Esther 1

vayehi bime akhashverosh hu akhashverosh hammolekh mehoddu ve'ad-kush sheva ve'esrim ume'ah medinah

It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush.

bayyamim hahem keshevet hammelekh akhashverosh al kisse malkhuto asher beshushan habbirah

In those days, when King Ahasuerus occupied the royal throne in the fortress Shushan,

bishnat shalosh lemolkho asah mishteh lekhol-sarayw va'avadayw khel paras umaday happartemim vesare hammedinot lefanayw

in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all the officials and courtiers—the administration of Persia and Media, the nobles and the governors of the provinces in his service.

beharoto et-osher kevod malkhuto ve'et-yeqar tiferet gedullato yamim rabbim shemonim ume'at yom

For no fewer than a hundred and eighty days he displayed the vast riches of his kingdom and the splendid glory of his majesty.

uvimlot hayyamim ha'elleh asah hammelekh lekhol-ha'am hannimtse'im beshushan habbirah lemiggadol ve'ad-qatan mishteh shivat yamim bakhatsar ginnat bitan hammelekh

At the end of this period, the king gave a banquet for seven days in the court of the king’s palace garden for all the people who lived in the fortress Shushan, high and low alike.

khur karpas utekhelet akhuz bekhavle-vuts ve'argaman al-gelile khesef ve'ammude shesh mittot zahav vakhesef al ritsfat bahat-vashesh vedar vesokharet

[There were hangings of] white cotton and blue wool, caught up by cords of fine linen and purple wool to silver rods and alabaster columns; and there were couches of gold and silver on a pavement of marble, alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mosaics.

vehashqot bikhle zahav vekhelim mikkelim shonim veyen malkhut rav keyad hammelekh

Royal wine was served in abundance, as befits a king, in golden beakers, beakers of varied design.

vehashetiyyah khaddat en ones ki-khen yissad hammelekh al kol-rav beto la'asot kirtson ish-va'ish

And the rule for the drinking was, “No restrictions!” For the king had given orders to every palace steward to comply with each man’s wishes.

gam vasheti hammalkah asetah mishteh nashim bet hammalkhut asher lammelekh akhashverosh

In addition, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for women, in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.

bayyom hashevi'i ketov lev-hammelekh bayyayin amar limhuman bizzeta kharvona bigta va'avagta zetar vekharkas shivat hassarisim hamesharetim et-pene hammelekh akhashverosh

On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he ordered Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs in attendance on King Ahasuerus,

lehavi et-vasheti hammalkah lifne hammelekh bekheter malkhut leharot ha'ammim vehassarim et-yofyah ki-tovat mareh hi

to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing a royal diadem, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials; for she was a beautiful woman.

vattema'en hammalkah vasheti lavo bidvar hammelekh asher beyad hassarisim vayyiqtsof hammelekh me'od vakhamato ba'arah vo

But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. The king was greatly incensed, and his fury burned within him.

vayyomer hammelekh lakhakhamim yode'e ha'ittim ki-khen devar hammelekh lifne kol-yode'e dat vadin

Then the king consulted the sages learned in procedure. (For it was the royal practice [to turn] to all who were versed in law and precedent.

vehaqqarov elayw karshena shetar admata tarshish meres marsena memukhan shivat sare paras umaday ro'e pene hammelekh hayyoshevim rishonah bammalkhut

His closest advisers were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven ministers of Persia and Media who had access to the royal presence and occupied the first place in the kingdom.)

kedat mah-lla'asot bammalkah vasheti al asher lo-asetah et-ma'amar hammelekh akhashverosh beyad hassarisim

“What,” [he asked,] “shall be done, according to law, to Queen Vashti for failing to obey the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?”

vayyomer (mvmkhn) [memukhan] lifne hammelekh vehassarim lo al-hammelekh levaddo avetah vasheti hammalkah ki al-kol-hassarim ve'al-kol-ha'ammim asher bekhol-medinot hammelekh akhashverosh

Thereupon Memucan declared in the presence of the king and the ministers: “Queen Vashti has committed an offense not only against Your Majesty but also against all the officials and against all the peoples in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

ki-yetse devar-hammalkah al-kol-hannashim lehavzot balehen be'enehen be'omram hammelekh akhashverosh amar lehavi et-vasheti hammalkah lefanayw velo-va'ah

For the queen’s behavior will make all wives despise their husbands, as they reflect that King Ahasuerus himself ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.

vehayyom hazzeh tomarnah sarot paras-umaday asher shame'u et-devar hammalkah lekhol sare hammelekh ukheday bizzayon vaqatsef

This very day the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the queen’s behavior, will cite it to all Your Majesty’s officials, and there will be no end of scorn and provocation!

im-al-hammelekh tov yetse devar-malkhut millefanayw veyikkatev bedate faras-umaday velo ya'avor asher lo-tavo vasheti lifne hammelekh akhashverosh umalkhutah yitten hammelekh lirutah hattovah mimmennah

“If it please Your Majesty, let a royal edict be issued by you, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be abrogated, that Vashti shall never enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. And let Your Majesty bestow her royal state upon another who is more worthy than she.

venishma pitgam hammelekh asher-ya'aseh bekhol-malkhuto ki rabbah hi vekhol-hannashim yittenu yeqar levalehen lemiggadol ve'ad-qatan

Then will the judgment executed by Your Majesty resound throughout your realm, vast though it is; and all wives will treat their husbands with respect, high and low alike.”

vayyitav haddavar be'ene hammelekh vehassarim vayya'as hammelekh kidvar memukhan

The proposal was approved by the king and the ministers, and the king did as Memucan proposed.

vayyishlakh sefarim el-kol-medinot hammelekh el-medinah umedinah kikhtavah ve'el-am va'am kilshono lihyot kol-ish sorer beveto umedabber kilshon ammo

Dispatches were sent to all the provinces of the king, to every province in its own script and to every nation in its own language, that every man should wield authority in his home and speak the language of his own people.