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].
King Xerxes ruled [a very big empire which had] 127 provinces. It extended from India [in the east] to Ethiopia [in the west].
2 In the days those when sat - the king Ahasuerus on [the] throne of royalty his which [was] in Susa the citadel.
He ruled the empire [while he lived] in the capital city, Susa.
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.
During the third year that he ruled his empire, he invited all his administrators and [other] officials to a big banquet/feast. He invited all the commanders of the armies of Persia and Media to come to the banquet. He also invited the governors and other leaders of the provinces.
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].
[The celebration] lasted for six months. During that time the king showed his guests all his wealth and other things that showed how great his kingdom was (OR, how great a king he was).
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.
At the end of those six months, the king invited people to another banquet. He invited to the banquet all the men who worked in the palace, including those who had important jobs and those who had unimportant jobs. [This celebration] lasted for seven days. It was in the courtyard of the palace in Susa.
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.
[In the courtyard] were beautiful blue and white curtains that were fastened by white and purple cords/ribbons to rings that were on pillars made from [expensive white stone called] marble. [The guests sat on] gold and silver couches. The couches were on a pavement/floor which had on top of it designs made from various kinds of expensive stones.
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.
[The guests] drank wine from gold cups. Each cup had a different design on it.
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.
There was a lot of wine, because the king wanted the guests to drink as much as they wanted. But the king told the servants that they should not force anyone to drink more than he wanted.
9 Also Vashti the queen she made a feast of women [the] house of royalty which [belonged] to the king Ahasuerus.
[At the same time, the king’s wife, ] Queen Vashti, invited the wives of the men who worked in the palace to a banquet [in another room in the palace].
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.
On the last/seventh day of those banquets, when King Xerxes was partially drunk from drinking wine, he [summoned] seven of his personal servants. They were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.
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.
He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her crown. He wanted his guests to see that she was very 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 when those servants told Vashti what the king wanted, she refused to go to the king [because she did not want to display her beauty in front of a group of half-drunk men]. So that caused the king to become very angry.
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.
Immediately he had a meeting with the seven men who were the most important officials in Persia and Media. They were the men whom he often asked (for their advice/what he should do). And they were men who knew all the customs and laws [of Persia]. Their names were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan.
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.
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.
The king said to them, “Queen Vashti has refused to obey me when I sent my servants [to tell her to come here]. What do our laws say that we should do to someone who [acts/behaves like that]?”
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.
While the other officials were present, Memucan told the king, [“Your majesty], Queen Vashti has (insulted/done wrong against) you, but she has also insulted all your officials and everyone else (in your empire/that you rule over).
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.
All the women [throughout the empire] will hear what she has done, and they will say, ‘The king commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.’ [So they will not obey their husbands. Instead, ] they will begin to not respect their husbands.
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.
Before this day ends, the wives of all us officials in Persia and Media will hear what the queen did, and they also will refuse to obey their husbands. They will not respect us, and they will cause us to become very angry.
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.
So if it pleases you, O king, you should write a law. Like all the other laws of Persia and Media, it will be a law that (no one can change/cannot be changed.) Write a law that states that Queen Vashti will never be allowed to see you again [and will not continue to be the queen]. Then you can choose another woman to be queen, a woman who deserves to be queen more than Vashti does.
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.
Then, when everyone in your empire hears what you have commanded, all the women, including those who are important and those who are not important, will respect and obey 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.
The king and the other officials liked what Memucan suggested, so he [did that. He wrote a law] proclaiming that.
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.
Then he sent letters to all the provinces, stating that all men should have complete authority over their wives and their children. He wrote the letters in every language and type of writing/alphabet that was used in each province.
