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Après ces choses, lorsque la colère du roi Assuérus se fut calmée, il pensa à Vasthi, à ce qu'elle avait fait, et à la décision qui avait été prise à son sujet.

Alors ceux qui servaient le roi dirent: Qu'on cherche pour le roi des jeunes filles, vierges et belles de figure;

que le roi établisse dans toutes les provinces de son royaume des commissaires chargés de rassembler toutes les jeunes filles, vierges et belles de figure, à Suse, la capitale, dans la maison des femmes, sous la surveillance d'Hégué, eunuque du roi et gardien des femmes, qui leur donnera les choses nécessaires pour leur toilette;

et que la jeune fille qui plaira au roi devienne reine à la place de Vasthi. Cet avis eut l'approbation du roi, et il fit ainsi.

Il y avait dans Suse, la capitale, un Juif nommé Mardochée, fils de Jaïr, fils de Schimeï, fils de Kis, homme de Benjamin,

qui avait été emmené de Jérusalem parmi les captifs déportés avec Jeconia, roi de Juda, par Nebucadnetsar, roi de Babylone.

Il élevait Hadassa, qui est Esther, fille de son oncle; car elle n'avait ni père ni mère. La jeune fille était belle de taille et belle de figure. A la mort de son père et de sa mère, Mardochée l'avait adoptée pour fille.

Lorsqu'on eut publié l'ordre du roi et son édit, et qu'un grand nombre de jeunes filles furent rassemblées à Suse, la capitale, sous la surveillance d'Hégaï, Esther fut aussi prise et conduite dans la maison du roi, sous la surveillance d'Hégaï, gardien des femmes.

La jeune fille lui plut, et trouva grâce devant lui; il s'empressa de lui fournir les choses nécessaires pour sa toilette et pour sa subsistance, lui donna sept jeunes filles choisies dans la maison du roi, et la plaça avec ses jeunes filles dans le meilleur appartement de la maison des femmes.

10 Esther ne fit connaître ni son peuple ni sa naissance, car Mardochée lui avait défendu d'en parler.

11 Et chaque jour Mardochée allait et venait devant la cour de la maison des femmes, pour savoir comment se portait Esther et comment on la traitait.

12 Chaque jeune fille allait à son tour vers le roi Assuérus, après avoir employé douze mois à s'acquitter de ce qui était prescrit aux femmes; pendant ce temps, elles prenaient soin de leur toilette, six mois avec de l'huile de myrrhe, et six mois avec des aromates et des parfums en usage parmi les femmes.

13 C'est ainsi que chaque jeune fille allait vers le roi; et, quand elle passait de la maison des femmes dans la maison du roi, on lui laissait prendre avec elle tout ce qu'elle voulait.

14 Elle y allait le soir; et le lendemain matin elle passait dans la seconde maison des femmes, sous la surveillance de Schaaschgaz, eunuque du roi et gardien des concubines. Elle ne retournait plus vers le roi, à moins que le roi n'en eût le désir et qu'elle ne fût appelée par son nom.

15 Lorsque son tour d'aller vers le roi fut arrivé, Esther, fille d'Abichaïl, oncle de Mardochée qui l'avait adoptée pour fille, ne demanda que ce qui fut désigné par Hégaï, eunuque du roi et gardien des femmes. Esther trouvait grâce aux yeux de tous ceux qui la voyaient.

16 Esther fut conduite auprès du roi Assuérus, dans sa maison royale, le dixième mois, qui est le mois de Tébeth, la septième année de son règne.

17 Le roi aima Esther plus que toutes les autres femmes, et elle obtint grâce et faveur devant lui plus que toutes les autres jeunes filles. Il mit la couronne royale sur sa tête, et la fit reine à la place de Vasthi.

18 Le roi donna un grand festin à tous ses princes et à ses serviteurs, un festin en l'honneur d'Esther; il accorda du repos aux provinces, et fit des présents avec une libéralité royale.

19 La seconde fois qu'on assembla les jeunes filles, Mardochée était assis à la porte du roi.

20 Esther n'avait fait connaître ni sa naissance ni son peuple, car Mardochée le lui avait défendu, et elle suivait les ordres de Mardochée aussi fidèlement qu'à l'époque où elle était sous sa tutelle.

21 Dans ce même temps, comme Mardochée était assis à la porte du roi, Bigthan et Théresch, deux eunuques du roi, gardes du seuil, cédèrent à un mouvement d'irritation et voulurent porter la main sur le roi Assuérus.

22 Mardochée eut connaissance de la chose et en informa la reine Esther, qui la redit au roi de la part de Mardochée.

23 Le fait ayant été vérifié et trouvé exact, les deux eunuques furent pendus à un bois. Et cela fut écrit dans le livre des Chroniques en présence du roi.

