Esther 1
1 And it came to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus, —the same, Ahasuerus that reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
And it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh, of the same Achashverosh who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,
2 in those days, —when King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shusan the palace;
In those days, when this king Achashverosh was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the capital,
3 in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, —the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers being before him;
That, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces who were near him:
4 when he showed the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the splendour of his excellent majesty, many days, a hundred and eighty days;
When he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the brilliance [and] the splendor of his greatness, during many days, a hundred and eighty days.
5 that, when these days were fulfilled, the king made—for all the people that were present in Shusan the palace, both for great and small—a banquet, seven days, —in the court of the garden of the palace of the king:
And when these days were completed, the king made unto all the people that were found in Shushan the capital, unto every one, from the great even to the small, a feast of seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6 white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, —the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble.
[Where were] white, green, and blue [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, on rollers of silver and pillars of marble; couches of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and yellow, and black marble.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, vessels, from vessels, being diverse, —even the wine of the kingdom in abundance, by the bounty of the king.
And they gave them to drink in vessels of gold, —the vessels being diverse one from the other, —and the royal wine was in abundance, according to the ability of the king.
8 And, the drinking, was according to the law, no one compelling, —for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure.
And the drinking was, according to the [king's] order, without compulsion; for so had the king enjoined on all the officers of his house, to do according to the pleasure of every man.
9 Also Vashti the queen, made a banquet for the women, —in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.
10 On the seventh day, when merry was the heart of the king with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who were waiting before King Ahasuerus, —
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Charbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Achashverosh,
11 to bring in Vashti the queen, with the royal crown, —to show the peoples and the rulers her beauty, for, of pleasing appearance, was she.
To bring Vashti the queen before the king [ornamented] with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was handsome in appearance.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come in at the command of the king, which was given through the eunuchs, —and the king was exceeding wroth, and, his anger, burned within him.
But queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king brought by the hand of the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burnt in him.
13 Then said the king unto the wise men having knowledge of the times, —for, so, was the manner of the king before all having knowledge of law and judgment;
Then said the king to the wise men, who knew [the occurrences of] the times; for so [came] every affair of the king before all acquainted with law and state institutions;
14 and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, —the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom—
And those next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tharshish, Meress, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who could see [at all times] the king's face, who sat in the first rank in the kingdom:
15 According to law, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, —for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through the eunuchs?
What should according to law be done with queen Vashti; because she had not fulfilled the order of king Achashverosh by the hand of the chamberlains?
16 Then said Memucan before the king and the rulers, Not against the king alone, hath Vashti the queen acted perversely, —but against all the rulers, and against all the peoples, who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
Then said Memuchan before the king and the princes, Not against the king alone hath Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of king Achashverosh.
17 For the report of the queen, will go forth, unto all women, so putting contempt upon their lords, in their eyes, —when it is reported to them, King Ahasuerus, commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
For the conduct of the queen will go abroad unto all the women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought into his presence, but she came not.
18 And, this day, shall the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard the report of the queen, tell it, unto all the lords of the king, —with enough of contempt and wrath.
And even this day will the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the conduct of the queen, say this unto all the princes of the king; and there will arise too much contempt and quarrel.
19 If, unto the king, it seem good, let there go forth a royal declaration from before him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it shall not pass away, —That Vashti, is not to come in, before King Ahasuerus, and, her royal estate, let the king give unto her neighbour, who is better than she.
If it please the king, let there go forth a royal order from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that no one transgress it, That Vashti come no more before king Achashverosh: and let the king give her royal dignity unto another that is better than she.
20 When the edict of the king which he shall make, is published throughout all his kingdom, for, great, it is, then, all wives, will give honour unto their lords, both great and small.
And when the king's decree which he will make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, however great it is: all the wives will show respect to their husbands, unto every one, from the great even to the small.
21 And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and the rulers, —and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
And the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king and of the princes; and the king did according to the speech of Memuchan.
22 So he sent letters, into all the provinces of the king, into every province according to she writing thereof, and unto every people according to their tongue, —That every man should he ruler in his own house, and issue his commands, according to the tongue of his people.
And he sent letters unto all the provinces of the king, unto every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, however he may speak according to the language of his people.
