1 وحدث في ايام احشويروش. هو احشويروش الذي ملك من الهند الى كوش على مئة وسبع وعشرين كورة.2 انه في تلك الايام حين جلس الملك احشويروش على كرسي ملكه الذي في شوشن القصر3 في السنة الثالثة من ملكه عمل وليمة لجميع رؤسائه وعبيده جيش فارس ومادي وامامه شرفاء البلدان ورؤساؤها4 حين اظهر غنى مجد ملكه ووقار جلال عظمته اياما كثيرة مئة وثمانين يوما.5 وعند انقضاء هذه الايام عمل الملك لجميع الشعب الموجودين في شوشن القصر من الكبير الى الصغير وليمة سبعة ايام في دار جنة قصر الملك.6 بانسجة بيضاء وخضراء واسمانجونية معلّقة بحبال من بزّ وارجوان في حلقات من فضة واعمدة من رخام واسرّة من ذهب وفضة على مجزّع من بهت ومرمر ودر ورخام اسود.7 وكان السقاء من ذهب والآنية مختلفة الاشكال والخمر الملكي بكثرة حسب كرم الملك.8 وكان الشرب حسب الأمر. لم يكن غاصب لانه هكذا رسم الملك على كل عظيم في بيته ان يعملوا حسب رضا كل واحد.9 ووشتي الملكة عملت ايضا وليمة للنساء في بيت الملك الذي للملك احشويروش10 في اليوم السابع لما طاب قلب الملك بالخمر قال لمهومان وبزثا وحربونا وبغثا وابغثا وزيثار وكركس الخصيان السبعة الذين كانوا يخدمون بين يدي الملك احشويروش11 ان يأتوا بوشتي الملكة الى امام الملك بتاج الملك ليري الشعوب والرؤساء جمالها لانها كانت حسنة المنظر.12 فأبت الملكة وشتي ان تأتي حسب أمر الملك عن يد الخصيان فاغتاظ الملك جدا واشتعل غضبه فيه.13 وقال الملك للحكماء والعارفين بالازمنة. لانه هكذا كان أمر الملك نحو جميع العارفين بالسنّة والقضاء.14 وكان المقربون اليه كرشنا وشيثار وادماثا وترشيش ومرس ومرسنا ومموكان سبعة رؤساء فارس ومادي الذين يرون وجه الملك ويجلسون اولا في الملك.15 حسب السنّة ماذا يعمل بالملكة وشتي لانها لم تعمل كقول الملك احشويروش عن يد الخصيان.16 فقال مموكان امام الملك والرؤساء ليس الى الملك وحده اذنبت وشتي الملكة بل الى جميع الرؤساء وجميع الشعوب الذين في كل بلدان الملك احشويروش.17 لانه سوف يبلغ خبر الملكة الى جميع النساء حتى يحتقر ازواجهنّ في اعينهنّ عندما يقال ان الملك احشويروش امر ان يؤتى بوشتي الملكة الى امامه فلم تأت.18 وفي هذا اليوم تقول رئيسات فارس ومادي اللواتي سمعن خبر الملكة لجميع رؤساء الملك. ومثل ذلك احتقار وغضب.19 فاذا حسن عند الملك فليخرج امر ملكي من عنده وليكتب في سنن فارس ومادي فلا يتغيّر ان لا تات وشتي الى امام الملك احشويروش وليعط الملك ملكها لمن هي احسن منها.20 فيسمع أمر الملك الذي يخرجه في كل مملكته لانها عظيمة فتعطي جميع النساء الوقار لازواجهنّ من الكبير الى الصغير.21 فحسن الكلام في اعين الملك والرؤساء وعمل الملك حسب قول مموكان.22 وارسل كتبا الى كل بلدان الملك والى كل بلاد حسب كتابتها والى كل شعب حسب لسانه ليكون كل رجل متسلط في بيته ويتكلم بذلك بلسان شعبه

1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even to Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king' palace;6 Where 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, on a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.7 And 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.8 And 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' pleasure.9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.10 On 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,11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king' commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king' manner toward all that knew law and judgment:14 And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king' face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)15 What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has 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.17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad to 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.18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day to all the king' princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.19 If 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 to another that is better than she.20 And when the king' decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:22 For he sent letters into all the king' 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.