1 Eis o que aconteceu no tempo de Assuero que reinou desde a Índia até a Etiópia sobre cento e vinte e sete províncias.

2 Naqueles dias em que ele ocupava o trono real, que está na fortaleza de Susa, sua capital,

3 no terceiro ano de seu reinado, deu um banquete a todos os cortesãos e servos. Tinha reunido em sua presença os chefes do exército dos persas e dos medos, os príncipes e os governadores das províncias,

4 para fazer manifestação da riqueza e do esplendor de seu reino, da rara magnificência de sua grandeza, durante um tempo considerável, de cento e oitenta dias.

5 Passados esses dias, o rei deu um banquete a toda a população que se encontrava na fortaleza de Susa, desde o maior até o menor, durante sete dias, sobre a esplanada do palácio real.

6 Havia cortinas brancas de algodão e de púrpura violeta, presas por cordões brancos e purpúreos sobre anéis de prata e colunas de mármore; havia leitos de ouro e de prata sobre um pavimento de pórfiro, de mármore branco, de nácar e havia pedra preta.

7 A bebida era servida em copos de ouro de variadas formas; o vinho real em abundância era oferecido pela liberalidade do rei.

8 Bebia-se sem ser importunado por ninguém, segundo uma ordem do rei, porque ele tinha recomendado a todos os chefes de sua casa que deixassem cada um proceder como lhe agradasse.

9 Por sua parte, a rainha Vasti ofereceu um banquete para as mulheres do palácio real do rei Assuero.

10 No sétimo dia, o rei, cujo coração estava alegre por causa do vinho, ordenou a Maumã, Bazata, Harbona, Bagata, Abgata, Zetar e Carcas – os sete eunucos a serviço, junto de Assuero –,

11 que trouxessem à sua presença a rainha Vasti, com o diadema real, para mostrar aos povos e aos grandes toda a sua beleza, porque era formosa de aspecto.

12 Mas a rainha Vasti recusou sujeitar-se à ordem do rei transmitida pelos eunucos. O rei enfureceu-se e sua cólera se inflamou.

13 Consultou os sábios versados na ciência dos tempos. (Porque os assuntos reais eram tratados desse modo, com jurisconsultos.

14 Seus assessores eram: Carsena, Setar, Admata, Társis, Mares, Marsana e Mamucã, sete príncipes da Pérsia e da Média, que contemplavam a face do rei e ocupavam os primeiros lugares no reino.)

15 "Que lei – disse ele – se deve aplicar à rainha Vasti, por não ter obedecido a ordem que o rei Assuero lhe transmitiu pelos eunucos?"

16 "Não foi somente em relação ao rei – respondeu Mamucã – que se comportou mal a rainha Vasti, mas também em relação a todos os príncipes e os povos das províncias do rei Assuero.

17 Porque a conduta da rainha será conhecida de todas as mulheres e as incitará a desprezar seus maridos. Dirão: ‘O rei Assuero mandou trazer à sua presença a rainha Vasti, mas ela não foi!’.

18 Daqui em diante, as mulheres dos príncipes da Pérsia e da Média, sabendo da conduta da rainha, responderão do mesmo modo a todos os grandes do rei e disso resultará, por toda a parte, desprezo e irritação.

19 Se o rei achar bom, publique-se em seu nome um decreto real, que ficará consignado nas leis da Pérsia e da Média como irrevogável, em força do qual Vasti não apareça mais dian­te de Assuero e o rei confira o título de rainha a outra que seja mais digna.

20 Quando o edito for conhecido na imensidade de seu reino, todas as mulheres respeitarão seus maridos, desde o maior até o mais humilde."

21 Esse parecer agradou ao rei e aos príncipes, de modo que o rei seguiu o conselho de Mamucã.

22 O rei expediu cartas para todas as províncias reais, a cada uma em sua escrita, e a cada povo em sua língua própria: elas decretavam que todo marido devia ser o senhor em sua casa e fazer-se respeitar por sua mulher.

1 Now 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:) 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 unto 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 shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 5 And 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;*1.5 present: Heb. found 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, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.*1.6 blue, hangings: or, violet, etc*1.6 of red…: or, of porphyre, and marble and alabaster, and stone of blue colour 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.*1.7 royal…: Heb. wine of the kingdom*1.7 state: Heb. hand 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’s 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,*1.10 chamberlains: or, eunuchs 11 To 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.*1.11 fair…: Heb. good of countenance 12 But 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.*1.12 by his…: Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs

13 Then 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: 14 And 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;) 15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?*1.15 What…: Heb. What to do 16 And 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. 17 For 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. 18 Likewise 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. 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 unto another that is better than she.*1.19 If it…: Heb. If it be good with the king*1.19 unto…: Heb. unto her companion*1.19 from him: Heb. from before him*1.19 be not…: Heb. pass not away 20 And 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. 21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:*1.21 pleased…: Heb. was good in the eyes of the king 22 For 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.*1.22 that it…: Heb. that one should publish it according to the language of his people