Ester 1
1 Aconteció en los días de Asuero, el que reinó desde India hasta Etiopía sobre 127 provincias,
In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
2 cuando el rey se sentó en el trono real en la capital que estaba en Susa,
when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
3 en el tercer año de su reinado, hizo un banquete a todos sus magistrados y servidores. Tenía ante él al ejército de Persia y Media, los nobles, y las autoridades de las provincias.
And so, in the third year of his reign, he made a great feast for all the leaders and his servants, for the most powerful among the Persians and the distinguished among the Medes, and for the rulers of the provinces before him,
4 Exhibió la gloria de las riquezas de su reino y la magnificencia de su poderío durante 180 días.
so that he might show the glorious riches of his kingdom, as well as its greatness, and so boast of his power, for a long time, namely, one hundred and eighty days.
5 Cuando se cumplieron esos días el rey brindó un banquete a todo el pueblo que estaba en la capital Susa, tanto a los encumbrados como a los humildes, durante siete días en el patio del jardín del palacio real.
And when the days of the feast were nearly completed, he invited all the people, who had been found in Susa, from the greatest even to the least, and he commanded a feast to be prepared, for seven days, in the court of the garden and the arboretum, which had been planted by the care and by the hand of the king.
6 Había allí lienzos de lino blanco y azul, colgados con cordones púrpura a anillos de plata entre columnas de mármol. Los reclinatorios eran de oro y plata, y estaban sobre un enlosado de mosaicos verdes y blancos con incrustaciones de nácar y de ónice.
And, in every direction, tents the color of the sky and of flax as well as hyacinth were hung up, suspended by cords of linen and even purple, which had been placed through rings of ivory and were held up with marble columns. The couches also, of gold and silver, had been arranged over a pavement of emerald-green, bearing scattered jewels, which was decorated with a wonderful variety of images.
7 Conforme a la generosidad del rey, daban a beber vino real en abundancia, en copas de oro de distintas clases.
Moreover, those who had been invited drank from golden cups, and dishes of foods were brought in one after another. Likewise, choice wine was presented in abundance, as was worthy of royal magnificence.
8 La bebida era brindada según lo establecido, sin obligación, porque el rey dispuso que los funcionarios de su palacio vieran que cada cual hiciera según su propio gusto.
Nor was anyone compelled to drink who was unwilling, but, just as the king had appointed, one of his nobles was set over each table, so that each one might select what he wanted.
9 También la reina Vasti ofreció un banquete para las mujeres del palacio real del rey Asuero.
Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
10 Al séptimo día, cuando el rey estaba alegre a causa del vino, ordenó a Mehumán, Bizta, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Zetar y Carcas, los siete servidores del palacio que servían al rey Asuero,
And so, on the seventh day, when the king was more cheerful, and, after excessive drinking, had become warmed with wine, he ordered Mehuman, and Biztha, and Harbona, and Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zethar, and Charkas, seven eunuchs who served in his presence,
11 que condujeran a la reina Vasti ante el rey, adornada con la corona real, para mostrar su belleza a la gente y los gobernantes, porque ella tenía hermosa apariencia.
to bring in queen Vashti before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to the whole people and to the leaders, for she was very beautiful.
12 Pero la reina Vasti se negó a cumplir la orden que el rey envió por medio de los servidores del palacio. El rey se indignó muchísimo por esto y airó.
She refused, and she showed contempt towards the king’s command, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry and inflamed with a very great fury,
13 Entonces el rey consultó a los sabios que conocían los tiempos, como era su costumbre con los que conocían la ley y el derecho.
questioned the wise men, who, according to royal custom were always near him and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws as well as the judgments of their ancestors,
14 Los más cercanos eran Carsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena y Memucán, los siete magistrados de Persia y Media, quienes veían el rostro del rey y se sentaban como primeros en el reino.
(but first and foremost were Carshena, and Shethar, and Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, seven rulers of the Persians as well as the Medes, who saw the face of the king and who were accustomed to sitting down first after him, )
15 Según la ley, ¿qué debe hacerse con la reina Vasti porque no cumplió la orden del rey Asuero enviada por medio de los servidores del palacio?
as to what sentence should fall upon Vashti the queen, who had refused to do the commandment of king Artaxerxes, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs.
16 Entonces Memucán respondió ante el rey y los príncipes: La reina Vasti no faltó el respeto solamente al rey, sino también a todos los gobernantes y todos los pueblos que están en todas las provincias del rey Asuero.
And Memucan answered, in the hearing of the king as well as the rulers, “Queen Vashti has wounded not only the king, but also all the people and the leaders, who are in all the provinces of king Artaxerxes.
17 Porque la conducta de la reina llegará a los oídos de todas las mujeres, quienes podrían menospreciar a sus esposos cuando se diga que el rey Asuero ordenó a la reina Vasti que se presentara ante él, y ella no quiso.
For word about the queen will go out to all the women, so that they will show contempt for their husbands, and they will say, ‘King Artaxerxes ordered that queen Vashti should enter before him, and she would not.’
18 En este mismo día las princesas de Persia y de Media, enteradas del proceder de la reina, podrán decir lo mismo a todos los príncipes del rey, de modo que se levantará una gran ira y desprecio.
And so, by this example all the wives of the leaders of the Persians and the Medes will belittle the authority of their husbands; therefore, the indignation of the king is just.
19 Si parece bien al rey, proclame un edicto real que sea escrito entre las leyes de Persia y Media con carácter irrevocable, que Vasti no comparezca más ante el rey Asuero, y que el rey otorgue su título de reina a otra más digna que ella.
If it pleases you, let an edict be sent out from your presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and the Medes, which it is forbidden to disregard, that Vashti shall no longer enter before the king, but let another, who is better than her, receive her queenship.
20 Cuando el edicto del rey sea oído en todo su reino, ¡que siempre sea grande! todas las mujeres darán honra a sus esposos, tanto al más importante como al más humilde.
And let this be published in all the provinces of your empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, the greater as much as the lesser, give honor to their husbands.”
21 El consejo agradó al rey y a los magistrados, y el rey hizo conforme a la palabra de Memucán.
His counsel pleased the king and the rulers, and the king acted according to the counsel of Memucan,
22 Envió cartas a todas las provincias del rey, a cada provincia según su escritura y a cada pueblo según su lengua, para que cada varón fuera jefe en su casa y lo difundiera según la lengua de su pueblo.
and he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, so that every nation was able to hear and to read, in various languages and letters, that husbands are to be the greater rulers in their own houses, and that this should be published to every people.
