Ester 1
1 I Ahasverus's Dage — den Ahasverus, der herskede over Landene fra Indien til Ætiopien, 127 Lande —
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
2 i hine Dage, da Kong Ahasverus sad paa sin Kongetrone i Borgen Susan, tildrog der sig følgende.
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3 I sit tredje Regeringsaar gjorde han et Gæstebud for alle sine Fyrster og sine Folk; Persiens og Mediens ypperste Hærførere og Landsdelenes Fyrster var hans Gæster,
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4 og han udfoldede sin kongelige Herligheds Rigdom og sin Magts Glans og Pragt for dem i mange Dage, 180 Dage.
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5 Og da disse Dage var omme, gjorde Kongen for hele Folket i Borgen Susan, fra den højeste til den laveste, et syv Dages Gæstebud paa den aabne Plads foran Parken ved Kongeborgen.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
6 Hvidt Linned og violet Purpur var med Snore af fint Linned og rødt Purpur hængt op paa Sølvstænger og Marmorsøjler, og Guld— og Sølvdivaner stod paa et Gulv, der var indlagt med broget og hvidt Marmor, Perlemor og sorte Sten.
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 Drikkene skænkedes i Guldbægre, alle forskellige, og der var kongelig Vin i store Maader paa ægte Fyrstevis;
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, ( the vessels being diverse one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8 og ved Drikkelaget gjaldt den Regel, at man ikke nødte nogen; thi Kongen havde paalagt alle sine Hovmestre at lade enhver om, hvor meget han vilde have.
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9 Ogsaa Dronning Vasjti gjorde et Gæstebud for Kvinderne i Kong Ahasverus's Kongeborg.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10 Da Kongen den syvende Dag var oprømt af Vinen, bød han Mehuman, Bizta, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Zetar og Karkas, de syv Hofmænd, som stod i Kong Ahasverus's Tjeneste,
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 at føre Dronning Vasjti, prydet med det kongelige Diadem, frem for Kongen, for at han kunde vise Folkene og Fyrsterne hendes Dejlighed. Thi hun var meget smuk.
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
12 Men Dronning Vasjti vægrede sig ved at komme paa Kongens Bud, som Hofmændene overbragte. Da blev Kongen harmfuld, og Vreden blussede op i ham.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13 Og Kongen spurgte de vise, som kendte til Tidernes Tydning — thi Kongens Ord blev efter Skik og Brug forelagt alle de Lov— og Retskyndige,
Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
14 og de, der stod ham nærmest, var Karsjena, Sjetar, Admata, Tarsjisj, Meres, Marsena og Memukan, de syv persiske og mediske Fyrster, som saa Kongens Aasyn og havde den øverste Magt i Riget —:
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom; )
15 »Hvad skal der efter Loven gøres ved Dronning Vasjti, fordi hun ikke adlød den Befaling, Kong Ahasverus gav hende ved Hofmændene?«
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 Da sagde Memukan i Kongens og Fyrsternes Paahør: »Dronning Vasjti har ikke alene forbrudt sig imod Kongen, men ogsaa imod alle Fyrster og alle Folk i alle Kong Ahasverus's Lande;
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 thi Dronningens Opførsel vil rygtes blandt alle Kvinderne, og Følgen bliver, at de viser deres Mænd Ringeagt, naar det hedder sig: Kong Ahasverus bød, at man skulde føre Dronning Vasjti til ham, men hun kom ikke!
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 Og saa snart de hører om Dronningens Adfærd, lader Persiens og Mediens Fyrstinder alle Kongens Fyrster det høre; deraf kan der kun komme Ringeagt og Vrede.
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19 Hvis Kongen synes, saa lade han udgaa et kongeligt Bud, som skal optegnes i Persiens og Mediens Love og være uigenkaldeligt, om at Vasjti aldrig mere maa vise sig for Kong Ahasverus; og Kongen skal give hendes kongelige Værdighed til en anden, som er bedre end hun.
If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment 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 unto another that is better than she.
20 Naar saa den Forordning, Kongen lader udgaa, bliver kendt i hele hans Rige — thi det er stort — da vil alle Kvinderne, baade høje og lave, vise deres Mænd Agtelse.«
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, ( for it is great, ) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 Det Forslag var godt i Kongens og Fyrsternes Øjne, og Kongen fulgte Memukans Forslag.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22 Han sendte Skrivelser til alle Kongens Lande, til hver Landsdel med dens egen Skrift og til hvert Folk paa dets eget Sprog, om at hver Mand skulde være Herre i sit eget Hus og tale sit Folks Sprog.
For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
