< Esther 1 >
1 And it was in [the] days of Ahasuerus that Ahasuerus who reigned from India and to Cush seven and twenty and one hundred province[s].
In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
2 In the days those when sat - the king Ahasuerus on [the] throne of royalty his which [was] in Susa the citadel.
When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
3 In year three of reigning his he made a feast for all officials his and servants his [the] army of - Persia and Media the nobles and [the] officials of the provinces [were] before him.
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,
4 When showed he [the] wealth of [the] splendor of kingdom his and [the] honor of [the] glory of greatness his days many eighty and one hundred day[s].
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.
5 And when were completed - the days these he made the king for all the people who were found in Susa the citadel from great and unto insignificant a feast seven days in [the] court of [the] garden of [the] palace of the king.
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.
6 White material - cotton and violet material [was] held with cords of fine linen and purple on rods of silver and pillars of marble couches of - gold and silver on a pavement of porphyry and marble and mother-of-pearl and paving stone.
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.
7 And they gave to drink in vessels of gold and vessels from vessels [were] differing and wine of royalty [was] much according to [the] hand of the king.
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.
8 And the drinking [was] according to the law there not [was one who] compelled for thus - he had appointed the king on every chief of house his to do according to [the] pleasure of man and man.
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.
9 Also Vashti the queen she made a feast of women [the] house of royalty which [belonged] to the king Ahasuerus.
Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
10 On the day seventh when was good [the] heart of the king by the wine he said to Mehuman Biztha Harbona Bigtha and Abagtha Zethar and Carcas [the] seven the eunuchs who served with [the] face of the king Ahasuerus.
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,
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with a crown of royalty to show the peoples and the officials beauty her for [was] good of appearance she.
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.
12 And she refused the queen Vashti to come at [the] word of the king which [was] by [the] hand of the eunuchs and he was angry the king exceedingly and rage his it burned in him.
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,
13 And he said the king to wise men [who] knew the times for [was] thus [the] manner of the king before all [those who] knew law and judgment.
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:
14 And the [ones] close to him [were] Carshena Shethar Admatha Tarshish Meres Marsena Memucan [the] seven [the] officials of - Persia and Media [who] saw [the] face of the king who sat foremost in the kingdom.
(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: )
15 According to [the] law what? [is] to do with the queen Vashti on - that not she did [the] command of the king Ahasuerus by [the] hand of the eunuchs.
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?
16 And he said (Memucan *Q(k)*) before the king and the officials not on the king to only him she did wrong Vashti the queen for on all the officials and on all the peoples which [are] in all [the] provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
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.
17 For it will go forth [the] matter of the queen to all the women to make despicable husbands their in view their because will say they the king Ahasuerus he said to bring Vashti the queen before him and not she came.
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.
18 And the day this they will say - [the] noble ladies of Persia and Media who they have heard [the] matter of the queen to all [the] officials of the king and [will be] as enough of contempt and anger.
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.
19 If [is] on the king good let it go forth a word of royalty from to before him and let it be written in [the] laws of Persia and Media and not it will pass away that not she will come Vashti before the king Ahasuerus and queenhood her let him give the king to fellow woman her good more than she.
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.
20 And it will be heard [the] decree of the king which he will make in all kingdom his for [is] great it and all the women they will give honor to husbands their from great and unto insignificant.
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.
21 And it was good the word in [the] eyes of the king and the officials and he did the king according to [the] word of Memucan.
His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
22 And he sent out documents to all [the] provinces of the king to province and province according to writing its and to people and people according to language its to be every man ruler in own household his and speaking according to [the] language of people his.
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.