< Estera 1 >

1 Bilo je u vrijeme Ahasvera, onoga Ahasvera koji je vladao nad sto dvadeset i sedam pokrajina od Indije do Etiopije.
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 U to vrijeme, dok je kralj Ahasver sjedio na prijestolju svoga kraljevstva u tvrđavi grada Suze,
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
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, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
4 Punih sto i osamdeset dana pokazivaše on bogatstvo i slavu kraljevstva svoga i veličanstveni sjaj veličine svoje.
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
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.
At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
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.
Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7 Za piće su služili zlatni pehari, sve jedan drugačiji od drugoga, a vina je bilo kraljevski obilno, kako i dolikuje kraljevskoj moći.
Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
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.
By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
9 I kraljica Vašti priredi gozbu za žene u kraljevskoj palači kralja Ahasvera.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
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 king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
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 Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
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.
Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within 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 consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
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.
His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest 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?"
“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
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 in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
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 the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
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.
This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in 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.
So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman 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."
The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
21 Riječ se svidje i kralju i njegovim knezovima. Stoga on učini kako mu je savjetovao Memukan.
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
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.
He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.

< Estera 1 >