Книга Есфири 2
1 И по словесех сих утолися царь от гнева, и не воспомяну ктому Астини, воспоминая, елика глагола и како осуди ея.
After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus subsided, he thought about Vashti and what she had done. He also thought about the decree that he had made against her.
2 И реша слуги царевы: да изыщутся царю девицы нерастленны, красны зраком, и да поставит царь взыскатели во всех странах царствия своего,
Then the king's young men who served him said, “Let a search be made on the king's behalf for beautiful young virgins.
3 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:
Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the fortress in Susa. Let them be put under the care of Hegai, the king's official, who is in charge of the women, and let him give them their cosmetics.
4 и жена, юже возлюбит царь, да будет царицею вместо Астини. И угодно бе царю слово, и сотвори тако.
Let the young girl who pleases the king become queen in the place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he did so.
5 И муж бе Иудеанин во граде Сусех, и имя ему Мардохей сын Иаиров, сына Семеина, сына Кисеова, от племене Вениаминя,
There was a certain Jew in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, who was a Benjamite.
6 иже бяше пленен от Иерусалима Навуходоносором царем Вавилонским:
He had been taken away from Jerusalem with the exiles along with those taken with Jehoiachin, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia carried away.
7 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.
He was caring for Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely in appearance. Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
8 И егда услышано бысть повеление царево, собраны быша девицы многи во град Сусы, под руку Гаиеву, и приведена бысть Есфирь ко Гаию хранителю жен:
When the king's order and decree were proclaimed, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa. They were put under Hegai's care. Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put under the care of Hegai, the overseer of the women.
9 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.
The young girl pleased him, and she found favor with him. Immediately he provided her with cosmetics and her portion of food. He assigned to her seven servant girls from the king's palace, and he moved her and the servant girls to the best place in the house of the women.
10 И не поведа Есфирь рода своего, ниже отечества, Мардохей бо заповеда ей не возвещати.
Esther had not told anyone who her people or relatives were, for Mordecai had instructed her not to tell.
11 На всяк же день хождаше Мардохей по двору женскому, назирая, что Есфири случится.
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard outside the house of the women, to learn about Esther's welfare, and about what would be done with her.
12 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,
When the turn came for each girl to go to King Ahasuerus—complying with the regulations for the women, each girl had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumes and cosmetics—
13 и тогда вхождаху ко цареви: и емуже аще речет привести ю, входит с ним купно из дому женскаго даже до дому царева:
when a young woman went to the king, whatever she desired was given to her from the house of the women, for her to take to the palace.
14 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.
In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women, and to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's official, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king again unless he had taken great pleasure in her and called for her again.
15 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.
Now when the time came for Esther (daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter) to go in to the king, she did not ask for anything but what Hegai the king's official, who was in charge of the women, suggested. Now Esther received the favor of all who saw her.
16 И вниде Есфирь ко царю Артаксерксу во вторыйнадесять месяц, иже есть Адар, в лето седмое царства его.
Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into the royal residence on the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 И возлюби царь Есфирь, и обрете благодать паче всех девиц, и возложи венец женский на главу ея.
The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she received acceptance and favor before him, more than all the other virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 И сотвори царь пир всем другом своим и силам седмь дний, и вознесе брак Есфирин, и сотвори отраду сущым во царствии его.
The king gave a great feast for all his officials and his servants, “Esther's feast,” and he granted relief from taxation to the provinces. He also gave gifts with royal generosity.
19 Мардохей же служаше во дворе (цареве).
Now when the virgins had been gathered together a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
20 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.
Esther had not yet told anyone about her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had instructed her. She continued to follow Mordecai's advice, as she had done when she was raised by him.
21 И опечалистася два евнуха царева началнейшии стражы тела его, яко предпочтен бысть Мардохей, и искаста убити Артаксеркса царя.
In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, two of the king's officials, Bigthana and Teresh, who guarded the doorway, became angry and sought to do harm to King Ahasuerus.
22 И возвестися слово Мардохею, и сказа Есфири: она же поведа царю, яже наветуют.
When the matter was revealed to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, and Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai.
23 Царь же испыта дву евнуху, (и исповедаста, ) и обеси их. И повеле царь вписати на память в царстей книгохранителнице о благодеянии Мардохеове в похвалу.
The report was investigated and confirmed, and both the men were hanged from a gallows. This account was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
