Книга Есфири 2

1 И по словесех сих утолися царь от гнева, и не воспомяну ктому Астини, воспоминая, елика глагола и како осуди ея.

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 И реша слуги царевы: да изыщутся царю девицы нерастленны, красны зраком, и да поставит царь взыскатели во всех странах царствия своего,

Then said the king’s servants that ministered to him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

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:

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, into the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4 и жена, юже возлюбит царь, да будет царицею вместо Астини. И угодно бе царю слово, и сотвори тако.

And let the maiden who pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 И муж бе Иудеанин во граде Сусех, и имя ему Мардохей сын Иаиров, сына Семеина, сына Кисеова, от племене Вениаминя,

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 иже бяше пленен от Иерусалима Навуходоносором царем Вавилонским:

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

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.

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for 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:

So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree were heard, and when many maidens were gathered at Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also to the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper 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.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven choice maidens, to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids to the best place of the house of the women.

10 И не поведа Есфирь рода своего, ниже отечества, Мардохей бо заповеда ей не возвещати.

Esther had not revealed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known.

11 На всяк же день хождаше Мардохей по двору женскому, назирая, что Есфири случится.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of 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,

Now when every maid’s turn had come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the law for the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, that is, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women; )

13 и тогда вхождаху ко цареви: и емуже аще речет привести ю, входит с ним купно из дому женскаго даже до дому царева:

Then thus came every maiden to the king; whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king’s house.

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 went, and on the next morning she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except that the king delighted in her, and she was called 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.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 И вниде Есфирь ко царю Артаксерксу во вторыйнадесять месяц, иже есть Адар, в лето седмое царства его.

So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month 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.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon 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.

Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

19 Мардохей же служаше во дворе (цареве).

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

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 had not yet revealed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther performed the commandment of Mordecai, as when she was brought up with him.

21 И опечалистася два евнуха царева началнейшии стражы тела его, яко предпочтен бысть Мардохей, и искаста убити Артаксеркса царя.

In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were angry, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

22 И возвестися слово Мардохею, и сказа Есфири: она же поведа царю, яже наветуют.

And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king of it in Mordecai’s name.

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.

And when enquiry was made of the matter, it was discovered; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.