1 Sucedeu nos dias de Assuero (este é o Assuero que reinou desde a Índia até a Etiópia, sobre cento e vinte e sete províncias),2 que estando o rei Assuero sentado no trono do seu reino, no castelo de Susã,3 ao terceiro ano do seu reinado, deu um banquete a todos os seus príncipes e seus servos, em que estava representado o poder da Pérsia e da Média nas pessoas dos nobres e príncipes das províncias.4 Nessa ocasião mostrou as riquezas do seu reino glorioso e a grandeza da sua excelente majestade durante muitos dias, durante cento e oitenta dias.5 Acabados que foram estes dias, deu o rei um banquete a todo o povo que se achava no castelo de Susã, tanto a grandes como a pequenos, por sete dias, no átrio do jardim do palácio do rei;6 e havia toldos de pano branco, verde e azul, atados com cordões de linho fino e de púrpura a argolas de prata e a colunas de mármore. Os leitos eram de ouro e de prata, sobre um pavimento de pórfiro e de mármore e de alabastro e de pedras de cor escura.7 Dava-se-lhes de beber em vasos de ouro, diferentes uns dos outros, e havia vinho real em abundância, segundo a liberalidade do rei.8 Bebiam como estava prescrito, sem constrangimento, porque o rei tinha ordenado a todos os oficiais da sua casa, que fizessem conforme cada um queria.9 A rainha Vasti também deu um banquete às mulheres na casa real do rei Assuero.10 Ao sétimo dia, quando o coração do rei estava alegre de vinho, mandou a Meumã, Bizta, Harbona, Bigtá, Abagta, Zetar e Carcas, sete eunucos que ministravam na presença do rei Assuero,11 que introduzissem à presença do rei a rainha Vasti, para mostrar aos povos e aos príncipes a formosura dela; pois era em extremo formosa.12 A rainha Vasti, porém, recusou vir, como o rei lhe tinha ordenado por meio dos eunucos; portanto o rei muito se enfureceu, e se inflamou de ira.13 Então disse o rei aos sábios, conhecedores do tempo, (pois assim se tratava o procedimento do rei perante todos os que sabiam as leis e os costumes;14 e os mais chegados a ele eram: Carsena, Setar, Adamata, Társis, Meres, Marsena e Memucã, os quais eram os sete príncipes da Pérsia e da Média, que viam o rosto do rei e se assentavam mais perto dele no reino):15 Que havemos de fazer, segundo a lei, à rainha Vasti, por não ter obedecido à ordem que o rei Assuero tinha enviado por meio dos eunucos?16 Respondeu Memucã na presença do rei e dos príncipes: A rainha Vasti não somente ofendeu ao rei, mas também a todos os príncipes e a todos os povos que há em todas as províncias do rei Assuero.17 Pois o que fez a rainha tornar-se-á conhecido a todas as mulheres, induzindo-as a desprezarem seus maridos, ao ouvirem dizer: O rei Assuero mandou que a rainha Vasti fosse trazida à sua presença, porém ela não veio.18 Hoje mesmo as princesas da Pérsia e da Média que ouviram o que fez a rainha dirão semelhantemente a todos os príncipes do rei. Assim haverá muito desprezo e indignação.19 Se for do agrado do rei, saia da sua parte um edito real, e escreva-se entre as leis dos persas e dos medos, para que não seja revogado, que Vasti não entre mais na presença do rei Assuero; e dê o rei os seus direitos de rainha a outra que seja melhor do que ela.20 Quando o decreto que o rei fizer, for publicado por toda a parte do seu reino (pois é grande), todas as mulheres darão honra a seus maridos, tanto a grandes como a pequenos.21 Pareceu bem o conselho ao rei e aos príncipes; e o rei fez conforme a palavra de Memucã,22 pois enviou cartas a todas as províncias do rei, a cada província segundo o seu modo de escrever e a cada povo segundo a sua língua, para que todo o homem governasse em sua casa, e falasse segundo a língua do seu povo.

1 Now it came about in the days of Ahasuerus, that Ahasuerus who was ruler of a hundred and twenty-seven divisions of the kingdom, from India as far as Ethiopia:2 When King Ahasuerus was ruling in Shushan, his strong town,3 In the third year of his rule he gave a feast to all his captains and his servants. The captains of the army of Persia and Media, the great men and the rulers of the divisions of his kingdom, were present before him.4 For a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honor that was his.5 At the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.6 There were hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best cotton linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone. The seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.7 They served drinks in gold vessels. Every vessel was different. The king freely gave wine from the kingdom.8 The drinking was in keeping with the law. No one was forced: for the king gave orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.9 Vashti the queen gave a feast for the women in the house of King Ahasuerus.10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presences of King Ahasuerus.11 That Vashti the queen was to come before him, with her royal crown, and let the people and the captains see her beauty: for she was very beautiful.12 But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come. The king was very angry. His heart was burning with wrath.13 The king spoke to the wise men that were experts with knowledge of the times. It was the king's practice.14 The closest to the king were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media. They were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom.15 »By law, what is to be done to Vashti the queen? She has not done what King Ahasuerus ordered her to do.«16 Before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: »Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but also to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus.17 »For news of what the queen has done will come to the attention of all women. They will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, ‘King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she did not come.’18 »The wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and anger.19 »If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him. Let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed. That Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her place to another who is better than she.20 »When the king’s order is made public through all his great kingdom all the wives will give honor to their husbands, great as well as small.«21 This suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains. The king did as Memucan said.22 He sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom where their language is used. The letter said that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.