Книга Есфири 2
1 И по словесех сих утолися царь от гнева, и не воспомяну ктому Астини, воспоминая, елика глагола и како осуди ея.
Later on, after all this had happened, King Xerxes' anger subsided and he thought about Vashti and what she'd done, and the decree issued against her.
2 И реша слуги царевы: да изыщутся царю девицы нерастленны, красны зраком, и да поставит царь взыскатели во всех странах царствия своего,
His advisors suggested to him, “Why not order a search to find beautiful young virgins for Your Majesty?
3 и да изберут отроковиц девственных доброзрачных в Сусы град, в чертог женский, и да отдадутся евнухови цареву стражу жен, и да дадутся масти и прочыя потребы:
Your Majesty should put officers in charge in each province of his empire to gather all the beautiful young women and bring them to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa. They should placed under the supervision of Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the women, and they should be given beauty treatments.
4 и жена, юже возлюбит царь, да будет царицею вместо Астини. И угодно бе царю слово, и сотвори тако.
The young woman the king finds most attractive can become queen in place of Vashti.” The king thought this was a good idea, so he acted upon it.
5 И муж бе Иудеанин во граде Сусех, и имя ему Мардохей сын Иаиров, сына Семеина, сына Кисеова, от племене Вениаминя,
There was a Jewish man living in the fortress of Susa named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite
6 иже бяше пленен от Иерусалима Навуходоносором царем Вавилонским:
who was among those taken prisoner with King Jehoiachin of Judah and carried into exile from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
7 и бяше ему отроковица воспитана, дщерь Аминадава брата отцу его, и имя ей Есфирь. По преставлении же родителей ея, прия ю Мардохей во дщере место: и бяше девица красна и доброзрачна.
He had brought up Hadassah (or Esther), his uncle's daughter, because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. After her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.
8 И егда услышано бысть повеление царево, собраны быша девицы многи во град Сусы, под руку Гаиеву, и приведена бысть Есфирь ко Гаию хранителю жен:
When the king's order and decree had been announced, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa under the supervision of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the king's palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
9 и угодна бысть ему отроковица и окрете благодать пред ним: и потщася дати ей масти и участие, и седмь девиц пристави к ней из дому царева, и снабдеваше ю и рабынь ея добре в дому женстем.
Esther caught his eye and he treated her favorably. He quickly arranged beauty treatments and special food for her. He also provided her with seven specially-chosen maids from the king's palace, and moved her and her maids to the best location in the harem.
10 И не поведа Есфирь рода своего, ниже отечества, Мардохей бо заповеда ей не возвещати.
Esther had not let anyone know her nationality or who her family was, because Mordecai had ordered her not to.
11 На всяк же день хождаше Мардохей по двору женскому, назирая, что Есфири случится.
Each day Mordecai spent time walking around in front of the courtyard of the harem so he could find out how Esther was doing and what was happening to her.
12 Сие же бе время девиц входити ко царю, егда исполнятся дванадесять месяцей: тако бо наполняхуся дние украшения, шесть месяц во ароматех и в мастех женских, и шесть месяц намазующяся смирновым елеем,
Before it was the turn of a young woman to go to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments for women that were required: six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumed oils and ointments.
13 и тогда вхождаху ко цареви: и емуже аще речет привести ю, входит с ним купно из дому женскаго даже до дому царева:
When it was time for the young woman to go to the king, she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.
14 на вечер вхождаше и заутра возвращашеся в дом женский вторый, идеже Гай евнух царев хранитель жен, и не вхождаше паки ко царю, аще не будет позвана именем.
In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to a different harem under the supervision of Shaashgaz, who was the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not go back to be with the king again unless he was particularly attracted to her and called for her by name.
15 Егда же исполнися время Есфири дщери Аминадава, брата отца Мардохеова, (иже поял ю себе в дщере место, ) внити ко цареви, ничтоже преступи от сих, яже заповеда ей евнух хранитель жен: бе бо Есфирь обретающая благодать пред всеми зрящими ю.
(Esther was the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.) When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she didn't ask for anything to take with her except what Hegai advised. (He was the king's eunuch in charge of the women.) Esther was looked on with admiration by everybody.
16 И вниде Есфирь ко царю Артаксерксу во вторыйнадесять месяц, иже есть Адар, в лето седмое царства его.
Esther was taken to King Xerxes into his royal palace, in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 И возлюби царь Есфирь, и обрете благодать паче всех девиц, и возложи венец женский на главу ея.
The king loved Esther more than all the other women. He treated her more favorably and with greater kindness than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 И сотвори царь пир всем другом своим и силам седмь дний, и вознесе брак Есфирин, и сотвори отраду сущым во царствии его.
The king gave a great feast for all his officials and administrators—Esther's feast. He also declared it a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed generous gifts.
19 Мардохей же служаше во дворе (цареве).
Even though there had been a second gathering of virgins, and Mordecai had been given a position by the king,
20 Есфирь же не поведа рода своего, (ни людий своих): сице бо заповеда ей Мардохей боятися Бога и творити заповеди Его, якоже бе с ним, Есфирь же не измени обычая своего.
Esther still did not let anyone know about her family or her nationality, as Mordecai had ordered her. She followed Mordecai's instructions just as she did when he brought her up.
21 И опечалистася два евнуха царева началнейшии стражы тела его, яко предпочтен бысть Мардохей, и искаста убити Артаксеркса царя.
At that time, as Mordecai was doing his work at the palace gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the entrance to the king's rooms, became furious with King Xerxes and looked for a way to assassinate him.
22 И возвестися слово Мардохею, и сказа Есфири: она же поведа царю, яже наветуют.
Mordecai found out about the plot and reported it to Queen Esther. Esther in turn told the king on Mordecai's behalf.
23 Царь же испыта дву евнуху, (и исповедаста, ) и обеси их. И повеле царь вписати на память в царстей книгохранителнице о благодеянии Мардохеове в похвалу.
When the plot was investigated and found to be true, both men were impaled on poles. This was recorded in the official Book of Records by order of the king.
