Esther 2
1 And so, after this had been carried out, and the indignation of king Artaxerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had happened to her.
Beberapa waktu kemudian, walaupun raja sudah tidak marah lagi, ia masih terus memikirkan perbuatan Ratu Wasti dan tindakan yang telah diambil terhadapnya.
2 And the servants of the king, and his ministers, said, “Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
Sebab itu penasihat-penasihat yang akrab dengan raja memberi usul yang berikut, "Sebaiknya dicarikan gadis-gadis yang cantik untuk Baginda.
3 and let investigators be sent throughout all the provinces for young women, beautiful and virgins. And let them bring them to the city of Susa, and deliver them to the house of the women under the hand of Hegai the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king’s women. And let them receive feminine ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.
Hendaklah Baginda mengangkat pegawai-pegawai di segala provinsi kerajaan ini untuk mencari gadis-gadis yang cantik lalu membawa mereka semua ke istana wanita di Susan ini. Hegai, pejabat khusus yang menjadi kepala rumah tangga istana wanita, akan mengurus mereka dan memberi mereka perawatan kecantikan.
4 And whoever among them all will please the king’s eyes, let her reign instead of Vashti.” The idea pleased the king, and so he ordered it to be done as they had suggested.
Setelah itu, hendaklah Baginda memilih gadis yang paling Baginda sukai, dan menjadikan dia ratu sebagai pengganti Ratu Wasti." Raja menyetujui nasihat itu dan melaksanakannya.
5 There was a Jewish man in the city of Susa, by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the house of Benjamin,
Di kota Susan itu ada seorang Yahudi yang bernama Mordekhai anak Yair. Ia keturunan Kis dan Simei dari suku Benyamin.
6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried away Jeconiah king of Judah,
Mordekhai telah ditawan ketika Yerusalem dikalahkan oleh Nebukadnezar, raja Babel. Mordekhai diasingkan ke Babel bersama-sama dengan Yoyakin, raja Yehuda, dan banyak tawanan yang lain.
7 who had raised his brother’s daughter Hadassah, who by another name was called Esther. And she had lost both her parents. She was very beautiful, with a graceful appearance. Since her father and mother had both died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
Ia mempunyai saudara sepupu, seorang gadis yang berwajah cantik dan bertubuh molek, bernama Ester, sedang nama Ibraninya ialah Hadasa. Orang tua Ester sudah meninggal dan ia menjadi anak angkat Mordekhai dan diasuh sebagai anak kandungnya.
8 And when the king’s command became very well-known, in accordance with his command, many beautiful virgins were brought to Susa, and were delivered to Hegai the eunuch. Likewise, Esther, along with the other young women, was delivered to him, to be protected with the assembled women.
Setelah perintah raja diumumkan, banyak gadis dikumpulkan di Susan dan Ester ada di antara mereka. Dia pun dibawa ke istana raja dan dipercayakan kepada Hegai kepala rumah tangga istana wanita.
9 She was pleasing to him, and she found favor in his sight. And he commanded a eunuch to hasten the women’s ornaments, and to deliver her share to her, along with seven of the most beautiful young women of the king’s house, so as to both adorn and honor her and her handmaids.
Hegai kagum melihat Ester dan suka kepadanya. Dengan segera gadis itu diberinya perawatan kecantikan serta makanan yang khusus. Ester dipindahkan ke bagian yang termewah di istana wanita itu dan tujuh orang gadis yang paling cekatan di istana raja ditugaskan untuk melayani dia.
10 She was not willing to reveal to him her people or her native land. For Mordecai had instructed her that she should keep silent about all these things.
Atas nasihat Mordekhai, Ester tidak memberitahukan bahwa ia seorang Yahudi.
11 He went for a walk every day, in the front courtyard of the house in which the chosen virgins were kept, having concern for Esther’s welfare and wanting to know what would happen to her.
Setiap hari Mordekhai berjalan-jalan di halaman depan istana wanita itu untuk menanyakan keadaan Ester dan apa yang akan terjadi dengan dia.
12 But, when the time came for each in the line of young women to go in to the king, after everything had been completed concerning feminine grooming, the twelfth month had been reached, to the extent that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for another six months they used certain types of makeup and perfumes.
Menurut peraturan, para wanita diberi perawatan kecantikan selama satu tahun: enam bulan dengan minyak campur kemenyan, dan enam bulan berikutnya dengan minyak campur wangi-wangian yang lain. Setelah itu, setiap gadis mendapat giliran untuk menghadap Raja Ahasyweros.
