ESTER

1Now it came to pass in the yamim of Achashverosh, (this is Achashverosh which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces;)

2That in those yamim, when HaMelech Achashverosh sat on his kisse malkhut (royal throne), which was in the ⁰capital, Shushan,

3In the shnat shalosh (third year) of his reign, he gave a mishteh (feast, banquet) unto all his sarim (princes) and his avadim (officials); the might of Persia and Media, the nobles and sarim (princes) of the provinces, being before him;

4When he displayed the osher kavod malkhut (riches of the glorious kingdom) of his and the yekar (honor) ¹of his tiferet gedulah (glorious majesty) yamim rabbim, even a hundred and eighty days.

5And when these yamim were expired, HaMelech gave a mishteh (feast) unto all the people that were present in the capital of Shushan, both gadol (great) and katan (small), shivat yamim (seven days), in the khatzer (courtyard) of the garden of the palace of HaMelech,

6Where were white and blue linen curtains, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to rings of silver and pillars of marble; the mittot (couches) were of zahav and kesef, upon an inlaid floor of purplish-red exquisite stone and mother-of-pearl and marble.

7And they gave them drink in vessels of zahav, the vessels being different one from another, and yayin malkhut (royal wine) in abundance, according to the [bountiful] yad HaMelech.

8And the drinking was according to the dat ein ones (rule [which was] not compulsory, restricting); for so HaMelech had ordered all the wine stewards in his bais, that they should serve kirtzon ish va'ish (according to the good pleasure of each man).

9Also Vashti HaMalkah gave a mishteh (feast, banquet) for the nashim (women, wives) in the Beit HaMalkhut (the royal palace) which belonged to HaMelech Achashverosh.

10On the yom hashevi'i, when the lev of HaMelech was tov with yayin, he commanded Mehuman, Bizta, Charvona, Bigta, and Avagta, Zetar, and Karkas, the shivat hasarisim (the seven eunuchs) that served in the presence of HaMelech Achashverosh,

11To bring Vashti HaMalkah before HaMelech with the keter malkhut (royal crown), to show the people and the sarim (princes) her beauty, for she was lovely to behold.

12But HaMalkah Vashti refused to come at the devar HaMelech at the agency of his sarisim (eunuchs); therefore HaMelech became furious, and his wrath burned in him.

13Then HaMelech said to the chachamim, which had da'as of the times; for so was the custom of HaMelech toward all the meyvinim (experts) in dat (law) and din (judgment),

14And the next unto him was Karshena, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukhan, the shivat sarim (princes) of Persia and Media, which had access to HaMelech and which ranked rishonah (highest) in the Malkhut (kingdom);

15What shall we do unto the Malkah Vashti according to dat (law), because she hath not performed the commandment of HaMelech Achashverosh at the agency of the sarisim (eunuchs)?

16And Memukhan answered before HaMelech and the sarim (princes), Vashti HaMalkah hath not done wrong to HaMelech only, but also to all the sarim (nobles), and to kol haAmim that are in all the provinces of HaMelech Achashverosh.

17For this deed of HaMalkah shall spread abroad unto all the nashim (women, wives), so that they shall despise their be'alim (husbands) in their eyes, when it shall be reported that HaMelech Achashverosh commanded Vashti HaMalkah to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18Likewise, when they will have heard of the conduct of HaMalkah, the sarot (ladies of the nobility) of Persia and Media shall similarly respond this day unto all the sarim (nobles) of HaMelech. Thus shall there arise too much bizzayon (contempt) and ketzef (wrath).

19If it please HaMelech, let there go forth a royal decree from him, and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, laws that shall not pass away, that Vashti come no more before HaMelech Achashverosh; and let HaMelech give her royalty unto another that is better than she.

20And when the edict of HaMelech which he shall make shall be published throughout all his Malkhut (realm) — for it is great — all the nashim (women, wives) shall give to their be'alim (husbands) yekar (honor, respect), both to gadol and katan.

21And the proposal was good in the eyes of HaMelech and the sarim (nobles); and HaMelech did according to the devar Memukhan;

22For he sent sefarim into all the provinces of HaMelech, into every province according to the script thereof, and to every people after their leshon, that every ish should bear rule in his own bais, and speak in the leshon of his own people.