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Yn nyddiau Ahasferus, (efe yw Ahasferus yr hwn oedd yn teyrnasu o India hyd Ethiopia, sef ar gant a saith ar hugain o daleithiau;) Yn y dyddiau hynny, pan eisteddodd y brenin Ahasferus ar orseddfa ei frenhiniaeth, yr hon oedd yn Susan y brenhinllys, Yn y drydedd flwyddyn o’i deyrnasiad, efe a wnaeth wledd i’w holl dywysogion a’i weision; cadernid Persia, a Media, y rhaglawiaid, a thywysogion y taleithiau, oedd ger ei fron ef: Fel y dangosai efe gyfoeth a gogoniant ei deyrnas, ac anrhydedd a phrydferthwch ei fawredd, ddyddiau lawer, sef cant a phedwar ugain o ddyddiau. Ac wedi gorffen y dyddiau hynny, y brenin a wnaeth i’r holl bobl a gafwyd yn Susan y brenhinllys, o’r mwyaf hyd y lleiaf, wledd dros saith niwrnod, yng nghyntedd gardd palas y brenin: Lle yr oedd llenni gwynion, gwyrddion, a rhuddgochion, wedi eu clymu â llinynnau sidan, ac â phorffor, wrth fodrwyau arian, a cholofnau marmor: y gwelyau oedd o aur ac arian, ar balmant o faen grisial, a marmor, ac alabaster, a iasinct. Ac yfed diod yr oeddynt mewn llestri aur, a chyfnewid amryw lestri, a gwin brenhinol lawer, yn ôl gallu y brenin. Yr yfed hefyd oedd wrth ddefod, nid oedd neb yn cymell: canys gosodasai y brenin orchymyn ar bob swyddwr o fewn ei dŷ, ar wneuthur yn ôl ewyllys pawb. Y frenhines Fasti hefyd a wnaeth wledd i’r gwragedd yn y brenhindy oedd eiddo Ahasferus y brenin.

10 Ar y seithfed dydd, pan oedd lawen calon y brenin gan win, efe a ddywedodd wrth Mehuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha, ac Abagtha, Sethar, a Charcas, y saith ystafellydd oedd yn gweini gerbron y brenin Ahasferus, 11 Am gyrchu y frenhines Fasti o flaen y brenin, yn y frenhinol goron, i ddangos i’r bobloedd ac i’r tywysogion ei glendid hi: canys glân yr olwg ydoedd hi. 12 Ond y frenhines Fasti a wrthododd ddyfod wrth air y brenin trwy law ei ystafellyddion: am hynny y llidiodd y brenin yn ddirfawr, a’i ddicllonedd ef a enynnodd ynddo.

13 Yna y dywedodd y brenin wrth y doethion oedd yn gwybod yr amserau, (canys felly yr oedd arfer y brenin tuag at bob rhai a fyddai yn gwybod cyfraith a barn: 14 A nesaf ato ef oedd Carsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tarsis, Meres, Marsena, a Memuchan, saith dywysog Persia a Media, y rhai oedd yn gweled wyneb y brenin, ac yn eistedd yn gyntaf yn y frenhiniaeth;) 15 Beth sydd i’w wneuthur wrth y gyfraith i’r frenhines Fasti, am na wnaeth hi archiad y brenin Ahasferus trwy law yr ystafellyddion? 16 Yna Memuchan a ddywedodd gerbron y brenin a’r tywysogion, Nid yn erbyn y brenin yn unig y gwnaeth Fasti y frenhines ar fai, ond yn erbyn yr holl dywysogion hefyd, a’r holl bobloedd sydd trwy holl daleithiau y brenin Ahasferus. 17 Canys gweithred y frenhines a â allan at yr holl wragedd, fel y tremygant eu gwŷr yn eu golwg eu hun, pan ddywedant, Y brenin Ahasferus a archodd gyrchu Fasti y frenhines o’i flaen; ond ni ddaeth hi. 18 Arglwyddesau Persia a Media, y rhai a glywsant weithred y frenhines, a ddywedant heddiw wrth holl dywysogion y brenin. Felly y bydd mwy na digon o ddirmyg a dicter. 19 Os bydd bodlon gan y brenin, eled brenhinol orchymyn oddi wrtho ef, ac ysgrifenner ef ymysg cyfreithiau y Persiaid a’r Mediaid, fel na throsedder ef, na ddêl Fasti mwy gerbron y brenin Ahasferus; a rhodded y brenin ei brenhinfraint hi i’w chyfeilles yr hon sydd well na hi. 20 A phan glywer gorchymyn y brenin, yr hwn a wnelo efe, trwy ei holl frenhiniaeth, (yr hon sydd fawr,) yna yr holl wragedd a roddant anrhydedd i’w gwŷr, o’r mwyaf hyd y lleiaf. 21 A da oedd y peth yng ngolwg y brenin a’r tywysogion; a’r brenin a wnaeth yn ôl gair Memuchan: 22 Canys efe a anfonodd lythyrau i holl daleithiau y brenin, ie, i bob talaith yn ôl ei ysgrifen, ac at bob pobl yn ôl eu tafodiaith eu hun; ar fod pob gŵr yn arglwyddiaethu yn ei dŷ ei hun; a chyhoeddi hyn yn ôl tafodiaith pob rhyw bobl.

Queen Vashti Deposed

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,[a](A) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces(B) stretching from India to Cush[b]:(C) At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,(D) and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet(E) for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days,(F) in the enclosed garden(G) of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches(H) of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.(I) By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

Queen Vashti also gave a banquet(J) for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

10 On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits(K) from wine,(L) he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,(M) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— 11 to bring(N) before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty(O) to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.(P)

13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times(Q) 14 and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles(R) of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

16 Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.(S)

19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king,(T) let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed,(U) that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language,(V) proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 1:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther
  2. Esther 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region