< Esther 1 >

1 Now it came about in the days of Ahasuerus, (that Ahasuerus who was ruler of a hundred and twenty-seven divisions of the kingdom, from India as far as Ethiopia: )
Aconteció en los días de Asuero, el que reinó desde India hasta Etiopía sobre 127 provincias,
2 That in those days, when King Ahasuerus was ruling in Shushan, his strong town,
cuando el rey se sentó en el trono real en la capital que estaba en Susa,
3 In the third year of his rule he gave a feast to all his captains and his servants; and the captains of the army of Persia and Media, the great men and the rulers of the divisions of his kingdom, were present before him;
en el tercer año de su reinado, hizo un banquete a todos sus magistrados y servidores. Tenía ante él al ejército de Persia y Media, los nobles, y las autoridades de las provincias.
4 And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.
Exhibió la gloria de las riquezas de su reino y la magnificencia de su poderío durante 180 días.
5 And at the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.
Cuando se cumplieron esos días el rey brindó un banquete a todo el pueblo que estaba en la capital Susa, tanto a los encumbrados como a los humildes, durante siete días en el patio del jardín del palacio real.
6 There were fair hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone: the seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.
Había allí lienzos de lino blanco y azul, colgados con cordones púrpura a anillos de plata entre columnas de mármol. Los reclinatorios eran de oro y plata, y estaban sobre un enlosado de mosaicos verdes y blancos con incrustaciones de nácar y de ónice.
7 And they gave them drink in gold vessels, every vessel being different, and wine of the kingdom, freely given by the king.
Conforme a la generosidad del rey, daban a beber vino real en abundancia, en copas de oro de distintas clases.
8 And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.
La bebida era brindada según lo establecido, sin obligación, porque el rey dispuso que los funcionarios de su palacio vieran que cada cual hiciera según su propio gusto.
9 And Vashti the queen gave a feast for the women in the house of King Ahasuerus.
También la reina Vasti ofreció un banquete para las mujeres del palacio real del rey Asuero.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven unsexed servants who were waiting before Ahasuerus the king,
Al séptimo día, cuando el rey estaba alegre a causa del vino, ordenó a Mehumán, Bizta, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Zetar y Carcas, los siete servidores del palacio que servían al rey Asuero,
11 That Vashti the queen was to come before him, crowned with her crown, and let the people and the captains see her: for she was very beautiful.
que condujeran a la reina Vasti ante el rey, adornada con la corona real, para mostrar su belleza a la gente y los gobernantes, porque ella tenía hermosa apariencia.
12 But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come: then the king was very angry, and his heart was burning with wrath.
Pero la reina Vasti se negó a cumplir la orden que el rey envió por medio de los servidores del palacio. El rey se indignó muchísimo por esto y airó.
13 And the king said to the wise men, who had knowledge of the times, (for this was the king's way with all who were expert in law and in the giving of decisions:
Entonces el rey consultó a los sabios que conocían los tiempos, como era su costumbre con los que conocían la ley y el derecho.
14 And second only to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom: )
Los más cercanos eran Carsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena y Memucán, los siete magistrados de Persia y Media, quienes veían el rostro del rey y se sentaban como primeros en el reino.
15 What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?
Según la ley, ¿qué debe hacerse con la reina Vasti porque no cumplió la orden del rey Asuero enviada por medio de los servidores del palacio?
16 And before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus;
Entonces Memucán respondió ante el rey y los príncipes: La reina Vasti no faltó el respeto solamente al rey, sino también a todos los gobernantes y todos los pueblos que están en todas las provincias del rey Asuero.
17 For news of what the queen has done will come to the ears of all women, and they will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she came not.
Porque la conducta de la reina llegará a los oídos de todas las mujeres, quienes podrían menospreciar a sus esposos cuando se diga que el rey Asuero ordenó a la reina Vasti que se presentara ante él, y ella no quiso.
18 And the wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and wrath.
En este mismo día las princesas de Persia y de Media, enteradas del proceder de la reina, podrán decir lo mismo a todos los príncipes del rey, de modo que se levantará una gran ira y desprecio.
19 If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him, and let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her place to another who is better than she.
Si parece bien al rey, proclame un edicto real que sea escrito entre las leyes de Persia y Media con carácter irrevocable, que Vasti no comparezca más ante el rey Asuero, y que el rey otorgue su título de reina a otra más digna que ella.
20 And when this order, given by the king, is made public through all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give honour to their husbands, great as well as small.
Cuando el edicto del rey sea oído en todo su reino, ¡que siempre sea grande! todas las mujeres darán honra a sus esposos, tanto al más importante como al más humilde.
21 And this suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains; and the king did as Memucan said;
El consejo agradó al rey y a los magistrados, y el rey hizo conforme a la palabra de Memucán.
22 And sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom, to every division in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs, saying that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
Envió cartas a todas las provincias del rey, a cada provincia según su escritura y a cada pueblo según su lengua, para que cada varón fuera jefe en su casa y lo difundiera según la lengua de su pueblo.

< Esther 1 >