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| [1]In the daies of kyng Assuerus, that regnede fro Ynde `til to Ethiopie, on an hundrid and seuene and twenti prouynces, whanne he sat in the seete of his rewme, |
[1]Now it came to pass in the daysH3117 of AhasuerusH325, (this is AhasuerusH325 which reignedH4427[H8802], from IndiaH1912 even unto EthiopiaH3568, over an hundredH3967 and sevenH7651 and twentyH6242 provincesH4082:) |
| [2]the citee Susa was the bigynnyng of his rewme. |
[2]That in those daysH3117, when the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 satH3427[H8800] on the throneH3678 of his kingdomH4438, which was in ShushanH7800 the palaceH1002, |
| [3]Therfor in the thridde yeer of his empire he made a greet feeste to alle hise princes and children, the strongeste men of Persis, and to the noble men of Medeis, and to the prefectis of prouynces, bifor him silf, |
[3]In the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of his reignH4427[H8800], he madeH6213[H8804] a feastH4960 unto all his princesH8269 and his servantsH5650; the powerH2428 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, the noblesH6579 and princesH8269 of the provincesH4082, being before himH6440: |
| [4]to schewe the richessis of the glorie of his rewme, and the gretnesse, and boost of his power in myche tyme, that is, an hundrid and `foure scoor daies. |
[4]When he shewedH7200[H8687] the richesH6239 of his gloriousH3519 kingdomH4438 and the honourH3366 of his excellentH8597 majestyH1420 manyH7227 daysH3117, even an hundredH3967 and fourscoreH8084 daysH3117. |
| [5]And whanne the daies of the feeste weren fillid, he clepide to feeste al the puple that was foundun in Susa, fro the moost `til to the leeste; and he comaundide the feeste to be maad redi bi seuene daies in the porche of the orcherd and wode, that was set with the kyngis ournement and hond. |
[5]And when these daysH3117 were expiredH4390[H8800], the kingH4428 madeH6213[H8804] a feastH4960 unto all the peopleH5971 that were presentH4672[H8737] in ShushanH7800 the palaceH1002, both unto greatH1419 and smallH6996, sevenH7651 daysH3117, in the courtH2691 of the gardenH1594 of the king'sH4428 palaceH1055; |
| [6]And tentis of `the colour of the eir, and of gold, and of iacynct, susteyned with coordis of bijs, and of purpur, hangiden on ech side, whiche weren set in cerclis of yuer, and weren vndur set with pilers of marble; also seetis at the maner of beddis of gold and of siluer `weren disposid on the pawment arayede with smaragde and dyuerse stoon; which pawment peynture made fair bi wondurful dyuersite. |
[6]Where were whiteH2353, greenH3768, and blueH8504, hangings, fastenedH270[H8803] with cordsH2256 of fine linenH948 and purpleH713 to silverH3701 ringsH1550 and pillarsH5982 of marbleH8336: the bedsH4296 were of goldH2091 and silverH3701, upon a pavementH7531 of redH923, and blueH8504, and whiteH1858, and blackH5508, marbleH8336. |
| [7]Sotheli thei, that weren clepid to meet, drunkun in goldun cuppis, and metes weren borun in with othere `and othere vessels; also plenteuouse wiyn, and `the best was set, as it was worthi to the greet doyng of the kyng. |
[7]And they gave them drinkH8248[H8687] in vesselsH3627 of goldH2091, (the vesselsH3627 being diverseH8138[H8802] one from anotherH3627,) and royalH4438 wineH3196 in abundanceH7227, according to the stateH3027 of the kingH4428. |
| [8]And `noon was that constreynede `men not willynge to drynke; but so the kyng hadde ordeyned, `makynge souereyns of hise princes `to alle boordis, that ech man schulde take that, that he wolde. |
[8]And the drinkingH8360 was according to the lawH1881; none did compelH597[H8802]: for so the kingH4428 had appointedH3245[H8765] to all the officersH7227 of his houseH1004, that they should doH6213[H8800] according to every man'sH376 pleasureH7522. |
| [9]Also Vasthi, the queen, made a feeste of wymmen in the paleis, where kyng Assuerus was wont to dwelle. |
[9]Also VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 madeH6213[H8804] a feastH4960 for the womenH802 in the royalH4438 houseH1004 which belonged to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. |
| [10]Therfor in the seuenthe dai, whanne the kyng was gladdere, and was hoot of wiyn aftir ful myche drinkyng, he comaundide Nauman, and Baracha, and Arbana, and Gabatha, and Zarath, and Abgatha, and Charchas, seuene oneste and chast seruauntis, `that mynistriden in his siyt, |
[10]On the seventhH7637 dayH3117, when the heartH3820 of the kingH4428 was merryH2896 with wineH3196, he commandedH559[H8804] MehumanH4104, BizthaH968, HarbonaH2726, BigthaH903, and AbagthaH5, ZetharH2242, and CarcasH3752, the sevenH7651 chamberlainsH5631 that servedH8334[H8764] in the presenceH6440 of AhasuerusH325 the kingH4428, |
| [11]that thei schulden brynge in bifor the kyng the queen Vasti, with a diademe set on hir heed, to schewe hir fairnesse to alle the puplis and prynces; for sche was ful fair. |
[11]To bringH935[H8687] VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 with the crownH3804 royalH4438, to shewH7200[H8687] the peopleH5971 and the princesH8269 her beautyH3308: for she was fairH2896 to look onH4758. |
| [12]And sche forsook, and dispiside to come at the comaundement of the kyng, which he hadde sent bi the oneste and chast seruauntes. Wherfor the kyng was wrooth, and kyndlid bi fulgreet woodnesse; and he axide the wise men, |
