Biblia Sacra: VETUS TESTAMENTUM

3 tertio igitur anno imperii sui fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus et pueris suis fortissimis Persarum et Medorum inclitis et praefectis provinciarum coram se

3 therefore in the third year of his reign he made a great banquet for all his princes and his most valiant servants, the illustrious of the Persians and the Medes, and the prefects of the provinces, before himself

4 ut ostenderet divitias gloriae regni sui ac magnitudinem atque iactantiam potentiae suae multo tempore centum videlicet et octoginta diebus

4 so that he might display the riches of the glory of his kingdom and the magnitude and ostentation of his power for a long time, namely for 180 days

5 cumque implerentur dies convivii invitavit omnem populum qui inventus est Susis a maximo usque ad minimum et septem diebus iussit convivium praeparari in vestibulo horti et nemoris quod regio cultu et manu consitum erat

5 and when the days of the banquet were fulfilled, he invited all the people who were found at Susa, from the greatest to the least, and for seven days he ordered a banquet to be prepared in the vestibule of the garden and the grove, which had been planted with royal cultivation and by hand.

6 et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria aerii coloris et carpasini et hyacinthini sustentata funibus byssinis atque purpureis qui eburneis circulis inserti erant et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur lectuli quoque aurei et argentei super pavimentum zmaragdino et pario stratum lapide dispositi erant quod mira varietate pictura decorabat

6 and from every side there hung hangings of sky-blue and fine-linen and hyacinthine, upheld by byssine and purple cords, which had been set into ivory rings and were supported by marble columns; couches too of gold and silver were arranged upon a pavement laid with smaragdine and Parian stone, which a wondrous variety of picture-work adorned

7 bibebant autem qui invitati erant aureis poculis et aliis atque aliis vasis cibi inferebantur vinum quoque ut magnificentia regia dignum erat abundans et praecipuum ponebatur

7 moreover those who had been invited were drinking from golden cups, and foods were being brought in on various vessels; wine also, as was worthy of royal magnificence, abundant and choice, was set forth

8 nec erat qui nolentes cogeret ad bibendum sed sic rex statuerat praeponens mensis singulos de principibus suis ut sumeret unusquisque quod vellet

8 and there was no one who compelled the unwilling to drink; rather, thus had the king decreed, appointing over the tables individual men from his princes, so that each person might take whatever he wished.

9 Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio ubi rex Asuerus manere consueverat

9 Queen Vashti likewise made a banquet of women in the palace where King Ahasuerus was accustomed to dwell

10 itaque die septimo cum rex esset hilarior et post nimiam potionem incaluisset mero praecepit Mauman et Bazatha et Arbona et Bagatha et Abgatha et Zarath et Charchas septem eunuchis qui in conspectu eius ministrabant

10 and so, on the seventh day, when the king was more cheerful and, after excessive potation, had grown warm with wine, he commanded Mauman and Bazatha and Arbona and Bagatha and Abgatha and Zarath and Charchas, the seven eunuchs who ministered in his presence

11 ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coram rege posito super caput eius diademate et ostenderet cunctis populis et principibus illius pulchritudinem erat enim pulchra valde

11 that they should bring in Queen Vashti before the king, with the diadem set upon her head, and that he might show to all the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was very beautiful

12 quae rennuit et ad regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat venire contempsit unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus

12 who refused and scorned to come at the king’s command, which he had mandated through the eunuchs; whereupon the king, angered, was inflamed with excessive fury

13 interrogavit sapientes qui ex more regio semper ei aderant et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio scientium leges ac iura maiorum

13 he asked the wise men who, according to royal custom, were always attending him, and he did all things by their counsel, men knowing the laws and the rights of the ancestors

14 erant autem primi et proximi Charsena et Sethar et Admatha et Tharsis et Mares et Marsana et Mamucha septem duces Persarum atque Medorum qui videbant faciem regis et primi post eum residere soliti erant

14 now the first and nearest were Charsena and Sethar and Admatha and Tharsis and Mares and Marsana and Mamucha, the seven princes of the Persians and the Medes, who saw the face of the king and were accustomed to sit first after him

15 cui sententiae Vasthi regina subiaceret quae Asueri regis imperium quod per eunuchos mandaverat facere noluisset

15 to what sentence Queen Vashti should be subject, who had refused to carry out the order of King Ahasuerus which he had commanded through the eunuchs

16 responditque Mamuchan audiente rege atque principibus non solum regem laesit regina Vasthi sed omnes principes et populos qui sunt in cunctis provinciis regis Asueri

