Ester 1
1 Og det skete i Ahasverus's Dage (det er den Ahasverus, som regerede fra Indien og indtil Morland over hundrede og syv og tyve Landskaber),
And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
2 i de samme Dage, da Kong Ahasverus sad paa sit Riges Trone, som var i Borgen Susan,
in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,
3 i sin Regerings tredje Aar, gjorde han alle sine Fyrster og sine Tjenere et Gæstebud; Persiens og Mediens Hær, de fornemste og Fyrsterne i Landskaberne vare for hans Ansigt,
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
4 der han lod se sit Kongedømmes herlige Rigdom og sin Majestæts prægtige Glans mange Dage, hundrede og firsindstyve Dage.
And after this, after he had shown to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
5 Og der disse Dage vare forløbne, gjorde Kongen alt Folket, som fandtes i Borgen Susan, baade store og smaa, et Gæstebud i syv Dage i Forgaarden til Haven ved Kongens Palads.
when, [I say], the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king's house,
6 Der hang hvide, grønne og blaa Tæpper, hæftede ved Snorer af kosteligt Lin og Purpur til Sølvringe og til Marmorstøtter; der var Bænke af Guld og Sølv paa et Gulv, der var indlagt med Porfyr og hvidt Marmor og Perlemor og sort Marmor.
[which was] adorned with [hangings] of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: [there were] golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
7 Og man gav dem at drikke i Guldkar, og Karrene vare af forskellig Slags; og der var megen kongelig Vin, saaledes som Kongen formaaede.
gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
8 Og man drak, som det var foreskrevet: Ingen nødte; thi saa havde Kongen befalet alle sine Hushovmestre, at enhver kunde gøre efter sin frie Villie.
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
9 Vasthi, Dronningen, gjorde og et Gæstebud for Kvinderne i Kong Ahasverus's kongelige Hus.
Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [lived].
10 Paa den syvende Dag, der Kongens Hjerte var vel til Mode af Vinen, sagde han til Mehuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha og Abagtha, Sethar og Karkas, de syv Kammertjenere, de som tjente for Kong Ahasverus's Ansigt,
Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
11 at de skulde føre Dronning Vasthi frem for Kongens Ansigt med kongelig Krone for at lade Folket og Fyrsterne se hendes Dejlighed; thi hun var dejlig af Anseelse.
to bring in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
12 Men Dronning Vasthi vægrede sig ved at komme efter Kongens Ord ved Kammertjenerne; da blev Kongen saare vred, og hans Harme optændtes i ham.
But queen Astin listened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
13 Og Kongen sagde til de vise, som forstode sig paa Tiderne — thi saaledes blev en Sag fra Kongen forhandlet for alle, som forstode sig paa Lov og Ret;
And he said to his friends, Thus have Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] law and judgement.
14 og de næste hos ham vare: Karsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena, Memukan, de syv Fyrster af Persien og Medien, som saa Kongens Ansigt og som sade øverst i Riget —:
So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief [in rank] by the king, drew near to him,
15 Hvad skal man efter Loven gøre ved Dronning Vasthi, fordi hun ikke har gjort efter Kong Ahasverus's Ord ved Kammertjenerne?
and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
16 Og Memukan sagde for Kongens og Fyrsternes Ansigt: Dronning Vasthi har ikke alene forbrudt sig imod Kongen, men imod alle Fyrsterne og imod alle Folkene, som ere i alle Kong Ahasverus's Landskaber.
And Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king's rulers and princes:
17 Thi Dronningens Ord vil komme ud til alle Kvinderne, saa at de foragte deres Mænd for deres Øjne, naar de sige: Kongen, Ahasverus, sagde, at man skulde føre Dronning Vasthi frem for hans Ansigt, og hun kom ikke.
for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
18 Og paa denne Dag ville Fyrstinderne i Persien og Medien sige ligesaa til alle Kongens Fyrster, naar de have hørt Dronningens Ord; og saa vil der komme nok af Foragt og Vrede.
so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
19 Dersom det synes Kongen godt, saa udgaa et kongeligt Bud fra ham, og det vorde opskrevet iblandt Persers og Meders Love, saa at det ikke gaar tabt: At Vasthi ikke skal komme for Kong Ahasverus's Ansigt, og hendes kongelige Værdighed give Kongen til hendes Næste, som er bedre end hun.
If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter [it]: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
20 Naar Kongens Befaling høres, som han udsteder i sit ganske Rige — thi det er stort — da skulle alle Kvinderne holde deres Mænd i Ære, baade store og smaa.
And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
21 Og det Ord syntes godt for Kongens og Fyrsternes Øjne, og Kongen gjorde efter Memukans Ord.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,
22 Og han udsendte Breve til alle Kongens Landskaber, til hvert Landskab efter dets Skrift, og til hvert Folk efter dets Tungemaal; at hver Mand skal have Herredømmet i sit Hus og tale efter sit Folks Tungemaal.
and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.
