أسْتِير 1
| وَحَدَثَ فِي أَيَّامِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ، الَّذِي امْتَدَّ حُكْمُهُ مِنَ الْهِنْدِ إِلَى كُوشٍ، فَمَلَكَ عَلَى مِئَةٍ وَسَبْعَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ إِقْلِيماً، | ١ 1 |
Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces),
| أَنَّهُ جَلَسَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ عَلَى عَرْشِ مُلْكِهِ فِي شُوشَنَ الْقَصْرِ، | ٢ 2 |
in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the palace,
| فِي السَّنَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ مِنْ عَهْدِهِ، وَأَقَامَ مَأْدُبَةً لِجَمِيعِ رُؤَسَاءِ جَيْشِ مَادِي وَفَارِسَ وَقَادَتِهِ، وَمَثَلَ أَمَامَهُ نُبَلاءُ الْمَمْلَكَةِ وَعُظَمَاؤُهَا. | ٣ 3 |
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him.
| وَظَلَّتِ الْوَلائِمُ قَائِمَةً طَوَالَ مِئَةٍ وَثَمَانِينَ يَوْماً، أَظْهَرَ فِيهَا الْمَلِكُ كُلَّ بَذَخٍ مِنْ غِنَى مُلْكِهِ وَعِزَّةِ جَلالِ عَظَمَتِهِ. | ٤ 4 |
He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred and eighty days.
| وَبَعْدَ أَنِ انْقَضَتْ هَذِهِ الأَيَّامُ، صَنَعَ الْمَلِكُ وَلِيمَةً لِجَمِيعِ الشَّعْبِ الْمُقِيمِ فِي شُوشَنَ الْعَاصِمَةِ، كِبَارِهِمْ وَصِغَارِهِمْ، اسْتَمَرَّتْ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ فِي دَارِ حَدِيقَةِ الْقَصْرِ. | ٥ 5 |
When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast for all the people who were present in Susa the palace, both great and small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
| الَّتِي زُيِّنَتْ بِأَنْسِجَةٍ بَيْضَاءَ وَخَضْرَاءَ وَزَرْقَاءَ، عُلِّقَتْ بِحِبَالٍ كَتَّانِيَّةٍ مُلَوَّنَةٍ فِي حَلَقَاتٍ فِضِّيَّةٍ وَأَعْمِدَةٍ رُخَامِيَّةٍ وَأَرَائِكَ ذَهَبِيَّةٍ وَفِضِّيَّةٍ، عَلَى أَرْضِيَّةٍ مَرْصُوفَةٍ بِرُخَامٍ أَبْيَضَ وَمَرْمَرٍ وَدُرٍّ وَرُخَامٍ أَسْوَدَ. | ٦ 6 |
There were hangings of white and blue material, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, white, yellow, and black marble.
| وَكَانَتِ الأَقْدَاحُ الَّتِي تُقَدَّمُ فِيهَا الْخُمُورُ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَآنِيَةُ الْمَوَائِدِ مُخْتَلِفَةَ الأَشْكَالِ، أَمَّا الْخُمُورُ الْمَلَكِيَّةُ فَكَانَتْ وَفِيرَةً بِفَضْلِ كَرَمِ الْمَلِكِ. | ٧ 7 |
They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
| وَأَصْدَرَ الْمَلِكُ أَمْرَهُ إِلَى كِبَارِ رِجَالِ قَصْرِهِ أَنْ يُقَدِّمُوا الْخُمُورَ حَسَبَ رَغْبَةِ كُلِّ مَدْعُوٍّ مِنْ غَيْرِ قُيُودٍ، | ٨ 8 |
In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
| وَأَقَامَتْ وَشْتِي الْمَلِكَةُ وَلِيمَةً أُخْرَى لِلنِّسَاءِ فِي قَصْرِ الْمَلِكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ. | ٩ 9 |
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
| وَفِي الْيَوْمِ السَّابِعِ عِنْدَمَا دَارَتِ الْخَمْرُ بِرَأْسِ الْمَلِكِ، أَمَرَ خِصْيَانَهُ السَّبْعَةَ مَهُومَانَ وَبِزْثَا وَحَرْبُونَا وَبِغْثَا وَأَبَغْثَا وَزِيثَارَ وَكَرْكَسَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَخْدُمُونَ فِي حَضْرَتِهِ، | ١٠ 10 |
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
| أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالْمَلِكَةِ وَشْتِي لِتَمْثُلَ فِي حَضْرَتِهِ، وَعَلَى رَأْسِهَا تَاجُ الْمُلْكِ، لِيَرَى الْحَاضِرُونَ مِنَ الشَّعْبِ وَالْعُظَمَاءِ جَمَالَهَا، لأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ رَائِعَةَ الْفِتْنَةِ. | ١١ 11 |
to bring Vashti the queen before the king wearing the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
| فَأَبَتِ الْمَلِكَةُ أَنْ تُطِيعَ أَمْرَ الْمَلِكِ الَّذِي نَقَلَهُ إِلَيْهَا الْخِصْيَانُ. فَاسْتَشَاطَ الْمَلِكُ غَيْظاً وَاشْتَعَلَ غَضَبُهُ فِي دَاخِلِهِ. | ١٢ 12 |
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burnt in him.