16 and Mamuchan answered, the king and the princes listening: not only has Queen Vashti injured the king, but all the princes and peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

17 egredietur enim sermo reginae ad omnes mulieres ut contemnant viros suos et dicant rex Asuerus iussit ut regina Vasthi intraret ad eum et illa noluit

17 for the word of the queen will go out to all women, so that they may contemn their husbands and say: King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti should enter to him, and she was unwilling

18 atque hoc exemplo omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum parvipendent imperia maritorum unde regis iusta est indignatio

18 and by this example all the consorts of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will make light of the commands of their husbands; whence the king’s indignation is just

19 et si tibi placet egrediatur edictum a facie tua et scribatur iuxta legem Persarum atque Medorum quam praeteriri inlicitum est ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem sed regnum illius altera quae melior illa est accipiat

19 and if it pleases you, let an edict go forth from your presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and the Medes, which it is illicit to transgress, that Vashti shall by no means any longer enter to the king, but let her royal estate another, who is better than she, receive.

20 et hoc in omne quod latissimum est provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium et cunctae uxores tam maiorum quam minorum deferant maritis suis

20 and let this imperial command be divulged throughout the widest extent of your provinces, and let all wives, both of the greater and of the lesser, defer to their husbands

21 placuit consilium eius regi et principibus fecitque rex iuxta consultum Mamuchan

21 the counsel pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan

22 et misit epistulas ad universas provincias regni sui ut quaeque gens audire et legere poterat diversis linguis et litteris esse viros principes ac maiores in domibus suis et hoc per cunctos populos divulgari

22 and he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, that each nation could hear and read, in diverse tongues and letters, that men be the principal and superior ones in their own houses, and that this be promulgated through all peoples

[2]

1 his itaque gestis postquam regis Asueri deferbuerat indignatio recordatus est Vasthi et quae fecisset vel quae passa esset

1 therefore, with these things done, after the indignation of King Ahasuerus had cooled, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, or what she had suffered

2 dixeruntque pueri regis ac ministri eius quaerantur regi puellae virgines ac speciosae

2 And the king’s youths and his ministers said, “Let virginal and beautiful maidens be sought for the king.”

3 et mittantur qui considerent per universas provincias puellas speciosas et virgines et adducant eas ad civitatem Susan et tradant in domum feminarum sub manu Aegaei eunuchi qui est praepositus et custos mulierum regiarum et accipiant mundum muliebrem et cetera ad usus necessaria

3 and let there be sent men to consider throughout all the provinces beautiful maidens, virgins, and let them bring them to the city Susa, and deliver them to the house of the women under the hand of Aegaeus the eunuch, who is the prefect and custodian of the royal women, and let them receive women’s adornment and the other things necessary for use.

4 et quaecumque inter omnes oculis regis placuerit ipsa regnet pro Vasthi placuit sermo regi et ita ut suggesserant iussit fieri

4 and whichever among all shall have pleased the king’s eyes, she herself shall reign in place of Vashti; the word pleased the king, and just as they had suggested he ordered it to be done

5 erat vir iudaeus in Susis civitate vocabulo Mardocheus filius Iair filii Semei filii Cis de stirpe Iemini

5 there was a Jewish man in Susa the city, by name Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the stock of Benjamin

6 qui translatus fuerat de Hierusalem eo tempore quo Iechoniam regem Iuda Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis transtulerat

6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away Jeconiah, king of Judah

7 qui fuit nutricius filiae fratris sui Edessae quae altero nomine Hester vocabatur et utrumque parentem amiserat pulchra nimis et decora facie mortuisque patre eius ac matre Mardocheus sibi eam adoptavit in filiam

7 who was the foster-father of his brother’s daughter, Edessa, who by another name was called Esther; and she had lost both parents, exceedingly beautiful and comely in face; and with her father and mother dead, Mardocheus adopted her to himself as a daughter

8 cumque percrebuisset regis imperium et iuxta mandata illius multae virgines pulchrae adducerentur Susan et Aegaeo traderentur eunucho Hester quoque inter ceteras puellas ei tradita est ut servaretur in numero feminarum

8 and when the king’s command had become widespread, and according to his mandates many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan and handed over to Aegaeus the eunuch, Esther too, among the other girls, was handed over to him, to be kept in the number of the women

9 quae placuit ei et invenit gratiam in conspectu illius ut adceleraret mundum muliebrem et traderet ei partes suas et septem puellas speciosissimas de domo regis et tam ipsam quam pedisequas eius ornaret atque excoleret

9 who pleased him and found grace in his sight, so that he accelerated the women’s adornment and handed over to her her portions, and seven most beautiful maidens from the house of the king, and both herself and her handmaids he adorned and polished.

