, diversis linguis et litteris, esse viros principes ac maiores in domibus suis: et hoc per cunctos populos divulgari.
And sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom, to every division in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs, saying that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
