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 who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces),
2 i hine Dage, da Kong Ahasverus sad på 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 Regeringsår 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 showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a 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 på den åbne Plads foran Parken ved Kongeborgen.
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both 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 på Sølvstænger og Marmorsøjler, og Guld- og Sølvdivaner stod på et Gulv, der var indlagt med broget og hvidt Marmor, Perlemor og sorte Sten.
[There were hangings of] white [cloth], [of] green, and [of] blue, 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 white, and yellow, and black marble.
7 Drikkene skænkedes i Guldbægre, alle forskellige, og der var kongelig Vin i store Måder på 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 bounty of the king.
8 og ved Drikkelaget gjaldt den Regel, at man ikke nødte nogen; thi Kongen havde pålagt alle sine Hovmestre at lade enhver om, hvor meget han vilde have.
And the drinking was according to the law; none could 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 Også 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 ministered 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 show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on.
12 Men bronning Vasjti vægrede sig ved at komme på 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 the 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, who 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 så Kongens Åsyn og havde den øverste Magt i Riget:
and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat 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 done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 Da sagde Memukan i Kongens og Fyrsternes Påhør: "Dronning Vasjti har ikke alene forbrudt sig imod Kongen, men også 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 peoples 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, når det hedder sig: Kong Ahasverus bød, at man skulde føre Dronning Vasjti til ham, men hun kom ikke!
For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible 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 så snart de hører om Dronningens Adfærd, lader Persiens og Mediens Fyrstinder alle Kongens Fyrster det høre; deraf kan der kun komme Ringeagt og Vrede.
And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say [the like] unto all the king’s princes. So [will there arise] much contempt and wrath.
19 Hvis Kongen synes, så lade han udgå et kongeligt Bud, som skal optegnes i Persiens og Mediens Love og være uigenkaldeligt, om at Vasjti aldrig mere må 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 forth 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 Når så den Forordning, kongen lader udgå, bliver kendt i hele hans Rige - thi det er stort - da vil alle Kvinderne, både høje og lave, vise deres Mænd Agtelse.
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, 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 på 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 should speak according to the language of his people.