10 quae noluit indicare ei populum et patriam suam Mardocheus enim praeceperat ut de hac re omnino reticeret

10 who was unwilling to indicate to him her people and her fatherland; for Mardocheus had enjoined that about this matter she should be altogether silent

11 qui deambulabat cotidie ante vestibulum domus in qua electae virgines servabantur curam agens salutis Hester et scire volens quid ei accideret

11 who would walk about every day before the vestibule of the house in which the chosen virgins were kept, taking care for Esther’s welfare and wanting to know what might befall her

12 cum autem venisset tempus singularum per ordinem puellarum ut intrarent ad regem expletis omnibus quae ad cultum muliebrem pertinebant mensis duodecimus vertebatur ita dumtaxat ut sex menses oleo unguerentur myrtino et aliis sex quibusdam pigmentis et aromatibus uterentur

12 but when the time came for each of the girls in order to enter to the king, with all things completed that pertained to feminine adornment, the twelfth month was turning, namely only thus: that for six months they were anointed with myrrh-oil, and for another six they used certain cosmetics and aromatics.

13 ingredientesque ad regem quicquid postulassent ad ornatum pertinens accipiebant et ut eis placuerat conpositae de triclinio feminarum ad regis cubiculum transiebant

13 and on entering to the king they received whatever they had asked pertaining to adornment, and, composed as it had pleased them, they passed from the women’s triclinium to the king’s bedchamber

14 et quae intraverat vespere egrediebatur mane atque inde in secundas aedes deducebatur quae sub manu Sasagazi eunuchi erant qui concubinis regis praesidebat nec habebat potestatem ad regem ultra redeundi nisi voluisset rex et eam venire iussisset ex nomine

14 and she who had entered in the evening went out in the morning, and from there she was led into the second house, which was under the hand of Sasagaz the eunuch, who presided over the king’s concubines; nor did she have the power of returning to the king any further, unless the king had wished and had ordered her to come by name

15 evoluto autem tempore per ordinem instabat dies quo Hester filia Abiahil fratris Mardochei quam sibi adoptaverat in filiam intrare deberet ad regem quae non quaesivit muliebrem cultum sed quaecumque voluit Aegaeus eunuchus custos virginum haec ei ad ornatum dedit erat enim formonsa valde et incredibili pulchritudine omnium oculis gratiosa et amabilis videbatur

15 but when the time had unrolled in due order, the day was pressing on when Esther, daughter of Abihail, the brother of Mordecai, whom he had adopted to himself as a daughter, ought to enter to the king; she did not seek womanly cultus, but whatever Aegaeus the eunuch, the keeper of the virgins, wished, these he gave to her for adornment. For she was very comely, and with incredible pulchritude she appeared pleasing and amiable to the eyes of all.

16 ducta est itaque ad cubiculum regis Asueri mense decimo qui vocatur tebeth septimo anno regni eius

16 she was led therefore to the bedchamber of King Ahasuerus in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign

17 et amavit eam rex plus quam omnes mulieres habuitque gratiam et misericordiam coram eo super omnes mulieres et posuit diadema regni in capite eius fecitque eam regnare in loco Vasthi

17 and the king loved her more than all the women, and she had grace and mercy before him above all the women; and he set the diadem of the kingdom upon her head and made her reign in the place of Vashti

18 et iussit convivium praeparari permagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis pro coniunctione et nuptiis Hester et dedit requiem in universis provinciis ac dona largitus est iuxta magnificentiam principalem

18 and he ordered a very magnificent banquet to be prepared for all his princes and his servants for the union and nuptials of Esther, and he gave rest in all the provinces, and he bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence

19 cumque et secundo quaererentur virgines et congregarentur Mardocheus manebat ad regis ianuam

19 and when also a second time virgins were sought and gathered together, Mordecai remained at the king’s gate

20 necdumque prodiderat Hester patriam et populum suum iuxta mandatum eius quicquid enim ille praecipiebat observabat Hester et ita cuncta faciebat ut eo tempore solita erat quo eam parvulam nutriebat

20 and Esther had not yet made known her homeland and her people, according to his mandate; for whatever he prescribed Esther observed, and thus she did all things as she had been accustomed at that time when he was nurturing her as a little girl