13 And when they were going in to the king, whatever they requested to adorn themselves, they received, and when each was pleased with herself, having been prepared in the chamber of the women, she passed on to the king’s chamber.
Pada waktu seorang gadis menghadap raja, ia boleh memakai apa saja menurut kesukaannya.
14 And whoever entered at evening, departed in the morning, and then from there she was led to the second house, which was under the hand of Shaashgaz the eunuch, who presided over the king’s concubines. Nor did she have the power to return again to the king, unless the king desired it and had summoned her by name.
Ia dibawa ke istana raja pada waktu malam, dan besoknya ia dibawa ke istana lain, dan diurus oleh Saasgas, seorang pejabat khusus yang mengurus para selir raja. Gadis itu tidak akan menghadap raja lagi, kecuali jika raja menghendakinya dan memanggil dia dengan menyebut namanya.
15 But, as the order continued to progress, the day arrived when Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mordecai, whom he had adopted as his daughter, was required to go in to the king. She did not seek feminine ornaments, except that whatever Hegai the eunuch and keeper of the virgins chose, he gave her to adorn her. For she was very attractive, and her incredible beauty made her appear gracious and amiable in the eyes of all.
Maka tibalah giliran Ester untuk menghadap raja. --Ester adalah anak Abihail dan saudara sepupu Mordekhai yang telah mengangkatnya sebagai anaknya sendiri; Ester dikagumi setiap orang yang memandangnya. Ketika ia pergi menghadap raja, Ester berpakaian menurut petunjuk dan nasihat Hegai, kepala istana wanita.
16 And so she was led to the chamber of king Artaxerxes, in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Demikianlah, pada tahun ketujuh pemerintahan Ahasyweros pada bulan sepuluh, yaitu bulan Tebet, Ester dibawa menghadap Raja Ahasyweros di istana raja.
17 And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had favor and mercy in his eyes above all the women, and he set the royal crown on her head, and he made her queen instead of Vashti.
Ia menyenangkan dan membahagiakan raja lebih dari gadis-gadis lain. Sebab itu ia paling dicintai oleh raja. Maka raja memasang mahkota kerajaan pada kepala Ester dan menjadikan dia ratu menggantikan Ratu Wasti.
18 And he ordered a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the rulers, and for his servants, because of the union and wedding of Esther. And he gave a holiday to all the provinces, and he bestowed gifts befitting of princely generosity.
Setelah itu, raja mengadakan pesta besar sebagai penghormatan kepada Ester dan mengundang semua pegawai serta pembesarnya. Ia mengumumkan hari libur di seluruh kerajaan dan membagi-bagikan hadiah dengan berlimpah-limpah.
19 And when the virgins were sought for the second time and gathered together, Mordecai remained at the king’s gate.
Sementara itu Mordekhai telah diangkat oleh raja menjadi pegawai negeri.
20 Esther had not yet declared her native land and her people, according to his command. For whatever he instructed, Esther observed. And so she did all things as she had become accustomed in the time when he raised her from early childhood.
Ester belum juga memberitahukan bahwa ia seorang Yahudi, sebab Mordekhai melarangnya. Ester mentaati Mordekhai seperti pada waktu ia masih kecil dan diasuh oleh saudara sepupunya itu.
21 Therefore, at that time, when Mordecai was staying at the king’s gate, Bagatha and Thara, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were gatekeepers and who presided over the first entryway of the palace, were angry, and they decided to rise up against the king and kill him.
Pada suatu hari, ketika Mordekhai sedang bertugas di istana, dua orang pejabat khusus raja, yaitu Bigtan dan Teres, bersekongkol hendak membunuh Raja Ahasyweros, karena mereka sangat membencinya.
22 But Mordecai did not keep this secret, and immediately he reported it to queen Esther, and she reported it to the king in Mordecai’s name, who had brought the matter to her.
Rencana itu ketahuan oleh Mordekhai dan ia segera menyampaikannya kepada Ester. Tanpa membuang-buang waktu, Ester menceritakan kepada raja apa yang diketahui oleh Mordekhai itu.
23 It was inquired into and discovered, and they were both hanged on a gallows. And it was committed to the histories and the chronicles which are delivered in the sight of the king.
Perkara itu diselidiki, maka nyatalah bahwa laporan itu benar. Kedua orang itu dihukum gantung. Sesuai dengan perintah raja, peristiwa itu dicatat dalam buku sejarah kerajaan.
