1 No tempo de Assuero, que reinava desde a Índia até a Etiópia sobre cento e vinte e sete províncias,2 naqueles dias em que ele ocupava o trono real de Susa, sua capital,3 no terceiro ano de seu reinado, deu um banquete a todos os cortesãos e a seus 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, a saber, cento e oitenta dias.5 Passado esse tempo, o rei ofereceu a toda a população de Susa, a capital, desde o maior até o menor, um banquete de sete dias no pátio do jardim, junto ao palácio.6 Cortinas brancas de algodão e de púrpura violeta, presas por cordões brancos e purpúreos a anéis de prata e a colunas de mármore; leitos de ouro e prata sobre um pavimento de pórfiro, de mármore branco, de nácar e pedra preta;7 bebida servida em copos de ouro de variadas formas; o vinho real em abundância 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 o banquete das mulheres no palácio do rei Assuero.10 No sétimo dia, o rei cujo coração estava alegre pelo vinho, ordenou a Mauman, Bazata, Harbona, Bagata, Abgata, Zetar e Carcar - os sete eunucos a serviço, junto de Assuero -11 que trouxessem à sua presença a rainha Vasti com o diadema real, para mostrar ao povo 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, com o que se irritou grandemente o rei, acendendo-se o seu furor.13 Consultou os sábios versados na ciência dos tempos. {Porque os assuntos reais eram tratados desse modo, com jurisconsultos,14 e os mais considerados eram Carsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Mares, Marsena e Memucan, sete príncipes da Pérsia e da Média, que contemplavam a face do rei e ocupavam o primeiro lugar 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 Memucan, 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 o proceder da rainha será conhecido de todas as mulheres e as incitará a desprezar seus maridos. Dirão: O rei Assuero tinha mandado trazer à sua presença a rainha Vasti, mas ela não quis vir.18 Daqui em diante, as senhoras 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 parte, desprezo e irritação.19 Se o rei achar bom, publique-se em seu nome um decreto real, que ficará consignado nas ordenações 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 Memucan.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 homem devia ser o senhor em sua casa e fazer-se respeitar por sua mulher.

1 And it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh, of the same Achashverosh who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,2 In those days, when this king Achashverosh was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the capital,3 That, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces who were near him:4 When he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the brilliance and the splendor of his greatness, during many days, a hundred and eighty days.5 And when these days were completed, the king made unto all the people that were found in Shushan the capital, unto every one, from the great even to the small, a feast of seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;6 Where were white, green, and blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, on rollers of silver and pillars of marble; couches of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and yellow, and black marble.7 And they gave them to drink in vessels of gold,––the vessels being diverse one from the other,––and the royal wine was in abundance, according to the ability of the king.8 And the drinking was, according to the king’s order, without compulsion; for so had the king enjoined on all the officers of his house, to do according to the pleasure of every man.9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Charbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Achashverosh,11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king ornamented with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was handsome in appearance.12 But queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king brought by the hand of the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burnt in him.13 Then said the king to the wise men, who knew the occurrences of the times; for so came every affair of the king before all acquainted with law and state institutions;14 And those next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tharshish, Meress, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who could see at all times the king’s face, who sat in the first rank in the kingdom:15 What should according to law be done with queen Vashti; because she had not fulfilled the order of king Achashverosh by the hand of the chamberlains?16 Then said Memuchan before the king and the princes, Not against the king alone hath Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of king Achashverosh.17 For the conduct of the queen will go abroad unto all the women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought into his presence, but she came not.18 And even this day will the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the conduct of the queen, say this unto all the princes of the king; and there will arise too much contempt and quarrel.19 If it please the king, let there go forth a royal order from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that no one transgress it, That Vashti come no more before king Achashverosh: and let the king give her royal dignity unto another that is better than she.20 And when the king’s decree which he will make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, however great it is: all the wives will show respect to their husbands, unto every one, from the great even to the small.21 And the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king and of the princes; and the king did according to the speech of Memuchan.22 And he sent letters unto all the provinces of the king, unto every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, however he may speak according to the language of his people.