Ester 1

BIBBIA CEI 2008	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Dopo queste cose, al tempo di Artaserse – quell’Artaserse che regnava dall’India sopra centoventisette province –,	1 In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
2 proprio in quel tempo il re Artaserse, che regnava nella città di Susa,	2 When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
3 l’anno terzo del suo regno fece un banchetto per gli amici e per quelli delle altre nazionalità, per i nobili dei Persiani e i dei Medi e per i prefetti delle province.	3 Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
4 Dopo aver mostrato loro le ricchezze del suo regno e il fasto attraente della sua ricchezza per centoottanta giorni,	4 That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
5 quando si compirono i giorni delle nozze, il re fece un banchetto per i rappresentanti delle nazioni che si trovavano nella città, per sei giorni, nella sala della reggia.	5 And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
6 La sala era adornata con drappi di lino delicato e pregiato, appesi a cordoni di lino color porpora, fissati a ganci d’oro e d’argento, su colonne di marmo pario e di pietra. I divani erano d’oro e d’argento, sopra un pavimento di pietra verde smeraldo e di madreperla e di marmo pario; vi erano inoltre tappeti con ricami variegati e rose disposte in circolo.	6 And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
7 Per bere c’erano coppe d’oro e d’argento, come pure un piccolo calice di turchese, del valore di trentamila talenti. Il vino era abbondante e dolce e lo stesso re ne beveva.	7 And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king's magnificence.
8 Si poteva bere senza limiti: così infatti aveva voluto il re, ordinando ai camerieri di soddisfare il desiderio suo e degli altri.	8 Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
9 Anche Vasti, la regina, tenne un banchetto per le donne nella stessa reggia di Artaserse.	9 Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
10 Il settimo giorno il re, euforico per il vino, ordinò ad Aman, Bazan, Tarra, Borazè, Zatoltà, Abatazà, Tarabà, i sette eunuchi che erano al servizio del re Artaserse,	10 Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
11 di far venire davanti a lui la regina per intronizzarla, ponendole sul capo il diadema, e per mostrare ai prìncipi e alle nazioni la sua bellezza: era infatti molto bella.	11 To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
12 Ma la regina Vasti rifiutò di andare con gli eunuchi. Il re ne fu addolorato e irritato	12 But she refused, and would not come at the king's commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
13 e disse ai suoi amici: «Così e così ha parlato Vasti: giudicate, dunque, secondo la legge e il diritto».	13 Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
14 Si fecero avanti Archeseo e Sarsateo e Maleseàr, prìncipi dei Persiani e dei Medi, che erano più vicini al re e che, primi, sedevano accanto al re,	14 (Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him :)
15 e gli espressero il proprio parere su che cosa si dovesse fare alla regina Vasti, secondo le leggi, perché non aveva eseguito l’ordine datole dal re Artaserse per mezzo degli eunuchi.	15 What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs?
16 Mucheo disse in presenza del re e dei prìncipi: «La regina Vasti ha mancato non solo nei confronti del re, ma anche nei confronti di tutti i prìncipi e i capi del re	16 And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
17 – infatti costui aveva riferito loro le parole della regina e come ella aveva risposto al re – e, come ella ha risposto al re Artaserse,	17 For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
18 così oggi le altre principesse dei capi dei Persiani e dei Medi, avendo udito ciò che ella ha detto al re, oseranno disprezzare allo stesso modo i loro mariti.	18 And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king's indignation is just.
19 Se dunque sembra bene al re, sia emanato un decreto reale, scritto secondo le leggi dei Medi e dei Persiani e irrevocabile, secondo il quale la regina non possa più comparire davanti a lui, e il re conferisca la dignità a una donna migliore di lei.	19 If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
20 E l’editto emanato dal re sia fatto conoscere nel suo regno e così tutte le donne rispetteranno i loro mariti, dal più povero al più ricco».	20 And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide,) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
21 La proposta piacque al re e ai prìncipi. Il re fece come aveva detto Mucheo:	21 His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
22 mandò lettere a tutto il regno, a ogni provincia secondo la sua lingua, in modo che i mariti fossero rispettati nelle loro case.	22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.