Esther 1
1 And it comes to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus—he [is] Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even to Cush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces—
In the dayes of Ahashuerosh (this is Ahashuerosh that reigned, from India euen vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundreth, and seuen and twentie prouinces)
2 in those days, at the sitting of King Ahasuerus on the throne of his kingdom, that [is] in Shushan the palace,
In those dayes when the King Ahashuerosh sate on his throne, which was in the palace of Shushan,
3 in the third year of his reign, he has made a banquet to all his heads and his servants; of the force of Persia and Media, the chiefs and heads of the provinces [are] before him,
In the third yeere of his reigne, he made a feast vnto all his princes and his seruants, euen the power of Persia and Media, and to the captaines and gouernours of the prouinces which were before him,
4 in his showing the wealth of the glory of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days—one hundred eighty days.
That he might shewe the riches and glorie of his kingdome, and the honour of his great maiestie many dayes, euen an hundreth and foure score dayes.
5 And at the fullness of these days the king has made a banquet to all the people who are found in Shushan the palace, from great even to small, [for] seven days, in the court of the garden of the house of the king—
And when these dayes were expired, the King made a feast to all the people that were founde in the palace of Shushan, both vnto great and small, seuen dayes, in the court of the garden of the Kings palace,
6 white linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on rings of silver, and pillars of marble, couches of gold, and of silver, on a pavement of smaragdus, and white marble, and mother-of-pearl, and black marble—
Vnder an hanging of white, greene, and blue clothes, fastened with cordes of fine linen and purple, in siluer rings, and pillars of marble: the beds were of golde, and of siluer vpon a pauement of porphyre, and marble and alabaster, and blue colour.
7 and the giving of drink in vessels of gold, and the vessels [are] various vessels, and the royal wine [is] abundant, as a memorial of the king.
And they gaue them drinke in vessels of golde, and changed vessel after vessel, and royall wine in abundance according to the power of the King.
8 And the drinking [is] according to law, none is pressing, for so the king has appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.
And the drinking was by an order, none might compel: for so the King had appoynted vnto all the officers of his house, that they should do according to euery mans pleasure.
9 Also Vashti the queen has made a banquet for women, in the royal house that King Ahasuerus has.
The Queene Vashti made a feast also for the women in the royall house of King Ahashuerosh.
10 On the seventh day, as the heart of the king is glad with wine, he has commanded to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who are ministering in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
Vpon the seuenth daye when the King was merie with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seuen eunuches, (that serued in the presence of King Ahashuerosh)
11 to bring in Vashti the queen before the king, with a royal crown, to show the peoples and the heads her beauty, for she [is] of good appearance,
To bring Queene Vashti before the King with the crowne royall, that he might shewe the people and the princes her beautie: for shee was fayre to looke vpon.
12 and the queen Vashti refuses to come in at the word of the king that [is] by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very angry, and his fury has burned in him.
But the Queene Vashti refused to come at the Kings worde, which he had giuen in charge to the eunuches: therefore the King was very angry, and his wrath kindled in him.
13 And the king says to wise men, knowing the times—for so [is] the word of the king before all knowing law and judgment,
Then the King said to the wise men, that knew the times (for so was the Kings maner towards all that knew the law and the iudgement:
14 and he who is near to him [is] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven heads of Persia and Media seeing the face of the king, who are sitting first in the kingdom—
And the next vnto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan the seuen princes of Persia and Media, which sawe the Kings face, and sate the first in the kingdome)
15 “According to law, what should [I] do with Queen Vashti, because that she has not done the saying of King Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?”
What shall we do vnto the Queene Vashti according to the law, because she did not according to the worde of the King Ahashuerosh by the commission of the eunuches?
16 And Memucan says before the king and the heads, “Queen Vashti has not done perversely against the king by himself, but against all the heads, and against all the peoples that [are] in all provinces of King Ahasuerus;
Then Memucan answered before the King and the Princes, The Queene Vashti hath not only done euill against the King, but against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of King Ahashuerosh.
17 for the word of the queen goes forth to all the women, to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, in their saying, King Ahasuerus commanded to bring in Vashti the queen before him, and she did not come;
For the acte of the Queene shall come abroade vnto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their owne eyes, and shall say, The King Ahashuerosh comanded Vashti the Queene to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 indeed, this day princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard the word of the queen, say [so] to all heads of the king, even according to the sufficiency of contempt and wrath.
So shall the princesses of Persia and Media this day say vnto all the Kings Princes, when they heare of the acte of the Queene: thus shall there be much despitefulnesse and wrath.
19 If to the king [it be] good, there goes forth a royal word from before him, and it is written with the laws of Persia and Media, and does not pass away, that Vashti does not come in before King Ahasuerus, and the king gives her royalty to her companion who [is] better than she;
If it please the King, let a royal decree proceede from him, and let it be written among the statutes of Persia, and Media, (and let it not be transgressed) that Vashti come no more before King Ahashuerosh: and let the King giue her royal estate vnto her companion that is better then she.
20 and the sentence of the king that he makes has been heard in all his kingdom—for it [is] great—and all the wives give honor to their husbands, from great even to small.”
And when the decree of the King which shalbe made, shalbe published throughout all his kingdome (though it be great) all the women shall giue their husbands honour, both great and small.
21 And the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and of the princes, and the king does according to the word of Memucan,
And this saying pleased the King and the princes, and the King did according to the worde of Memucan.
22 and sends letters to all provinces of the king, to province and province according to its writing, and to people and people according to its tongue, for every man being head in his own house—and speaking according to the language of his people.
For he sent letters into all the prouinces of the King, into euery prouince according to the writing thereof, and to euery people after their language, that euery man should beare rule in his owne house, and that he should publish it in the language of that same people.
