< Esther 1 >

1 In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
E sucedeu nos dias de Assuero (este é aquele Assuero que reinou desde a Índia até Ethiopia, sobre cento e vinte e sete províncias):
2 When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
Naqueles dias, assentando-se o rei Assuero sobre o trono do seu reino, que está na fortaleza de Susan,
3 Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
No terceiro ano do seu reinado, fez um convite a todos os seus príncipes e seus servos (o poder da Pérsia e Media e os maiores senhores das províncias estavam perante ele),
4 That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
Para mostrar as riquezas da glória do seu reino, e o esplendor da sua excelente grandeza, por muitos dias, a saber: cento e oitenta dias.
5 And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
E, acabados aqueles dias, fez o rei um convite a todo o povo que se achou na fortaleza de Susan, desde o maior até ao menor, por sete dias, no pátio do jardim do palácio real.
6 And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
As tapeçarias eram de branco, verde, e azul celeste, pendentes de cordões de linho fino e púrpura, e argolas de prata, e colunas de mármore: os leitos de ouro e de prata, sobre um pavimento de porphyro, e de mármore, e de alabastro, e de pedras preciosas.
7 And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king’s magnificence.
E dava-se de beber em vasos de ouro, e os vasos eram diferentes uns dos outros; e havia muito vinho real, segundo o estado do rei.
8 Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
E o beber era por lei, que ninguém forçasse a outro: porque assim o tinha ordenado o rei expressamente a todos os grandes da sua casa, que fizessem conforme à vontade de cada um.
9 Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
Também a rainha Vasthi fez um convite às mulheres, na casa real, que tinha o rei Assuero.
10 Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
E ao sétimo dia, estando já o coração do rei alegre do vinho, mandou a Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, e Abagtha, Zethar, e a Carchas, os sete eunucos que serviam na presença do rei Assuero,
11 To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
Que introduzissem na presença do rei a rainha Vasthi, com a coroa real, para mostrar aos povos e aos príncipes a sua formosura, porque era formosa à vista.
12 But she refused, and would not come at the king’s commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
Porém a rainha Vasthi recusou vir conforme à palavra do rei, pela mão dos eunucos; pelo que o rei muito se enfureceu, e ardeu nele a sua ira.
13 Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
Então disse o rei aos sábios que entendiam dos tempos (porque assim se tratavam os negócios do rei na presença de todos os que sabiam a lei e o direito;
14 (Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him: )
E os mais chegados a ele eram: Carsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena, Memuchan, os sete príncipes dos persas e dos medos, que viam a face do rei, e se assentavam os primeiros no reino)
15 What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs?
Que, segundo a lei, se devia fazer da rainha Vasthi, por não haver feito o mandado do rei Assuero, pela mão dos eunucos?
16 And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
Então disse Memuchan na presença do rei e dos príncipes: Não somente pecou contra o rei a rainha Vasthi, porém também contra todos os príncipes, e contra todos os povos que há em todas as províncias do rei Assuero.
17 For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
Porque a notícia deste feito da rainha sairá a todas as mulheres, de modo que desprezarão a seus maridos aos seus olhos quando se disser: Mandou o rei Assuero que introduzissem à sua presença a rainha Vasthi, porém ela não veio.
18 And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king’s indignation is just.
E neste mesmo dia as princezas da Pérsia e da Media dirão o mesmo a todos os príncipes do rei, ouvindo o feito da rainha: e assim haverá assaz desprezo e indignação.
19 If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
Se bem parecer ao rei, saia da sua parte um edito real, e escreva-se nas leis dos persas e dos medos, e não se quebrante, a saber: que Vasthi não entre mais na presença do rei Assuero, e o rei dê o reino dela à sua companheira que seja melhor do que ela
20 And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
E, ouvindo-se o mandado, que o rei mandar em todo o seu reino (ainda que é grande), todas as mulheres darão honra a seus maridos, desde a maior até à menor.
21 His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
E pareceram bem estas palavras aos olhos do rei e dos príncipes: e fez o rei conforme à palavra de Memuchan.
22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.
Então enviou cartas a todas as províncias do rei, a cada província segundo a sua escritura, e a cada povo segundo a sua língua: que cada homem fosse senhor em sua casa, e que se publicasse conforme à língua do seu povo.

< Esther 1 >