Ester 1
Sainte Bible libre pour le monde
1Du temps d'Assuérus (cet Assuérus qui régnait depuis l'Inde jusqu'à l'Éthiopie, sur cent vingt-sept provinces),
2en ces jours-là, le roi Assuérus s'assit sur le trône de son royaume, à Suse, la capitale.
3La troisième année de son règne, il fit un festin pour tous ses princes et ses serviteurs ; l'armée de Perse et de Médie, les nobles et les princes des provinces étaient devant lui.
4Il montra la richesse de son royaume glorieux et l'éclat de sa majesté magnifique pendant de nombreux jours, c'est-à-dire cent quatre-vingts jours.
5Lorsque ces jours furent accomplis, le roi fit un festin de sept jours pour tout le peuple qui se trouvait à Suse, la capitale, depuis le plus grand jusqu'au plus petit, dans la cour du jardin du palais du roi.
6Il y avait des tentures d'étoffes blanches et bleues, attachées par des cordons de fin lin et de pourpre à des anneaux d'argent et à des colonnes de marbre. Les lits étaient d'or et d'argent, sur un pavé de marbre rouge, blanc, jaune et noir.
7On servait à boire dans des coupes d'or de différentes sortes, et il y avait du vin royal en abondance, grâce à la générosité du roi.
8Conformément à la loi, on ne forçait personne à boire ; car le roi avait donné l'ordre à tous les intendants de sa maison de faire selon le bon plaisir de chacun.
9La reine Vasthi fit aussi un festin pour les femmes dans la maison royale qui appartenait au roi Assuérus.
10Le septième jour, comme le cœur du roi était réjoui par le vin, il commanda à Méhuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zéthar et Carcas, les sept eunuques qui servaient en présence du roi Assuérus,
11d'amener devant lui la reine Vasthi avec la couronne royale, pour montrer sa beauté aux peuples et aux princes ; car elle était belle.
12Mais la reine Vasthi refusa de venir à l'ordre du roi transmis par les eunuques. Le roi en fut très irrité, et sa colère s'enflamma en lui.
13Alors le roi s'adressa aux sages qui connaissaient les temps (car c'était la coutume du roi de consulter tous ceux qui connaissaient la loi et le droit ;
14et les plus proches de lui étaient Carshena, Shéthar, Admatha, Tarsis, Mérès, Marséna et Memucan, les sept princes de Perse et de Médie, qui voyaient la face du roi et qui occupaient la première place dans le royaume) :
15« Que devons-nous faire à la reine Vasthi, selon la loi, parce qu'elle n'a pas exécuté l'ordre du roi Assuérus transmis par les eunuques ? »
16Memucan répondit devant le roi et les princes : « Ce n'est pas seulement envers le roi que la reine Vasthi a mal agi, mais aussi envers tous les princes et envers tous les peuples qui sont dans toutes les provinces du roi Assuérus.
17Car l'action de la reine parviendra à la connaissance de toutes les femmes, et les poussera à mépriser leurs maris lorsqu'on dira : ‘Le roi Assuérus a ordonné d'amener la reine Vasthi devant lui, mais elle n'est pas venue.’
18Aujourd'hui même, les princesses de Perse et de Médie qui auront appris l'action de la reine en parleront à tous les princes du roi. Cela causera beaucoup de mépris et de colère.
19« S'il plaît au roi, qu'il publie un édit royal, et qu'il soit inscrit parmi les lois des Perses et des Mèdes, afin qu'il ne soit pas révoqué : que Vasthi ne paraisse plus devant le roi Assuérus ; et que le roi donne la dignité royale à une autre qui soit meilleure qu'elle.
20Lorsque le décret que le roi aura rendu sera connu dans tout son royaume (car il est grand), toutes les femmes rendront honneur à leurs maris, depuis le plus grand jusqu'au plus petit. »
21Ce conseil plut au roi et aux princes, et le roi agit selon la parole de Memucan :
22il envoya des lettres dans toutes les provinces du roi, à chaque province selon son écriture, et à chaque peuple dans sa langue, pour que tout homme soit le maître dans sa propre maison, et qu'il parle la langue de son propre peuple.
