Esther 1
1 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)—
I Ahasverus's Dage — den Ahasverus, der herskede over Landene fra Indien til Ætiopien, 127 Lande —
2 in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,
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 his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
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 And after this, after he had shewn to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during 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 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,
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 [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;
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 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.
Drikkene skænkedes i Guldbægre, alle forskellige, og der var kongelig Vin i store Maader paa ægte Fyrstevis;
8 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.
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 Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [dwelt].
Ogsaa Dronning Vasjti gjorde et Gæstebud for Kvinderne i Kong Ahasverus's Kongeborg.
10 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,
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 in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to shew her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
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 queen Astin hearkened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
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 And he said to his friends, Thus has Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] 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 So Arkesæus, and Sarsathæus, 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,
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 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.
»Hvad skal der efter Loven gøres ved Dronning Vasjti, fordi hun ikke adlød den Befaling, Kong Ahasverus gav hende ved Hofmændene?«
16 And Muchæus 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:
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 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,
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 princes; and the king did as Muchæus had said,
Det Forslag var godt i Kongens og Fyrsternes Øjne, og Kongen fulgte Memukans Forslag.
22 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.
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.
