Esther 1
1 In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
Y ACONTECIÓ en los días de Assuero, (el Assuero que reinó desde la India hasta la Etiopía sobre ciento veinte y siete provincias, )
2 when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
Que en aquellos días, asentado que fué el rey Assuero en la silla de su reino, la cual estaba en Susán capital del reino,
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 banquete á todos sus príncipes y siervos, teniendo delante de él la fuerza de Persia y de Media, gobernadores y príncipes de provincias,
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.
Para mostrar él las riquezas de la gloria de su reino, y el lustre de la magnificencia de su poder, por muchos días, ciento y 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.
Y cumplidos estos días, hizo el rey banquete por siete días en el patio del huerto del palacio real á todo el pueblo, desde el mayor hasta el menor que se halló en Susán capital del reino.
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.
[El pabellón era de] blanco, verde, y cárdeno, tendido sobre cuerdas de lino y púrpura en sortijas de plata y columnas de mármol: los reclinatorios de oro y de plata, sobre losado de pórfido y de mármol, y de alabastro y de jacinto.
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.
Y daban á beber en vasos de oro, y vasos diferentes unos de otros, y mucho vino real, conforme á la facultad 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.
Y la bebida fué según esta ley: Que nadie constriñese; porque así lo había mandado el rey á todos los mayordomos de su casa; que se hiciese según la voluntad de cada uno.
9 Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
Asimismo la reina Vasthi hizo banquete de mujeres, en la casa real del rey Assuero.
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, estando el corazón del rey alegre del vino, mandó á Mehumán, y á Biztha, y á Harbona, y á Bigtha, y á Abagtha, y á Zetar, y á Carcas, siete eunucos que servían delante del rey Assuero,
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 trajesen á la reina Vasthi delante del rey con la corona regia, para mostrar á los pueblos y á los príncipes su hermosura; porque era linda de aspecto.
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,
Mas la reina Vasthi no quiso comparecer á la orden del rey, [enviada] por mano de los eunucos; y enojóse el rey muy mucho, y encendióse en él su ira.
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,
Preguntó entonces el rey á los sabios que sabían los tiempos, (porque así era la costumbre del rey para con todos los que sabían la ley y el derecho;
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 estaban junto á él, Carsena, y Sethar, y Admatha, y Tharsis, y Meres, y Marsena, y Memucán, siete príncipes de Persia y de Media que veían la cara del rey, y se sentaban los primeros del 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 se había de hacer según la ley con la reina Vasthi, por cuanto no había cumplido la orden del rey Assuero, [enviada] por mano de 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.
Y dijo Memucán delante del rey y de los príncipes: No solamente contra el rey ha pecado la reina Vasthi, sino contra todos los príncipes, y contra todos los pueblos que hay en todas las provincias del rey Assuero.
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 este hecho de la reina pasará á noticia de todas las mujeres, para hacerles tener en poca estima á sus maridos, diciendo: El rey Assuero mandó traer delante de sí á la reina Vasthi, y 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.
Y entonces dirán [esto] las señoras de Persia y de Media que oyeren el hecho de la reina, á todos los príncipes del rey: y [habrá] mucho menosprecio y enojo.
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 parece bien al rey, salga mandamiento real delante de él, y escríbase entre las leyes de Persia y de Media, y no sea traspasado: Que no venga más Vasthi delante del rey Assuero: y dé el rey su reino á su compañera 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.”
Y el mandamiento que hará el rey será oído en todo su reino, aunque es grande, y todas las mujeres darán honra á sus maridos, desde el mayor hasta el menor.
21 His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
Y plugo esta palabra en ojos del rey y de los príncipes, é hizo el rey conforme al dicho 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 letras á todas las provincias del rey, á cada provincia conforme á su escribir, y á cada pueblo conforme á su lenguaje, [diciendo] que todo hombre fuese señor en su casa; y háblese esto según la lengua de su pueblo.
