Esther, 1

0.

0. (1a) In the second year of the reign of the great King Ahasuerus, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. (1b) He was a Jew residing in the city of Susa, a prominent man who served at the king's court, (1c) and one of the captives whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had taken from Jerusalem with Jeconiah, king of Judah. (1d) This was his dream. There was noise and tumult, thunder and earthquake-confusion upon the earth. (1e) Two great dragons came on, both poised for combat. They uttered a mighty cry, (1f) and at their cry every nation prepared for war, to fight against the race of the just. (1g) It was a dark and gloomy day. Tribulation and distress, evil and great confusion, lay upon the earth. (1h) The whole race of the just were dismayed with fear of the evils to come upon them, and were at the point of destruction. (1i) Then they cried out to God, and as they cried, there appeared to come forth a great river, a flood of water from a little spring. (1j) The light of the sun broke forth; the lowly were exalted and they devoured the nobles. (1k) Having seen this dream and what God intended to do, Mordecai awoke. He kept it in mind, and tried in every way, until night, to understand its meaning. (1l) Mordecai lodged at the court with Bagathan and Thares, two eunuchs of the king who were court guards. (1m) He overheard them plotting, investigated their plans, and discovered that they were preparing to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. So he informed the king about them, (1n) and the king had the two eunuchs questioned and, upon their confession, put to death. (1o) Then the king had these things recorded; Mordecai, too, put them into writing. (1p) The king also appointed Mordecai to serve at the court, and rewarded him for his actions. (1q) Haman, however, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who was in high honor with the king, sought to harm Mordecai and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king.

1. C'était au temps d'Assuérus, ? de cet Assuérus qui régna, depuis l'Inde jusqu'à l'Ethiopie, sur cent vingt-sept provinces, ?

1. During the reign of Ahasuerus-this was the Ahasuerus who ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia-

2. au temps où le Roi Assuérus était assis sur son trône royal à Suse, la capitale.

2. while he was occupying the royal throne in the stronghold of Susa,

3. La troisième année de son règne, il fit un festin à tous ses princes et à tous ses ministres. Les chefs de l'armée des Perses et des Mèdes, les grands et les gouverneurs des provinces furent réunis en sa présence;

3. in the third year of his reign, he presided over a feast for all his officers and ministers: the Persian and Median aristocracy, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces.

4. c'est alors qu'il déploya devant eux la riche splendeur de son royaume et l'éclatante magnificence de sa grandeur, pendant un grand nombre de jours, pendant cent quatre-vingts jours.

4. For as many as a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the resplendent wealth of his royal estate.

5. Lorsque ces jours furent écoulés, le roi fit pour tout le peuple qui se trouvait à Suse, la capitale, depuis le plus grand jusqu'au plus petit, un festin de sept jours, dans la cour du jardin de la maison royale.

5. At the end of this time the king gave a feast of seven days in the garden court of the royal palace for all the people, great and small, who were in the stronghold of Susa.

6. Des tentures blanches, vertes et bleues étaient attachées par des cordons de byssus et de pourpre à des anneaux d'argent et à des colonnes de marbre; des lits d'or et d'argent étaient posés sur un pavé de porphyre, de marbre blanc, de nacre et de marbre noir.

6. There were white cotton draperies and violet hangings, held by cords of crimson byssus from silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones.

7. On servait à boire dans des vases d'or de différentes formes, et le vin royal était offert en abondance, grâce à la libéralité du roi.

7. Liquor was served in a variety of golden cups, and the royal wine flowed freely, as befitted the king's munificence.

8. Suivant le décret, chacun buvait sans que personne lui fît violence, car le roi avait ordonné à tous les officiers de sa maison de se conformer à la volonté de chacun des convives.

8. By ordinance of the king the drinking was unstinted, for he had instructed all the stewards of his household to comply with the good pleasure of everyone.

9. La reine Vasthi fit aussi un festin pour les femmes, dans la maison royale du roi Assuérus.

9. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women inside the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.