| وَكَانَتْ عَادَةُ الْمَلِكِ أَنْ يَسْتَشِيرَ الْحُكَمَاءَ الْعَارِفِينَ بِالأَزْمِنَةِ وَالشَّرَائِعِ وَالْقَوَانِينِ، فَسَأَلَ | ١٣ 13 |
Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgement;
| كَرْشَنَا وَشِيثَارَ وَأَدْمَاثَا وَتَرْشِيشَ وَمَرَسَ وَمَرْسَنَا وَمَمُوكَانَ، وَهُمْ سَبْعَةُ حُكَمَاءَ مُقَرَّبُونَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ مَادِي وَفَارِسَ، مِمَّنْ يَمْثُلُونَ دَائِماً أَمَامَ الْمَلِكِ، وَيَحْتَلُّونَ الْمَرَاتِبَ الأُولَى فِي الْمَمْلَكَةِ: | ١٤ 14 |
and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
| «أَيُّ شَيْءٍ تُعَاقَبُ بِهِ الْمَلِكَةُ، حَسَبَ نَصِّ الْقَانُونِ، لأَنَّهَا لَمْ تُنَفِّذْ أَمْرَ الْمَلِكِ الَّذِي نَقَلَهُ إِلَيْهَا الْخِصْيَانُ؟» | ١٥ 15 |
“What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?”
| فَأَجَابَهُ مَمُوكَانُ فِي حَضْرَةِ الْعُظَمَاءِ: «إِنَّ الْمَلِكَةَ وَشْتِي لَمْ تُذْنِبْ فِي حَقِّ الْمَلِكِ وَحْدَهُ، بَلْ أَسَاءَتْ إِلَى جَمِيعِ الرُّؤَسَاءِ وَالأُمَمِ الْمُقِيمِينَ فِي تُخُومِ الْمَلِكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ، | ١٦ 16 |
Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.
| فَمَا إِنْ يَذِيعُ خَبَرُ تَصَرُّفِ الْمَلِكَةِ بَيْنَ جَمِيعِ النِّسَاءِ، حَتَّى يَحْتَقِرْنَ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ، إِذْ يَقُلْنَ: إِنَّ الْمَلِكَ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ أَمَرَ أَنْ تَمْثُلَ الْمَلِكَةُ وَشْتِي أَمَامَهُ وَلَكِنَّهَا لَمْ تُنَفِّذْ أَمْرَهُ. | ١٧ 17 |
For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’
| فَتَحْذُو فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ سَيِّدَاتُ فَارِسَ وَمَادِي، اللَّوَاتِي بَلَغَهُنَّ خَبَرُ الْمَلِكَةِ، حَذْوَهَا، مَعَ جَمِيعِ رُؤَسَاءِ الْمَلِكِ. وَمِثْلُ هَذَا يُثِيرُ كَثْرَةً مِنَ الاحْتِقَارِ وَالْغَضَبِ. | ١٨ 18 |
Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
| فَإِذَا رَاقَ لِلْمَلِكِ فَلْيُصْدِرْ أَمْراً مَلَكِيًّا، يُسَجَّلُ ضِمْنَ مَرَاسِيمِ مَادِي وَفَارِسَ الَّتِي لَا تَتَغَيَّرُ، يُحَظَّرُ فِيهِ عَلَى وَشْتِي الْمُثُولُ فِي حَضْرَةِ الْمَلِكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ. وَلْيُنْعِمِ الْمَلِكُ بِمُلْكِهَا عَلَى مَنْ هِيَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا. | ١٩ 19 |
“If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written amongst the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
| وَهَكَذَا يَذِيعُ أَمْرُ الْمَلِكِ الصَّادِرُ عَنْهُ فِي كُلِّ أَرْجَاءِ مَمْلَكَتِهِ الشَّاسِعَةِ، فَتُعَامِلُ جَمِيعُ النِّسَاءِ أَزْوَاجَهُنَّ صِغَاراً وَكِبَاراً بِاحْتِرَامٍ». | ٢٠ 20 |
When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honour, both great and small.”
| فَاسْتَصْوَبَ الْمَلِكُ وَعُظَمَاؤُهُ هَذَا الرَّأْيَ، وَعَمِلَ بِمَشُورَةِ مَمُوكَانَ، | ٢١ 21 |
This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
| فَبَعَثَ رَسَائِلَ إِلَى كُلِّ أَرْجَاءِ الْمَمْلَكَةِ، مَكْتُوبَةً بِلُغَةِ أَقَالِيمِهَا وَبِلَهْجَةِ شُعُوبِهَا، يَأْمُرُ فِيهَا أَنْ يَكُونَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ السَّيِّدَ الْمُطَاعَ فِي بَيْتِهِ وَأَوْصَى أَنْ يُذَاعَ هَذَا الأَمْرُ حَسَبَ لُغَةِ كُلِّ شَعْبٍ. | ٢٢ 22 |
for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people.
