< Esther 2 >

1 After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus subsided, he thought about Vashti and what she had done. He also thought about the decree that he had made against her.
PASADAS estas cosas, sosegada ya la ira del rey Assuero, acordóse de Vasthi, y de lo que hizo, y de lo que fué sentenciado contra ella.
2 Then the king's young men who served him said, “Let a search be made on the king's behalf for beautiful young virgins.
Y dijeron los criados del rey, sus oficiales: Busquen al rey mozas vírgenes de buen parecer;
3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the fortress in Susa. Let them be put under the care of Hegai, the king's official, who is in charge of the women, and let him give them their cosmetics.
Y ponga el rey personas en todas las provincias de su reino, que junten todas las mozas vírgenes de buen parecer en Susán residencia regia, en la casa de las mujeres, al cuidado de Hegai, eunuco del rey, guarda de las mujeres, dándoles sus atavíos;
4 Let the young girl who pleases the king become queen in the place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he did so.
Y la moza que agradare á los ojos del rey, reine en lugar de Vasthi. Y la cosa plugo en ojos del rey, é hízolo así.
5 There was a certain Jew in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, who was a Benjamite.
Había un varón Judío en Susán residencia regia, cuyo nombre era Mardochêo, hijo de Jair, hijo de Simi, hijo de Cis, del linaje de Benjamín;
6 He had been taken away from Jerusalem with the exiles along with those taken with Jehoiachin, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia carried away.
El cual había sido trasportado de Jerusalem con los cautivos que fueron llevados con Jechônías rey de Judá, á quien hizo trasportar Nabucodonosor rey de Babilonia.
7 He was caring for Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely in appearance. Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Y había criado á Hadassa, que es Esther, hija de su tío, porque no tenía padre ni madre; y era moza de hermosa forma y de buen parecer; y como su padre y su madre murieron, Mardochêo la había tomado por hija suya.
8 When the king's order and decree were proclaimed, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa. They were put under Hegai's care. Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put under the care of Hegai, the overseer of the women.
Sucedió pues, que como se divulgó el mandamiento del rey y su acuerdo, y siendo reunidas muchas mozas en Susán residencia regia, á cargo de Hegai, fué tomada también Esther para casa del rey, al cuidado de Hegai, guarda de las mujeres.
9 The young girl pleased him, and she found favor with him. Immediately he provided her with cosmetics and her portion of food. He assigned to her seven servant girls from the king's palace, and he moved her and the servant girls to the best place in the house of the women.
Y la moza agradó en sus ojos, y halló gracia delante de él; por lo que hizo darle prestamente sus atavíos y sus raciones, dándole también siete convenientes doncellas de la casa del rey; y pasóla con sus doncellas á lo mejor de la casa de las mujeres.
10 Esther had not told anyone who her people or relatives were, for Mordecai had instructed her not to tell.
Esther no declaró su pueblo ni su nacimiento; porque Mardochêo le había mandado que no lo declarase.
11 Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard outside the house of the women, to learn about Esther's welfare, and about what would be done with her.
Y cada día Mardochêo se paseaba delante del patio de la casa de las mujeres, por saber cómo iba á Esther, y qué se hacía de ella.
12 When the turn came for each girl to go to King Ahasuerus—complying with the regulations for the women, each girl had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumes and cosmetics—
Y como llegaba el tiempo de cada una de las mozas para venir al rey Assuero, al cabo de haber estado ya doce meses conforme á la ley acerca de las mujeres (porque así se cumplía el tiempo de sus atavíos, [esto es], seis meses con óleo de mirra, y seis meses con cosas aromáticas y afeites de mujeres),
13 when a young woman went to the king, whatever she desired was given to her from the house of the women, for her to take to the palace.
Entonces la moza venía así al rey: todo lo que ella decía se le daba, para venir con ello de la casa de las mujeres hasta la casa del rey.
14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women, and to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's official, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king again unless he had taken great pleasure in her and called for her again.
Ella venía á la tarde, y á la mañana se volvía á la casa segunda de las mujeres, al cargo de Saasgaz eunuco del rey, guarda de las concubinas: no venía más al rey, salvo si el rey la quería, y era llamada por nombre.
15 Now when the time came for Esther (daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter) to go in to the king, she did not ask for anything but what Hegai the king's official, who was in charge of the women, suggested. Now Esther received the favor of all who saw her.
Y llegado que fué el tiempo de Esther, hija de Abihail tío de Mardochêo, que él se había tomado por hija, para venir al rey, ninguna cosa procuró sino lo que dijo Hegai eunuco del rey, guarda de las mujeres: y ganaba Esther la gracia de todos los que la veían.
16 Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into the royal residence on the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Fué pues Esther llevada al rey Assuero á su casa real en el mes décimo, que es el mes de Tebeth, en el año séptimo de su reinado.
17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she received acceptance and favor before him, more than all the other virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Y el rey amó á Esther sobre todas las mujeres, y halló gracia y benevolencia delante de él más que todas las vírgenes; y puso la corona real en su cabeza, é hízola reina en lugar de Vasthi.
18 The king gave a great feast for all his officials and his servants, “Esther's feast,” and he granted relief from taxation to the provinces. He also gave gifts with royal generosity.
Hizo luego el rey gran banquete á todos sus príncipes y siervos, el banquete de Esther; y alivió á las provincias, é hizo y dió mercedes conforme á la facultad real.
19 Now when the virgins had been gathered together a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
Y cuando se juntaban las vírgenes la segunda vez, Mardochêo estaba puesto á la puerta del rey.
20 Esther had not yet told anyone about her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had instructed her. She continued to follow Mordecai's advice, as she had done when she was raised by him.
Y Esther, según le tenía mandado Mardochêo, no había declarado su nación ni su pueblo; porque Esther hacía lo que decía Mardochêo, como cuando con él se educaba.
21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, two of the king's officials, Bigthana and Teresh, who guarded the doorway, became angry and sought to do harm to King Ahasuerus.
En aquellos días, estando Mardochêo sentado á la puerta del rey, enojáronse Bigthán y Teres, dos eunucos del rey, de la guardia de la puerta, y procuraban poner mano en el rey Assuero.
22 When the matter was revealed to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, and Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai.
Mas entendido que fué esto por Mardochêo, él lo denunció á la reina Esther, y Esther lo dijo al rey en nombre de Mardochêo.
23 The report was investigated and confirmed, and both the men were hanged from a gallows. This account was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
Hízose entonces indagación de la cosa, y fué hallada cierta; por tanto, entrambos fueron colgados en una horca. Y escribióse [el caso] en el libro de las cosas de los tiempos delante del rey.

< Esther 2 >