Estera 1
1 Bilo je u vrijeme Ahasvera, onoga Ahasvera koji je vladao nad sto dvadeset i sedam pokrajina od Indije do Etiopije.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus who reigned, from India even to Cush, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
2 U to vrijeme, dok je kralj Ahasver sjedio na prijestolju svoga kraljevstva u tvrđavi grada Suze,
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3 treće godine svoga kraljevanja, priredi on gozbu za sve svoje knezove i službenike. Našli su se tako pred njim zapovjednici perzijske i medijske vojske, odličnici i pokrajinski upravitelji.
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4 Punih sto i osamdeset dana pokazivaše on bogatstvo i slavu kraljevstva svoga i veličanstveni sjaj veličine svoje.
When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and eighty days.
5 Kad je prošlo to vrijeme, priredi kralj u vrtnom trijemu svoje palače sedmodnevnu gozbu za sav narod koji se nalazio u tvrđavi grada Suze, od najvišega pa do najnižega.
And when these days had ended, the king made a feast for all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both for great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
6 Zavjese od najfinijeg lana, vune, ljubičasta skrleta bile su pričvršćene vrpcama od beza i crvena grimiza o srebrne prstenove na stupovima od bijela mramora. Na podu od zelenog i bijelog mramora, sedefa i skupocjenog kamenja, nalazile se postelje od srebra i zlata.
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 Za piće su služili zlatni pehari, sve jedan drugačiji od drugoga, a vina je bilo kraljevski obilno, kako i dolikuje kraljevskoj moći.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels differing one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
8 Pilo se po nekom pravilu, ali ne prisilno, jer je kralj bio naredio svim nadzirateljima svoga dvora da sa svakim postupaju prema njegovoj želji.
And the drinking was according to the law; none constrained: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9 I kraljica Vašti priredi gozbu za žene u kraljevskoj palači kralja Ahasvera.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10 Sedmoga dana, kad srce kraljevo bijaše veselo od vina, naredi Mehumanu, Bizeti, Harboni, Bigti, Abagti, Zetaru i Karkasu, sedmorici eunuha koji su mu služili,
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11 da dovedu preda nj kraljicu Vašti s kraljevskom krunom, da bi pokazao narodu i knezovima ljepotu njezinu. Ona je uistinu bila privlačna.
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
12 Ali se kraljica Vašti ne htjede odazvati kraljevu pozivu što joj ga prenesoše dvorani. Kralj se tada veoma razbjesni i njegova se srdžba rasplamsa.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very angry, and his anger burned in him.
13 Onda zapita mudrace koji poznaju vremena. Jer svaki se kraljev posao tako proučavao među onima koji su poznavali zakone i pravo.
Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
14 Najbliži su mu bili Karsena, Šetar, Admata, Taršiš, Mares, Marsena i Memukan, sedam knezova Perzije i Medije. Oni su smjeli gledati kraljevo lice i zauzimali su najistaknutija mjesta u kraljevstvu.
And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and who sat in the first place in the kingdom; )
15 Upita ih: "Što treba prema zakonu poduzeti protiv kraljice Vašti, koja se nije pokorila zapovijedi kralja Ahasvera koju su joj saopćili dvorani?"
What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 Memukan tada odgovori pred kraljem i knezovima: "Kraljica je Vašti skrivila ne samo kralju nego i svim poglavarima i svem narodu koji prebiva u svim pokrajinama kralja Ahasvera.
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17 Jer će za držanje kraljičino doznati sve žene pa će prezirati svoje muževe govoreći: 'Kralj je Ahasver naredio da dovedu preda nj kraljicu Vašti, ali ona ne htjede doći.'
For this deed of the queen shall become known to all women, so that they shall look with contempt upon their husbands, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 I žene će knezova perzijskih i medijskih, pošto doznaju za kraljičino ponašanje, još danas pripovijedati svim poglavarima kraljevim, pa će biti prkosa i prezira u izobilju.
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day to all the king’s princes, who have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19 Stoga, svidi li se kralju, neka se objavi kraljevska naredba i umetne među zakone Perzije i Medije, tako da se više ne može opozvati, da se Vašti ne smije više pojaviti pred kraljem Ahasverom, a kralj neka preda kraljevsku čast drugoj ženi, boljoj od nje.
If it pleaseth the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she.
20 Kad se ta naredba koju će kralj učiniti pročuje po svem kraljevstvu, koje je zaista veliko, sve će žene iskazivati poštovanje svojim muževima, od najvišega pa do najnižega."
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be proclaimed throughout all his empire, (for it is great, ) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 Riječ se svidje i kralju i njegovim knezovima. Stoga on učini kako mu je savjetovao Memukan.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22 Uputi pisma u sve kraljevske pokrajine, svakoj pokrajini pismom kojim se ona služila, a svakom narodu njegovim jezikom, da svaki muž bude gospodar u svojoj kući.
For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be proclaimed in the language of every people.
