Esther 1
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
In diebus Assueri, qui regnavit ab India usque Æthiopiam super centum viginti septem provincias:
2 [That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
quando sedit in solio regni sui, Susan civitas regni eius exordium fuit.
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, [being] before him:
Tertio igitur anno imperii sui fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus, et pueris suis, fortissimis Persarum, et Medorum inclytis, et præfectis provinciarum coram se,
4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, [even] an hundred and fourscore days.
ut ostenderet divitias gloriæ regni sui, ac magnitudinem, atque iactantiam potentiæ suæ, multo tempore, centum videlicet et octoginta diebus.
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
Cumque implerentur dies convivii, invitavit omnem populum, qui inventus est in Susan, a maximo usque ad minimum: et iussit septem diebus convivium præparari in vestibulo horti, et nemoris, quod regio cultu et manu consitum erat.
6 [Where were] white, green, and blue, [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds [were of] gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
Et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria aerii coloris et carbasini ac hyacinthini, sustentata funibus byssinis, atque purpureis, qui eburneis circulis inserti erant, et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur. Lectuli quoque aurei et argentei, super pavimentum smaragdino et pario stratum lapide, dispositi erant: quod mira varietate pictura decorabat.
7 And they gave [them] drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
Bibebant autem qui invitati erant, aureis poculis, et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur. Vinum quoque, ut magnificentia regia dignum erat, abundans, et præcipuum ponebatur.
8 And the drinking [was] according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
Nec erat qui nolentes cogeret ad bibendum, sed sicut rex statuerat, præponens mensis singulos de principibus suis ut sumeret unusquisque quod vellet.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.
Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio, ubi rex Assuerus manere consueverat.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
Itaque die septimo, cum rex esset hilarior, et post nimiam potationem incaluisset mero, præcepit Maumam, et Bazatha, et Harbona, et Bagatha, et Abgatha, et Zethar, et Charchas, septem eunuchis, qui in conspectu eius ministrabant,
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she [was] fair to look on.
ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coram rege, posito super caput eius diademate, ut ostenderet cunctis populis et principibus pulchritudinem illius: erat enim pulchra valde.
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by [his] chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
Quæ renuit, et ad regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, venire contempsit. Unde iratus rex, et nimio furore succensus,
13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so [was] the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
interrogavit sapientes, qui ex more regio semper ei aderant, et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio, scientium leges, ac iura maiorum:
14 And the next unto him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, [and] which sat the first in the kingdom; )
(erant autem primi et proximi, Charsena, et Sethar, et Admatha, et Tharsis, et Mares, et Marsana, et Mamuchan, septem duces Persarum, atque Medorum, qui videbant faciem regis, et primi post eum residere soliti erant)
15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
cui sententiæ Vasthi regina subiaceret, quæ Assueri regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, facere noluisset.
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that [are] in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
Responditque Mamuchan, audiente rege, atque principibus, Non solum regem læsit regina Vasthi, sed et omnes populos, et principes, qui sunt in cunctis provinciis regis Assueri.
17 For [this] deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
Egredietur enim sermo reginæ ad omnes mulieres, ut contemnant viros suos, et dicant: Rex Assuerus iussit ut regina Vasthi intraret ad eum, et illa noluit.
18 [Likewise] shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus [shall there arise] too much contempt and wrath.
Atque hoc exemplo omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum, parvipendent imperia maritorum: unde regis iusta est indignatio.
19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
Si tibi placet, egrediatur edictum a facie tua, et scribatur iuxta legem Persarum atque Medorum, quam præteriri illicitum est, ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem, sed regnum illius, altera, quæ melior est illa, accipiat.
20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great, ) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
Et hoc in omne (quod latissimum est) provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium, et cunctæ uxores tam maiorum, quam minorum deferant maritis suis honorem.
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
placuit consilium eius regi, et principibus: fecitque rex iuxta consilium Mamuchan,
22 For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that [it] should be published according to the language of every people.
et misit epistolas ad universas provincias regni sui, ut quæque gens audire et legere poterat, diversis linguis et litteris, esse viros principes ac maiores in domibus suis: et hoc per cunctos populos divulgari.
