Esther 1
1 in diebus Asueri qui regnavit ab India usque Aethiopiam super centum viginti septem provincias
And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (that is, the Ahasuerus that reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces),
2 quando sedit in solio regni sui Susa civitas regni eius exordium fuit
in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the fortress,
3 tertio igitur anno imperii sui fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus et pueris suis fortissimis Persarum et Medorum inclitis et praefectis provinciarum coram se
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces being before him;
4 ut ostenderet divitias gloriae regni sui ac magnitudinem atque iactantiam potentiae suae multo tempore centum videlicet et octoginta diebus
when he shewed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the splendid magnificence of his grandeur many days, a hundred and eighty days.
5 cumque implerentur dies convivii invitavit omnem populum qui inventus est Susis a maximo usque ad minimum et septem diebus iussit convivium praeparari in vestibulo horti et nemoris quod regio cultu et manu consitum erat
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the fortress, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
6 et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria aerii coloris et carpasini et hyacinthini sustentata funibus byssinis atque purpureis qui eburneis circulis inserti erant et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur lectuli quoque aurei et argentei super pavimentum zmaragdino et pario stratum lapide dispositi erant quod mira varietate pictura decorabat
White, green, and blue [hangings] were fastened with cords of byssus and purple to silver rings and pillars of white marble; couches of gold and silver [lay] upon a pavement of red and white marble, and alabaster, and black marble.
7 bibebant autem qui invitati erant aureis poculis et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur vinum quoque ut magnificentia regia dignum erat abundans et praecipuum ponebatur
And they gave drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the king's bounty.
8 nec erat qui nolentes cogeret ad bibendum sed sic rex statuerat praeponens mensis singulos de principibus suis ut sumeret unusquisque quod vellet
And the drinking was, according to commandment, without constraint; for so the king had appointed to all the magnates of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
9 Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio ubi rex Asuerus manere consueverat
Also the queen Vashti made a feast for the women of the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10 itaque die septimo cum rex esset hilarior et post nimiam potionem incaluisset mero praecepit Mauman et Bazatha et Arbona et Bagatha et Abgatha et Zarath et Charchas septem eunuchis qui in conspectu eius ministrabant
On the seventh day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Ahasuerus,
11 ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coram rege posito super caput eius diademate et ostenderet cunctis populis et principibus illius pulchritudinem erat enim pulchra valde
to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown to shew the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was of beautiful countenance.
12 quae rennuit et ad regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat venire contempsit unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king which was [sent] by the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burned in him.
13 interrogavit sapientes qui ex more regio semper ei aderant et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio scientium leges ac iura maiorum
And the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king's business [conducted] before all that knew law and judgment;
14 erant autem primi et proximi Charsena et Sethar et Admatha et Tharsis et Mares et Marsana et Mamucha septem duces Persarum atque Medorum qui videbant faciem regis et primi post eum residere soliti erant
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and who sat first in the kingdom),
15 cui sententiae Vasthi regina subiaceret quae Asueri regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat facere noluisset
What shall be done to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the word of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 responditque Mamuchan audiente rege atque principibus non solum regem laesit regina Vasthi sed omnes principes et populos qui sunt in cunctis provinciis regis Asueri
Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, The queen Vashti has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17 egredietur enim sermo reginae ad omnes mulieres ut contemnant viros suos et dicant rex Asuerus iussit ut regina Vasthi intraret ad eum et illa noluit
For the act of the queen will come abroad to all women, so as to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when they shall say, The king Ahasuerus commanded the queen Vashti to be brought in before him, and she came not!
18 atque hoc exemplo omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum parvipendent imperia maritorum unde regis iusta est indignatio
And the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's act, will say it this day to all the king's princes, and there will be contempt and anger enough.
19 et si tibi placet egrediatur edictum a facie tua et scribatur iuxta legem Persarum atque Medorum quam praeteriri inlicitum est ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem sed regnum illius altera quae melior illa est accipiat
If it please the king, let a royal order go forth from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it may not pass, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she;
20 et hoc in omne quod latissimum est provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium et cunctae uxores tam maiorum quam minorum deferant maritis suis
and when the king's edict which he shall make shall be heard throughout his realm — for it is great — all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, from the greatest to the least.
21 placuit consilium eius regi et principibus fecitque rex iuxta consultum Mamuchan
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
22 et misit epistulas ad universas provincias regni sui ut quaeque gens audire et legere poterat diversis linguis et litteris esse viros principes ac maiores in domibus suis et hoc per cunctos populos divulgari
And he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language, That every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.