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y ACONTECIÓ en los días de Assuero, (el Assuero que reinó desde la India hasta la Etiopía sobre ciento veinte y siete provincias,)
2Que en aquellos días, asentado que fué el rey Assuero en la silla de su reino, la cual estaba en Susán capital del reino,
3En el tercer año de su reinado hizo banquete á todos sus príncipes y siervos, teniendo delante de él la fuerza de Persia y de Media, gobernadores y príncipes de provincias,
4Para mostrar él las riquezas de la gloria de su reino, y el lustre de la magnificencia de su poder, por muchos días, ciento y ochenta días.
5Y cumplidos estos días, hizo el rey banquete por siete días en el patio del huerto del palacio real á todo el pueblo, desde el mayor hasta el menor que se halló en Susán capital del reino.
6El pabellón era de blanco, verde, y cárdeno, tendido sobre cuerdas de lino y púrpura en sortijas de plata y columnas de mármol: los reclinatorios de oro y de plata, sobre losado de pórfido y de mármol, y de alabastro y de jacinto.
7Y daban á beber en vasos de oro, y vasos diferentes unos de otros, y mucho vino real, conforme á la facultad del rey.
8Y la bebida fué según esta ley: Que nadie constriñese; porque así lo había mandado el rey á todos los mayordomos de su casa; que se hiciese según la voluntad de cada uno.
9Asimismo la reina Vasthi hizo banquete de mujeres, en la casa real del rey Assuero.
10El séptimo día, estando el corazón del rey alegre del vino, mandó á Mehumán, y á Biztha, y á Harbona, y á Bigtha, y á Abagtha, y á Zetar, y á Carcas, siete eunucos que servían delante del rey Assuero,
11Que trajesen á la reina Vasthi delante del rey con la corona regia, para mostrar á los pueblos y á los príncipes su hermosura; porque era linda de aspecto.
12Mas la reina Vasthi no quiso comparecer á la orden del rey, enviada por mano de los eunucos; y enojóse el rey muy mucho, y encendióse en él su ira.
13Preguntó entonces el rey á los sabios que sabían los tiempos, (porque así era la costumbre del rey para con todos los que sabían la ley y el derecho;
14Y estaban junto á él, Carsena, y Sethar, y Admatha, y Tharsis, y Meres, y Marsena, y Memucán, siete príncipes de Persia y de Media que veían la cara del rey, y se sentaban los primeros del reino:)
15Qué se había de hacer según la ley con la reina Vasthi, por cuanto no había cumplido la orden del rey Assuero, enviada por mano de los eunucos.
16Y dijo Memucán delante del rey y de los príncipes: No solamente contra el rey ha pecado la reina Vasthi, sino contra todos los príncipes, y contra todos los pueblos que hay en todas las provincias del rey Assuero.
17Porque este hecho de la reina pasará á noticia de todas las mujeres, para hacerles tener en poca estima á sus maridos, diciendo: El rey Assuero mandó traer delante de sí á la reina Vasthi, y ella no vino.
18Y entonces dirán esto las señoras de Persia y de Media que oyeren el hecho de la reina, á todos los príncipes del rey: y habrá mucho menosprecio y enojo.
19Si parece bien al rey, salga mandamiento real delante de él, y escríbase entre las leyes de Persia y de Media, y no sea traspasado: Que no venga más Vasthi delante del rey Assuero: y dé el rey su reino á su compañera que sea mejor que ella.
20Y el mandamiento que hará el rey será oído en todo su reino, aunque es grande, y todas las mujeres darán honra á sus maridos, desde el mayor hasta el menor.
21Y plugo esta palabra en ojos del rey y de los príncipes, é hizo el rey conforme al dicho de Memucán;
22Pues envió letras á todas las provincias del rey, á cada provincia conforme á su escribir, y á cada pueblo conforme á su lenguaje, diciendo que todo hombre fuese señor en su casa; y háblese esto según la lengua de su pueblo.
King James Version
1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
6Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
14And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
20And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
World English Bible
1Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces),
2in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the palace,
3in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him.
4He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days.
5When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast for all the people who were present in Susa the palace, both great and small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
6There were hangings of white and blue material, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, white, yellow, and black marble.
7They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
8In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11to bring Vashti the queen before the king wearing the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.
13Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgment;
14and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
15“What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?”
16Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.
17For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’
18Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
19“If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
20When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honor, both great and small.”
21This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people.