10. Le septième jour, comme le vin avait mis la joie au c?ur du roi, il ordonna à Maüman, Bazatha, Harbona, Bagatha, Abgatha, Zéthar et Charchas, les sept eunuques qui servaient devant le roi Assuérus,

10. On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he instructed Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended King Ahasuerus,

11. d'amener en sa présence la reine Vasthi, couronnée du diadème royal, pour montrer sa beauté aux peuples et aux grands, car elle était belle de figure.

11. to bring Queen Vashti into his presence wearing the royal crown, that he might display her beauty to the populace and the officials, for she was lovely to behold.

12. Mais la reine Vasthi refusa de se rendre au commandement du roi, qu'elle avait reçu par l'intermédiaire des eunuques, et le roi fut très irrité et sa colère s'enflamma.

12. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the royal order issued through the eunuchs. At this the king's wrath flared up, and he burned with fury.

13. Alors le roi s'adressa aux sages qui avaient la connaissance des temps : ? car ainsi se traitaient les affaires du roi, devant tous ceux qui étaient experts dans la loi et le droit,

13. He conferred with the wise men versed in the law, because the king's business was conducted in general consultation with lawyers and jurists.

14. et les plus près de lui étaient Charséna, Séthar, Admatha, Tharsis, Marès, Marsana et Mamuchan, les sept princes de Perse et de Médie, qui voyaient la face du roi et qui occupaient le premier rang dans le royaume. ?

14. He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who were in the king's personal service and held first rank in the realm,

15. " Quelle loi, dit-il, doit-on appliquer à la reine Vasthi, pour n'avoir pas exécuté l'ordre du roi Assuérus, qu'il lui a donné par l'intermédiaire des eunuques? "

15. and asked them, "What is to be done by law with Queen Vashti for disobeying the order of King Ahasuerus issued through the eunuchs?"

16. Mamuchan répondit devant le roi et les princes : " Ce n'est pas seulement à l'égard du roi que la reine Vasthi a mal agi, mais aussi envers tous les princes et tous les peuples qui sont dans toutes les provinces du roi Assuérus.

16. In the presence of the king and of the officials, Memucan answered: "Queen Vashti has not wronged the king alone, but all the officials and the populace throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

17. Car l'action de la reine viendra à la connaissance de toutes les femmes et les portera à mépriser leurs maris; elles diront : Le roi Assuérus avait ordonné qu'on amenât en sa présence la reine Vasthi, et elle n'y est point allée.

17. For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and they will look with disdain upon their husbands when it is reported, "King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti be ushered into his presence, but she would not come.'

18. Et dès aujourd'hui, les princesses de Perse et de Médie, qui auront appris l'action de la reine, la citeront à tous les princes du roi, et il en résultera beaucoup de mépris et de colère.

18. This very day the Persian and Median ladies who hear of the queen's conduct will rebel against all the royal officials, with corresponding disdain and rancor.

19. Si le roi le trouve bon, qu'on publie de sa part et qu'on inscrive parmi les loi des Perses et des Mèdes, pour n'être pas enfreinte, une ordonnance royale portant que la reine Vasthi ne paraîtra plus devant le roi Assuérus, et que le roi donnera sa dignité de reine à une autre qui soit meilleure qu'elle.

19. If it please the king, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued by him and inscribed among the laws of the Persians and Medes, forbidding Vashti to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus and authorizing the king to give her royal dignity to one more worthy than she.

20. Et quand l'édit du roi sera connu dans tout son royaume, qui est vaste, toutes les femmes rendront honneur à leurs maris, depuis le plus grand jusqu'au plus petit. "

20. Thus, when the decree which the king will issue is published throughout his realm, vast as it is, all wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least."

21. Le conseil plut au roi et aux princes, et le roi agit selon le discours de Mamuchan.

21. This proposal found acceptance with the king and the officials, and the king acted on the advice of Memucan.

22. Il envoya des lettres à toutes les provinces du royaume, à chaque province selon son écriture et à chaque peuple selon sa langue; elles portaient que tout mari devait être le maître dans sa maison et qu'il parlerait le langage de son peuple.

22. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, to the effect that every man should be lord in his own home.