21 eo igitur tempore quo Mardocheus ad regis ianuam morabatur irati sunt Bagathan et Thares duo eunuchi regis qui ianitores erant et in primo palatii limine praesidebant volueruntque insurgere in regem et occidere eum

21 therefore at that time when Mordecai was lingering at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two eunuchs of the king, who were doorkeepers and presided at the first threshold of the palace, became angry and wanted to rise up against the king and kill him

22 quod Mardocheum non latuit statimque nuntiavit reginae Hester et illa regi ex nomine Mardochei qui ad se rem detulerat

22 which did not escape Mordecai, and immediately he announced it to Queen Esther, and she to the king, in the name of Mordecai, who had reported the matter to her

23 quaesitum est et inventum et adpensus uterque eorum in patibulo mandatumque historiis et annalibus traditum coram rege

23 it was inquired into and found, and both of them were hanged on the gallows, and it was committed to the histories and handed down to the annals before the king.

[3]

1 post haec rex Asuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi qui erat de stirpe Agag et posuit solium eius super omnes principes quos habebat

1 after these things king Ahasuerus exalted Haman the son of Hammedatha, who was of the stock of Agag, and set his throne over all the princes whom he had

2 cunctique servi regis qui in foribus palatii versabantur flectebant genu et adorabant Aman sic enim eis praeceperat imperator solus Mardocheus non flectebat genu neque adorabat eum

2 and all the king’s servants who were frequenting the doors of the palace were bending the knee and adoring Aman, for thus had the emperor commanded them; only Mardocheus did not bend the knee nor adore him

3 cui dixerunt regis pueri qui ad fores palatii praesidebant cur praeter ceteros non observas mandata regis

3 to whom the king's servants, who kept watch at the doors of the palace, said, why, beyond the rest, do you not observe the king's mandates

4 cumque hoc crebrius dicerent et ille nollet audire nuntiaverunt Aman scire cupientes utrum perseveraret in sententia dixerat enim eis se esse Iudaeum

4 and when they said this more frequently and he was unwilling to listen, they reported to Haman, wishing to know whether he would persevere in his resolve; for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 quod cum audisset Aman et experimento probasset quod Mardocheus non sibi flecteret genu nec se adoraret iratus est valde

5 when Haman had heard this and had proved by experiment that Mordecai did not bend the knee to him nor adore him, he was very angry

6 et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardocheum mittere manus suas audierat enim quod esset gentis iudaeae magisque voluit omnem Iudaeorum qui erant in regno Asueri perdere nationem

6 and he deemed it as nothing to lay his hands upon Mordecai alone; for he had heard that he was of the Jewish race, and rather he wished to destroy the whole nation of the Jews who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 mense primo cuius vocabulum est nisan anno duodecimo regni Asueri missa est sors in urnam quae hebraice dicitur phur coram Aman quo die et quo mense gens Iudaeorum deberet interfici et exivit mensis duodecimus qui vocatur adar

7 in the first month, whose name is Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Ahasuerus, the lot was cast into the urn—which in Hebrew is called Pur—before Haman, to determine on which day and in which month the nation of the Jews ought to be destroyed; and there came out the twelfth month, which is called Adar.

8 dixitque Aman regi Asuero est populus per omnes provincias regni tui dispersus et a se mutuo separatus novis utens legibus et caerimoniis insuper et regis scita contemnens et optime nosti quod non expediat regno tuo ut insolescat per licentiam

8 And Haman said to King Ahasuerus: There is a people dispersed through all the provinces of your kingdom and mutually separated, using new laws and ceremonies, and moreover scorning the king’s edicts; and you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that it grow insolent through license.

9 si tibi placet decerne ut pereat et decem milia talentorum adpendam arcariis gazae tuae

9 if it pleases you, decree that they be destroyed, and I will weigh out 10,000 talents to the treasurers of your treasury

10 tulit ergo rex anulum quo utebatur de manu sua et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag hosti Iudaeorum

10 therefore the king took the ring which he used from his hand and gave it to Aman, son of Amadathi, of the progeny of Agag, the enemy of the Jews.

