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 Achashverosh, of the same Achashverosh who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,
2 quando sedit in solio regni sui Susa civitas regni eius exordium fuit
In those days, when this king Achashverosh was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the capital,
3 tertio igitur anno imperii sui fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus et pueris suis fortissimis Persarum et Medorum inclitis et praefectis provinciarum coram se
That, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces who were near him:
4 ut ostenderet divitias gloriae regni sui ac magnitudinem atque iactantiam potentiae suae multo tempore centum videlicet et octoginta diebus
When he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the brilliance [and] the splendor of his greatness, during 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 completed, the king made unto all the people that were found in Shushan the capital, unto every one, from the great even to the small, a feast of 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
[Where were] white, green, and blue [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, on rollers of silver and pillars of marble; couches of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and yellow, 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 them to drink in vessels of gold, —the vessels being diverse one from the other, —and the royal wine was in abundance, according to the ability of the king.
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 the [king's] order, without compulsion; for so had the king enjoined on all the officers of his house, to do according to the pleasure of every man.
9 Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio ubi rex Asuerus manere consueverat
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.
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 heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Charbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Achashverosh,
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 [ornamented] with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was handsome in appearance.
12 quae rennuit et ad regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat venire contempsit unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus
But queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king brought by the hand of the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burnt in him.
13 interrogavit sapientes qui ex more regio semper ei aderant et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio scientium leges ac iura maiorum
Then said the king to the wise men, who knew [the occurrences of] the times; for so [came] every affair of the king before all acquainted with law and state institutions;
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 those next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tharshish, Meress, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who could see [at all times] the king's face, who sat in the first rank in the kingdom:
15 cui sententiae Vasthi regina subiaceret quae Asueri regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat facere noluisset
What should according to law be done with queen Vashti; because she had not fulfilled the order of king Achashverosh by the hand of 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 Memuchan before the king and the princes, Not against the king alone hath Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of king Achashverosh.
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 conduct of the queen will go abroad unto all the women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought into his presence, but she came not.
18 atque hoc exemplo omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum parvipendent imperia maritorum unde regis iusta est indignatio
And even this day will the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the conduct of the queen, say this unto all the princes of the king; and there will arise too much contempt and quarrel.
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 there go forth a royal order from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that no one transgress it, That Vashti come no more before king Achashverosh: and let the king give her royal dignity unto 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 decree which he will make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, however great it is: all the wives will show respect to their husbands, unto every one, from the great even to the small.
21 placuit consilium eius regi et principibus fecitque rex iuxta consultum Mamuchan
And the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king and of the princes; and the king did according to the speech of Memuchan.
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 unto all the provinces of the king, unto every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, however he may speak according to the language of his people.
