< Estera 1 >
1 Bilo je u vrijeme Ahasvera, onoga Ahasvera koji je vladao nad sto dvadeset i sedam pokrajina od Indije do Etiopije.
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:
2 U to vrijeme, dok je kralj Ahasver sjedio na prijestolju svoga kraljevstva u tvrđavi grada Suze,
in those days, —when King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shusan 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 banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, —the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers 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 the glory of his kingdom, and the splendour of his excellent majesty, many days, a 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.
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:
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.
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.
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, vessels, from vessels, being diverse, —even the wine of the kingdom in abundance, by 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, no one compelling, —for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure.
9 I kraljica Vašti priredi gozbu za žene u kraljevskoj palači kralja Ahasvera.
Also Vashti the queen, made a banquet 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 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, —
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 in Vashti the queen, with the royal crown, —to show the peoples and the rulers her beauty, for, of pleasing appearance, was she.
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 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.
13 Onda zapita mudrace koji poznaju vremena. Jer svaki se kraljev posao tako proučavao među onima koji su poznavali zakone i pravo.
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;
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, 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—
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, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, —for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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."
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.
21 Riječ se svidje i kralju i njegovim knezovima. Stoga on učini kako mu je savjetovao Memukan.
And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and the rulers, —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.
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.