Esther Becomes Queen

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasu-e′rus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital, under custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch who is in charge of the women; let their ointments be given them. And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

Now there was a Jew in Susa the capital whose name was Mor′decai, the son of Ja′ir, son of Shim′e-i, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconi′ah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon had carried away. He had brought up Hadas′sah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother; the maiden was beautiful and lovely, and when her father and her mother died, Mor′decai adopted her as his own daughter. So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many maidens were gathered in Susa the capital in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai who had charge of the women. And the maiden pleased him and won his favor; and he quickly provided her with her ointments and her portion of food, and with seven chosen maids from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mor′decai had charged her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mor′decai walked in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

12 Now when the turn came for each maiden to go in to King Ahasu-e′rus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— 13 when the maiden went in to the king in this way she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she came back to the second harem in custody of Sha-ash′gaz the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines; she did not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Ab′ihail the uncle of Mor′decai, who had adopted her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasu-e′rus into his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great banquet to all his princes and servants; it was Esther’s banquet. He also granted a remission of taxes[a] to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mor′decai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 Now Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mor′decai had charged her; for Esther obeyed Mor′decai just as when she was brought up by him. 21 And in those days, as Mor′decai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasu-e′rus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mor′decai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mor′decai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 2:18 Or a holiday

以斯帖被立為王后

這事之後,亞哈隨魯王的怒氣平息下來,就想起瓦實提和她的所作所為,並怎樣降旨懲罰她的事。 王的侍臣說:「讓人為王物色一些年輕貌美的處女吧。 請王在國中各省委派專使把所有年輕漂亮的處女選入書珊城的女宮,交給管理女子的太監希該,供給她們美容用品。 哪個女子討王歡心,便立她為王后,代替瓦實提。」王覺得這個建議很好,就採納了。

當時,書珊城中有個猶太人,名叫末底改,是便雅憫人基士的曾孫、示每的孫子、雅珥的兒子。 巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒曾從耶路撒冷擄走猶大王耶哥尼雅和百姓,末底改也在其中。 末底改收養了叔叔的女兒哈大沙,又名以斯帖,把她認作自己的女兒,因為她父母雙亡。這女子體態優美,容貌動人。 王的諭旨一下,許多年輕的女子被召到書珊城中,交給管理女子的希該照管。以斯帖也被送到王宮中交給希該。 希該喜歡以斯帖,就恩待她,急忙給她需用的美容用品和膳食,又從王宮為她挑選七名宮女,讓她和她的宮女搬進女宮上好的房屋。 10 以斯帖沒有向人透露過自己的種族和身世,因為末底改吩咐她不要透露。 11 末底改天天在女宮的庭院前徘徊,好打聽以斯帖的消息,瞭解她的情況。

12 每個女子依次晉見亞哈隨魯王之前,都要照規矩潔淨十二個月:六個月用沒藥油,六個月用香料和潔身用品。 13 每個女子從女宮到王宮晉見王時,她所要求的一切都要給她。 14 她晚上進去,次日被帶到另一個女宮,交給管理妃嬪的太監沙甲。除非王喜歡她,提名召見她,否則她不會再見到王。

15 以斯帖是末底改的叔叔亞比孩的女兒,後來被末底改收養。輪到她晉見王時,除了管理女子的太監希該給她的東西外,她沒有別的要求。凡看見她的人都喜歡她。 16 亞哈隨魯王執政第七年十月,即提別月,以斯帖被帶進宮中見王。 17 王愛以斯帖勝過愛其他所有的女子,她比其他處女更得王的恩寵。於是,王把后冠戴在她頭上,立她為王后,代替瓦實提。 18 王為以斯帖大擺宴席招待文武百官,又宣佈各省休假[a],並厚賜禮物。

末底改救王的性命

19 第二次召集處女時,末底改已坐在宮門供職。 20 以斯帖依照末底改的吩咐,沒有向人透露自己的身世和籍貫,因為她像幼年時一樣聽從末底改的話。

21 一天,末底改正在宮門供職,兩個守門的太監辟探和提列惱恨亞哈隨魯王,想要下手害他。 22 末底改知道後,便通知以斯帖王后,以斯帖就以末底改的名義稟告王。 23 查明確有此事後,便把二人吊死在木架上,並將這事當著王的面寫入史書。

Footnotes

  1. 2·18 休假」或譯「免去賦稅」。

Esther Made Queen

Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided,(A) he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,(B) who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[a](C) king of Judah.(D) Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther,(E) had a lovely figure(F) and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa(G) and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor.(H) Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.(I) He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.(J) 11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes(K) and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines.(L) She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.(M)

15 When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail(N)) to go to the king,(O) she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor(P) of everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen(Q) instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet,(R) Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials.(S) He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.(T)

Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy

19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.(U) 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.(V)

21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana[b] and Teresh, two of the king’s officers(W) who guarded the doorway, became angry(X) and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled(Y) on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals(Z) in the presence of the king.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Esther 2:6 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
  2. Esther 2:21 Hebrew Bigthan, a variant of Bigthana

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.

22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.