1 A nd it cometh to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus -- he Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces --

It was in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces.

2 i n those days, at the sitting of the king Ahasuerus on the throne of his kingdom, that in Shushan the palace,

In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Shushan or Susa in the palace or castle,

3 i n the third year of his reign, he hath made a banquet to all his heads and his servants; of the force of Persia and Media, the chiefs and heads of the provinces before him,

In the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his princes and his courtiers. The chief officers of the Persian and Median army and the nobles and governors of the provinces were there before him

4 i n his shewing the wealth of the honour of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days -- eighty and a hundred days.

While he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor and excellence of his majesty for many days, even 180 days.

5 A nd at the fulness of these days hath the king made to all the people who are found in Shushan the palace, from great even unto small, a banquet, seven days, in the court of the garden of the house of the king --

And when these days were completed, the king made a feast for all the people present in Shushan the capital, both great and small, a seven-day feast in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

6 w hite linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on rings of silver, and pillars of marble, couches of gold, and of silver, on a pavement of smaragdus, and white marble, and mother-of-pearl, and black marble --

There were hangings of fine white cloth, of green and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings or rods and marble pillars. The couches of gold and silver rested on a pavement of porphyry, white marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones.

7 a nd the giving of drink in vessels of gold, and the vessels divers vessels, and the royal wine abundant, as a memorial of the king.

Drinks were served in different kinds of golden goblets, and there was royal wine in abundance, according to the liberality of the king.

8 A nd the drinking according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.

And drinking was according to the law; no one was compelled to drink, for the king had directed all the officials of his palace to serve only as each guest desired.

9 A lso Vashti the queen hath made a banquet for women, in the royal house that the king Ahasuerus hath.

Also Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

10 O n the seventh day, as the heart of the king is glad with wine, he hath said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who are ministering in the presence of the king Ahasuerus,

On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who ministered to King Ahasuerus as attendants,

11 t o bring in Vashti the queen before the king, with a royal crown, to shew the peoples and the heads her beauty, for she of good appearance,

To bring Queen Vashti before the king, with her royal crown, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to behold.

12 a nd the queen Vashti refuseth to come in at the word of the king that by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very wroth, and his fury hath burned in him.

But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13 A nd the king saith to wise men, knowing the times -- for so the word of the king before all knowing law and judgment,

Then the king spoke to the wise men who knew the times—for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were familiar with law and judgment—

14 a nd he who is near unto him Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven heads of Persia and Media seeing the face of the king, who are sitting first in the kingdom --

Those next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who were in the king’s presence and held first place in the kingdom.

15 ` According to law, what -- to do with queen Vashti, because that she hath not done the saying of the king Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?'

According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not done the bidding of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?

16 A nd Memucan saith before the king and the heads, `Not against the king by himself hath Vashti the queen done perversely, but against all the heads, and against all the peoples that in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus;

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not only done wrong to the king but also to all the princes and to all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

17 f or go forth doth the word of the queen unto all the women, to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, in their saying, The king Ahasuerus said to bring in Vashti the queen before him, and she did not come;

For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, making their husbands contemptible in their eyes, since they will say, King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.

18 y ea, this day do princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard the word of the queen, say to all heads of the king, even according to the sufficiency of contempt and wrath.

This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will be telling it to all the king’s princes. So contempt and wrath in plenty will arise.

19 ` If to the king good, there goeth forth a royal word from before him, and it is written with the laws of Persia and Media, and doth not pass away, that Vashti doth not come in before the king Ahasuerus, and her royalty doth the king give to her companion who better than she;

If it pleases the king, let a royal command go forth from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and Medes, so that it may not be changed, that Vashti is to come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

20 a nd the sentence of the king that he maketh hath been heard in all his kingdom -- for it great -- and all the wives give honour to their husbands, from great even unto small.'

So when the king’s decree is made and proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, extensive as it is, all wives will give honor to their husbands, high and low.

21 A nd the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and of the princes, and the king doth according to the word of Memucan,

This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did what Memucan proposed.

22 a nd sendeth letters unto all provinces of the king, unto province and province according to its writing, and unto people and people according to its tongue, for every man being head in his own house -- and speaking according to the language of his people.

He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each in its own script and to every people in their own language, saying that every man should rule in his own house and speak there in the language of his own people.