Esther 1
1 In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
En los días de Asuero (éste es Asuero, que reinó desde la India hasta Etiopía, sobre ciento veintisiete provincias),
2 when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
en aquellos días, cuando el rey Asuero se sentó en el trono de su reino, que estaba en el palacio de Susa,
3 And so, in the third year of his reign, he made a great feast for all the leaders and his servants, for the most powerful among the Persians and the distinguished among the Medes, and for the rulers of the provinces before him,
en el tercer año de su reinado, hizo una fiesta para todos sus príncipes y sus servidores; el ejército de Persia y de Media, los nobles y los príncipes de las provincias estaban delante de él.
4 so that he might show the glorious riches of his kingdom, as well as its greatness, and so boast of his power, for a long time, namely, one hundred and eighty days.
Exhibió las riquezas de su glorioso reino y el honor de su excelente majestad muchos días, hasta ciento ochenta días.
5 And when the days of the feast were nearly completed, he invited all the people, who had been found in Susa, from the greatest even to the least, and he commanded a feast to be prepared, for seven days, in the court of the garden and the arboretum, which had been planted by the care and by the hand of the king.
Cuando se cumplieron estos días, el rey hizo una fiesta de siete días para todo el pueblo presente en el palacio de Susa, tanto el grande como el pequeño, en el patio del jardín del palacio real.
6 And, in every direction, tents the color of the sky and of flax as well as hyacinth were hung up, suspended by cords of linen and even purple, which had been placed through rings of ivory and were held up with marble columns. The couches also, of gold and silver, had been arranged over a pavement of emerald-green, bearing scattered jewels, which was decorated with a wonderful variety of images.
Había colgaduras de material blanco y azul, sujetas con cordones de lino fino y púrpura a anillos de plata y a columnas de mármol. Los divanes eran de oro y plata, sobre un pavimento de mármol rojo, blanco, amarillo y negro.
7 Moreover, those who had been invited drank from golden cups, and dishes of foods were brought in one after another. Likewise, choice wine was presented in abundance, as was worthy of royal magnificence.
Les daban de beber en vasos de oro de diversas clases, incluso vino real en abundancia, según la generosidad del rey.
8 Nor was anyone compelled to drink who was unwilling, but, just as the king had appointed, one of his nobles was set over each table, so that each one might select what he wanted.
De acuerdo con la ley, la bebida no era obligatoria, pues así lo había ordenado el rey a todos los funcionarios de su casa, para que hicieran lo que cada uno quisiera.
9 Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
También la reina Vasti hizo un banquete para las mujeres de la casa real que pertenecía al rey Asuero.
10 And so, on the seventh day, when the king was more cheerful, and, after excessive drinking, had become warmed with wine, he ordered Mehuman, and Biztha, and Harbona, and Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zethar, and Charkas, seven eunuchs who served in his presence,
El séptimo día, cuando el corazón del rey estaba alegre por el vino, ordenó a Mehumán, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha y Abagtha, Zethar y Carcass, los siete eunucos que servían en presencia del rey Asuero,
11 to bring in queen Vashti before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to the whole people and to the leaders, for she was very beautiful.
que trajeran a la reina Vasti ante el rey con la corona real, para mostrar al pueblo y a los príncipes su belleza, pues era hermosa.
12 She refused, and she showed contempt towards the king’s command, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry and inflamed with a very great fury,
Pero la reina Vasti se negó a presentarse a la orden del rey por medio de los eunucos. Por eso el rey se enojó mucho, y su ira ardía en él.
13 questioned the wise men, who, according to royal custom were always near him and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws as well as the judgments of their ancestors,
Entonces el rey dijo a los sabios, que conocían los tiempos (pues era costumbre del rey consultar a los que conocían la ley y el juicio;
14 (but first and foremost were Carshena, and Shethar, and Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, seven rulers of the Persians as well as the Medes, who saw the face of the king and who were accustomed to sitting down first after him, )
y junto a él estaban Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena y Memucan, los siete príncipes de Persia y de Media, que veían la cara del rey y se sentaban los primeros en el reino),
15 as to what sentence should fall upon Vashti the queen, who had refused to do the commandment of king Artaxerxes, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs.
“¿Qué haremos con la reina Vasti según la ley, porque no ha cumplido la orden del rey Asuero por los eunucos?”
16 And Memucan answered, in the hearing of the king as well as the rulers, “Queen Vashti has wounded not only the king, but also all the people and the leaders, who are in all the provinces of king Artaxerxes.
Memucán respondió ante el rey y los príncipes: “La reina Vasti no ha hecho mal sólo al rey, sino también a todos los príncipes y a todo el pueblo que está en todas las provincias del rey Asuero.
17 For word about the queen will go out to all the women, so that they will show contempt for their husbands, and they will say, ‘King Artaxerxes ordered that queen Vashti should enter before him, and she would not.’
Porque esta acción de la reina será conocida por todas las mujeres, haciéndolas despreciar a sus maridos cuando se diga: ‘El rey Asuero mandó traer a la reina Vasti ante él, pero ella no vino’.
18 And so, by this example all the wives of the leaders of the Persians and the Medes will belittle the authority of their husbands; therefore, the indignation of the king is just.
Hoy, las princesas de Persia y de Media que se han enterado de la acción de la reina lo contarán a todos los príncipes del rey. Esto causará mucho desprecio e ira.
19 If it pleases you, let an edict be sent out from your presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and the Medes, which it is forbidden to disregard, that Vashti shall no longer enter before the king, but let another, who is better than her, receive her queenship.
“Si al rey le parece bien, que salga de él un mandamiento real y que se escriba entre las leyes de los persas y de los medos, para que no pueda ser alterado, a fin de que Vasti no vuelva a presentarse ante el rey Asuero; y que el rey dé su patrimonio real a otra que sea mejor que ella.
20 And let this be published in all the provinces of your empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, the greater as much as the lesser, give honor to their husbands.”
Cuando se publique en todo el reino el decreto del rey que él hará (porque es grande), todas las mujeres darán honor a sus maridos, tanto a los grandes como a los pequeños.”
21 His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
Este consejo agradó al rey y a los príncipes, y el rey hizo conforme a la palabra de Memucán:
22 and he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, so that every nation was able to hear and to read, in various languages and letters, that husbands are to be the greater rulers in their own houses, and that this should be published to every people.
pues envió cartas a todas las provincias del rey, a cada provincia según su escritura, y a cada pueblo en su lengua, para que cada uno gobernara su casa, hablando en la lengua de su pueblo.
