1 A fter these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Passadas estas coisas e aplacada a ira do rei Assuero, lembrou-se ele de Vasti, do que ela fizera e do que se decretara a seu respeito.

2 T hen the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

Então disseram os servos do rei que lhe ministravam: Busquem-se para o rei moças virgens e formosas.

3 L et the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;

Ponha o rei em todas as províncias do seu reino oficiais que ajuntem todas as moças virgens e formosas em Susã, a capital, na casa das mulheres, sob a custódia de Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres; e dêem-se-lhes os seus cosméticos.

4 a nd let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

E a donzela que agradar ao rei seja rainha em lugar de Vasti. E isso pareceu bem ao rei; e ele assim fez.

5 T here was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

Havia então em Susã, a capital, certo judeu, benjamita, cujo nome era Mardoqueu, filho de Jair, filho de Simei, filho de Quis,

6 w ho had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

que tinha sido levado de Jerusalém com os cativos que foram deportados com Jeconias, rei de Judá, o qual nabucodonosor, rei de Babilônia, transportara.

7 H e brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

Criara ele Hadassa, isto é, Ester, filha de seu tio, pois não tinha ela nem pai nem mãe; e era donzela esbelta e formosa; e, morrendo seu pai e sua mãe, Mardoqueu a tomara por filha.

8 S o, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

Tendo se divulgado a ordem do rei e o seu edito, e ajuntando-se muitas donzelas em Susã, a capital, sob a custódia de Hegai, levaram também Ester ao palácio do rei, ã custódia de Hegai, guarda das mulheres.

9 T he maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.

E a donzela gradou-lhe, e alcançou o favor dele; pelo que ele se apressou em dar-lhe os cosméticos e os devidos alimentos, como também sete donzelas escolhidas do palácio do rei; e a fez passar com as suas donzelas ao melhor lugar na casa das mulheres.

10 E sther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.

Ester, porém, não tinha declarado o seu povo nem a sua parentela, pois Mardoqueu lhe tinha ordenado que não o declarasse.

11 M ordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

E cada dia Mardoqueu passeava diante do pátio da casa das mulheres, para lhe informar como Ester passava e do que lhe sucedia.

12 E ach young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).

Ora, quando chegava a vez de cada donzela vir ao Rei Assuero, depois que fora feito a cada uma segundo prescrito para as mulheres, por doze meses (pois assim se cumpriam os dias de seus preparativos, a saber, seis meses com óleo de mirra, e seis meses com especiarias e ungüentos em uso entre as mulheres);

13 T he young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.

desta maneira vinha a donzela ao rei: dava-lhe tudo quanto ela quisesse para levar consigo da casa das mulheres para o palácio do rei;

14 I n the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

15 N ow when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

Ora, quando chegou a vez de Ester, filha de Abiail, tio de mardoqueu, que a tomara por sua filha, para ir ao rei, coisa nenhuma pediu senão o que indicou Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres. Mas Ester alcançava graça aos olhos de todos quantos a viam.

16 S o Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Ester foi levada ao rei Assuero, ao palácio real, no décimo mês, que é o mês de tebete, no sétimo ano de seu reinado.

17 T he king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness 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.

E o rei amou a Ester mais do que a todas mulheres, e ela alcançou graça e favor diante dele mais do que todas as virgens; de sorte que lhe pôs sobre a cabeça a coroa real, e afez rainha em lugar de Vasti.

18 T hen the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

Então o rei deu um grande banquete a todos os seus príncipes e aos seus servos; era um banquete em honra de Ester; e concedeu alívio

19 W hen the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.

Quando pela segunda vez se ajuntavam as virgens, Mardoqueu estava sentado ã porta do rei.

20 E sther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

Ester, porém, como Mardoqueu lhe ordenara, não tinha declarado a sua parentela nem o seu povo: porque obedecia as ordens de Mardoqueu como quando estava sendo criada em casa dele.

21 I n those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.

Naqueles dias, estando Mardoqueu sentado ã porta do rei, dois eunucos do rei, os guardas da porta, Bigtã e Teres, se indignaram e procuravam tirar a vida ao rei Assuero.

22 T his thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.

E veio isto ao conhecimento de Mardoqueu, que revelou ã rainha Ester; e Ester o disse ao rei em nome de Mardoqueu.

23 W hen this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

Quando se investigou o negócio e se achou ser verdade, ambos foram enforcados; e isso foi escrito no livro das crônicas perante o rei.