< Esther 2 >

1 After this, when the wrath of king Assuerus was appeased, he remembered Vasthi, and what she had done and what she had suffered:
Passadas estas coisas, e apaziguado já o furor do rei Assuero, lembrou-se de Vasthi, e do que fizera, e do que se tinha decretado a seu respeito.
2 And the king’s servants and his officers said: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
Então disseram os mancebos do rei, que lhe serviam: Busquem-se para o rei moças virgens, formosas à vista.
3 And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king’s women: and let them receive women’s ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.
E ponha o rei comissários em todas as províncias do seu reino, que ajuntem a todas as moças virgens, formosas à vista, na fortaleza de Susan, na casa das mulheres, debaixo da mão de Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres, e dêem-se-lhes os seus enfeites.
4 And whosoever among them all shall please the king’s eyes, let her be queen instead of Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and he commanded it should be done as they had suggested.
E a moça que parecer bem aos olhos do rei, reine em lugar de Vasthi. E isto pareceu bem aos olhos do rei, e assim fez.
5 There was a man in the city of Susan, a Jew, named Mardochai, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the race of Jemini,
Havia então um homem judeu na fortaleza de Susan, cujo nome era mardoqueu, filho de Jair, filho de Simei, filho de Kis, homem benjamita,
6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away Jechonias king of Juda,
Que fôra transportado de Jerusalém, com os transportados que foram transportados com Jechonias, rei de Judá, o qual transportara Nabucodonosor, rei de Babilônia.
7 And he had brought up his brother’s daughter Edissa, who by another name was called Esther: now she had lost both her parents: and was exceeding fair and beautiful. And her father and mother being dead, Mardochai adopted her for his daughter.
Este criara a Hadassa (que é Esther, filha de seu tio), porque não tinha pai nem mãe: e era moça bela de parecer, e formosa à vista; e, morrendo seu pai e sua mãe, mardoqueu a tomara por sua filha
8 And when the king’s ordinance was noised abroad, and according to his commandment many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him to be kept in the number of the women.
Sucedeu pois que, divulgando-se o mandado do rei e a sua lei, e ajuntando-se muitas moças na fortaleza de Susan, debaixo da mão de Hegai, também levaram Esther à casa do rei, debaixo da mão de Hegai, guarda das mulheres.
9 And she pleased him, and found favour in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch to hasten the women’s ornaments, and to deliver to her her part, and seven of the most beautiful maidens of the king’s house, and to adorn and deck out both her and her waiting maids.
E a moça pareceu formosa aos seus olhos, e alcançou graça perante ele; pelo que se apressurou com os seus enfeites, e em lhe dar os seus quinhões, como também em lhe dar sete moças de respeito da casa do rei: e a fez passar com as suas moças ao melhor lugar da casa das mulheres.
10 And she would not tell him her people nor her country. For Mardochai had charged her to say nothing at all of that:
Esther porém não declarou o seu povo e a sua parentela; porque mardoqueu lhe tinha ordenado que o não declarasse.
11 And he walked every day before the court of the house, in which the chosen virgins were kept, having a care for Esther’s welfare, and desiring to know what would befall her.
E passeava mardoqueu cada dia diante do pátio da casa das mulheres, para se informar de como Esther passava, e do que lhe sucederia.
12 Now when every virgin’s turn came to go in to the king, after all had been done for setting them off to advantage, it was the twelfth month: so that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for other six months they used certain perfumes and sweet spices.
E, chegando já a vez de cada moça, para vir ao rei Assuero, depois que fôra feito a ela segundo a lei das mulheres, por doze meses (porque assim se cumpriam os dias das suas purificações), seis meses com óleo de mirra, e seis meses com especiarias, e com as coisas para a purificação das mulheres:
13 And when they were going in to the king, whatsoever they asked to adorn themselves they received: and being decked out, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king’s chamber.
Desta maneira pois entrava a moça ao rei: tudo quanto ela dizia se lhe dava, para se ir com aquilo da casa das mulheres à casa do rei:
14 And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was conducted to the second house, that was under the hand of Susagaz the eunuch, who had the charge over the king’s concubines: neither could she return any more to the king, unless the king desired it, and had ordered her by name to come.
Á tarde entrava, e pela manhã tornava à segunda casa das mulheres, debaixo da mão de Saasgaz, eunuco do rei, guarda das concubinas: não tornava mais ao rei, salvo se o rei a desejasse, e fosse chamada por nome
15 And as the time came orderly about, the day was at hand, when Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardochai, whom he had adopted for his daughter, was to go in to the king. But she sought not women’s ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the virgins had a mind, he gave her to adorn her. For she was exceeding fair, and her incredible beauty made her appear agreeable and amiable in the eyes of all.
Chegando pois a vez de Esther, filha de Abihail, tio de mardoqueu (que a tomara por sua filha), para ir ao rei, coisa nenhuma pediu, senão o que disse Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres: e alcançava Esther graça aos olhos de todos quantos a viam.
16 So she was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Assim foi levada Esther ao rei Assuero, à sua casa real, no décimo mes, que é o mês de tebeth, no sétimo ano do seu reinado.
17 And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had favour and kindness before him above all the women, and he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vasthi.
E o rei amou a Esther mais do que a todas as mulheres, e alcançou perante ele graça e benevolência mais do que todas as virgens: e pôs a coroa real na sua cabeça, e a fez rainha em lugar de Vasthi.
18 And he commanded a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the princes, and for his servants, for the marriage and wedding of Esther. And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.
Então o rei fez um grande convite a todos os seus príncipes e aos seus servos, que era o convite de Esther: e deu repouso às províncias, e fez presentes segundo o estado do rei.
19 And when the virgins were sought the second time, and gathered together, Mardochai stayed at the king’s gate,
E ajuntando-se segunda vez as virgens, mardoqueu estava assentado à porta do rei.
20 Neither had Esther as yet declared her country and people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: and she did all things in the same manner as she was wont at that time when he brought her up a little one.
Esther porém não declarava a sua parentela e o seu povo, como mardoqueu lhe ordenara: porque Esther fazia o mandado de mardoqueu, como quando a criara.
21 At that time, therefore, when Mardochai abode at the king’s gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were porters, and presided in the first entry of the palace, were angry: and they designed to rise up against the king, and to kill him.
Naqueles dias, assentando-se mardoqueu à porta do rei, dois eunucos do rei, dos guardas da porta, Bigthan e Theres, grandemente se indignaram, e procuraram pôr as mãos no rei Assuero.
22 And Mardochai had notice of it, and immediately he told it to queen Esther: and she to the king in Mardochai’s name, who had reported the thing unto her.
E veio isto ao conhecimento de mardoqueu, e ele fez saber à rainha Esther, e Esther o disse ao rei, em nome de mardoqueu.
23 It was inquired into, and found out: and they were both hanged on a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and recorded in the chronicles before the king.
E inquiriu-se o negócio, e se descobriu, e ambos foram enforcados numa forca: e foi escrito nas crônicas perante o rei.

< Esther 2 >