Esther 1
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces),
I Ahasverus's Dage — den Ahasverus, der herskede over Landene fra Indien til Ætiopien, 127 Lande —
2 that in those days, when king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
i hine Dage, da Kong Ahasverus sad paa sin Kongetrone i Borgen Susan, tildrog der sig følgende.
3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his rulers and his servants, the power of Persia and Media, the ranking men and rulers of the provinces, being before him
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,
4 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and eighty days.
og han udfoldede sin kongelige Herligheds Rigdom og sin Magts Glans og Pragt for dem i mange Dage, 180 Dage.
5 And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
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.
6 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.
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.
7 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.
Drikkene skænkedes i Guldbægre, alle forskellige, og der var kongelig Vin i store Maader paa ægte Fyrstevis;
8 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.
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.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Ogsaa Dronning Vasjti gjorde et Gæstebud for Kvinderne i Kong Ahasverus's Kongeborg.
10 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 who ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
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,
11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown to show the peoples and the rulers her beauty, for she was fair to look on.
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.
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the chamberlains. Therefore the king was very angry, and his fury burned in him.
Men Dronning Vasjti vægrede sig ved at komme paa Kongens Bud, som Hofmændene overbragte. Da blev Kongen harmfuld, og Vreden blussede op i ham.
13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king's manner toward all who knew law and judgment,
Og Kongen spurgte de vise, som kendte til Tidernes Tydning — thi Kongens Ord blev efter Skik og Brug forelagt alle de Lov— og Retskyndige,
14 and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),
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 —:
15 What shall we do to queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
»Hvad skal der efter Loven gøres ved Dronning Vasjti, fordi hun ikke adlød den Befaling, Kong Ahasverus gav hende ved Hofmændene?«
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the rulers, Vashti the queen has not done wrong only to the king, but also to all the rulers, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus.
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;
17 For this deed of the queen will come abroad to all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes when it shall be reported, King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she did not come.
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!
18 And this day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen will say the like to all the king's rulers. So there will arise much contempt and wrath.
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.
19 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 to another who is better than she.
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.
20 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.
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.«
21 And the saying pleased the king and the rulers, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
Det Forslag var godt i Kongens og Fyrsternes Øjne, og Kongen fulgte Memukans Forslag.
22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, 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.
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.