[12]But the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 refusedH3985[H8762] to comeH935[H8800] at the king'sH4428 commandmentH1697 byH3027 his chamberlainsH5631: therefore was the kingH4428 veryH3966 wrothH7107[H8799], and his angerH2534 burnedH1197 in himH8804. |
| [13]whiche bi the `kyngis custom weren euere with hym, and he dide alle thingis bi the counsel of hem, kunnynge the lawis and ritis of grettere men; |
[13]Then the kingH4428 saidH559[H8799] to the wise menH2450, which knewH3045[H8802] the timesH6256, (for so was the king'sH4428 mannerH1697 towardH6440 all that knewH3045[H8802] lawH1881 and judgmentH1779: |
| [14]forsothe the firste and the nexte weren Carsena, and Sechaaba, Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Manucha, seuene duykis of Persis and of Medeis, that sien the face of the kyng, and weren wont to sitte the firste aftir hym; |
[14]And the nextH7138 unto him was CarshenaH3771, ShetharH8369, AdmathaH133, TarshishH8659, MeresH4825, MarsenaH4826, and MemucanH4462, the sevenH7651 princesH8269 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, which sawH7200[H8802] the king'sH4428 faceH6440, and which satH3427[H8802] the firstH7223 in the kingdomH4438;) |
| [15]`the kyng axide hem, to what sentence the queen Vasthi schulde be suget, that nolde do the comaundement of kyng Assuerus, which he hadde sent bi the onest and chast seruauntis. |
[15]What shall we doH6213[H8800] unto the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 according to lawH1881, because she hath not performedH6213[H8804] the commandmentH3982 of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 byH3027 the chamberlainsH5631? |
| [16]And Manucha answeride, in audience of the kyng and of the pryncis, The queen Vasthi hath not oneli dispisid the kyng, but alle the pryncis and puplis, that ben in alle prouynces of kyng Assuerus. |
[16]And MemucanH4462 answeredH559[H8799] beforeH6440 the kingH4428 and the princesH8269, VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 hath not done wrongH5753[H8804] to the kingH4428 only, but also to all the princesH8269, and to all the peopleH5971 that are in all the provincesH4082 of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. |
| [17]For the word of the queen schal go out to alle wymmen, that thei dispise her hosebondis, and seie, Kyng Assuerus comaundide, that the queen Vasthi schulde entre to hym, and sche nolde. |
[17]For this deedH1697 of the queenH4436 shall come abroadH3318[H8799] unto all womenH802, so that they shall despiseH959[H8687] their husbandsH1167 in their eyesH5869, when it shall be reportedH559[H8800], The kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 commandedH559[H8804] VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 to be brought inH935[H8687] beforeH6440 him, but she cameH935 notH8804. |
| [18]And bi this saumple alle the wyues of prynces of Persis and of Medeis schulen dispise the comaundementis of hosebondis; wherfor the indignacioun of the kyng is iust. |
[18]Likewise shall the ladiesH8282 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 sayH559[H8799] this dayH3117 unto all the king'sH4428 princesH8269, which have heardH8085[H8804] of the deedH1697 of the queenH4436. Thus shall there arise too muchH1767 contemptH963 and wrathH7110. |
| [19]If it plesith to thee, `a comaundement go out fro thi face, and `be writun bi the lawe of Persis and of Medeis, which it is vnleueful to be passid, that Vasthi entre no more to the kyng, but anothir womman, which is betere than sche, take `the rewme of hir. |
[19]If it pleaseH2895[H8804] the kingH4428, let there goH3318[H8799] a royalH4438 commandmentH1697 from himH6440, and let it be writtenH3789[H8735] among the lawsH1881 of the PersiansH6539 and the MedesH4074, that it be not alteredH5674[H8799], That VashtiH2060 comeH935[H8799] no more beforeH6440 kingH4428 AhasuerusH325; and let the kingH4428 giveH5414[H8799] her royal estateH4438 unto anotherH7468 that is better than sheH2896. |
| [20]And be this puplischid in to al the empire of thi prouynces, which is ful large, that alle wyues, both of grettere men and of lesse, yyue onour to her hosebondis. |
[20]And when the king'sH4428 decreeH6599 which he shall makeH6213[H8799] shall be publishedH8085[H8738] throughout all his empireH4438, (for it is greatH7227,) all the wivesH802 shall giveH5414[H8799] to their husbandsH1167 honourH3366, both to greatH1419 and smallH6996. |
| [21]His counsel pleside the kyng and the prynces, and the kyng dide bi the counsel of Manucha; |
[21]And the sayingH1697 pleasedH3190[H8799][H5869] the kingH4428 and the princesH8269; and the kingH4428 didH6213[H8799] according to the wordH1697 of MemucanH4462: |
| [22]and he sente pistlis bi alle the prouyncis of his rewme, as ech folk myyte here and rede, in dyuerse langagis and lettris, that hosebondis ben prynces and the grettere in her housis; and `he sente, that this be pupplischid bi alle puplis. |
[22]For he sentH7971[H8799] lettersH5612 into all the king'sH4428 provincesH4082, into every provinceH4082 according to the writingH3791 thereof, and to every peopleH5971 after their languageH3956, that every manH376 should bear ruleH8323[H8802] in his own houseH1004, and that it should be publishedH1696[H8764] according to the languageH3956 of every peopleH5971. |