11 dixitque ad eum argentum quod polliceris tuum sit de populo age quod tibi placet

11 and he said to him, The silver which you promise, let it be yours; as for the people, do what pleases you

12 vocatique sunt scribae regis mense primo nisan tertiadecima die eius et scriptum est ut iusserat Aman ad omnes satrapas regis et iudices provinciarum diversarumque gentium ut quaeque gens legere poterat et audire pro varietate linguarum ex nomine regis Asueri et litterae ipsius signatae anulo

12 and the scribes of the king were called in the first month Nisan, on its thirteenth day, and it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the satraps of the king and the judges of the provinces and of the diverse nations, so that each nation could read and hear according to the variety of languages, in the name of King Ahasuerus, and the letters were sealed with his ring

13 missae sunt per cursores regis ad universas provincias ut occiderent atque delerent omnes Iudaeos a puero usque ad senem parvulos et mulieres uno die hoc est tertiodecimo mensis duodecimi qui vocatur adar et bona eorum diriperent

13 they were sent by the king’s couriers to all the provinces, to kill and destroy all the Jews, from boy up to old man, little ones and women, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods

14 summa autem epistularum haec fuit ut omnes provinciae scirent et pararent se ad praedictam diem

14 but the sum of the letters was this: that all the provinces should know and prepare themselves for the aforesaid day

15 festinabant cursores qui missi erant explere regis imperium statimque in Susis pependit edictum rege et Aman celebrante convivium et cunctis qui in urbe erant flentibus

15 the couriers who had been sent were hastening to fulfill the king’s command, and at once in Susa the edict was posted, while the king and Haman were celebrating a banquet, and all who were in the city were weeping.

[4]

1 quae cum audisset Mardocheus scidit vestimenta sua et indutus est sacco spargens cinerem capiti et in platea mediae civitatis voce magna clamabat ostendens amaritudinem animi sui

1 when Mordecai had heard these things, he tore his vestments and was clothed in sackcloth, sprinkling ashes upon his head, and in the plaza in the middle of the city he was crying out with a great voice, showing the bitterness of his spirit

2 et hoc heiulatu usque ad fores palatii gradiens non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare

2 and with this wailing he advanced up to the doors of the palace, for it was not licit to enter the hall of the king clothed in sackcloth

3 in omnibus quoque provinciis oppidis ac locis ad quae crudele regis dogma pervenerat planctus ingens erat apud Iudaeos ieiunium ululatus et fletus sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus

3 in all the provinces also, in the towns and places to which the cruel king’s edict had come, there was immense lamentation among the Jews—fasting, ululation, and weeping—many using sackcloth and ashes for bedding.

4 ingressae sunt autem puellae Hester et eunuchi nuntiaveruntque ei quod audiens consternata est et misit vestem ut ablato sacco induerent eum quam accipere noluit

4 but the maidens of Esther entered, and the eunuchs announced to her; and hearing it she was struck with consternation, and she sent a garment, that, with the sackcloth removed, they might clothe him, which he was unwilling to accept

5 accitoque Athac eunucho quem rex ministrum ei dederat praecepit ut iret ad Mardocheum et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret

5 and having summoned Athac the eunuch, whom the king had given to her as an attendant, she ordered him to go to Mordecai and learn from him why he was doing this.

6 egressusque Athac ivit ad Mardocheum stantem in platea civitatis ante ostium palatii

6 And Athac went out and went to Mordecai, standing in the square of the city before the gate of the palace.

7 qui indicavit ei omnia quae acciderant quomodo Aman promisisset ut in thesauros regis pro Iudaeorum nece inferret argentum

7 who indicated to him all the things that had happened, how Aman had promised to bring silver into the king’s treasuries for the slaughter of the Jews.

8 exemplarque edicti quod pendebat in Susis dedit ei ut reginae ostenderet et moneret eam ut intraret ad regem et deprecaretur eum pro populo suo

8 and he gave him an exemplar of the edict which was hanging in Susa, that he might show it to the queen and admonish her to enter to the king and beseech him for her people

9 regressus Athac nuntiavit Hester omnia quae Mardocheus dixerat

9 Hathach, having returned, reported to Esther all that Mordecai had said.

10 quae respondit ei et iussit ut diceret Mardocheo

10 who responded to him and ordered that he say to Mordecai

11 omnes servi regis et cunctae quae sub dicione eius sunt norunt provinciae quod sive vir sive mulier invocatus interius atrium regis intraverit absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiae atque ita possit vivere ego igitur quomodo ad regem intrare potero quae triginta iam diebus non sum vocata ad eum

11 all the king’s servants and all the provinces that are under his dominion know that, whether man or woman, if one enters the inner atrium of the king uncalled, without any hesitation he is immediately put to death, unless perhaps the king should extend to him the golden scepter as a sign of clemency, and thus he may be able to live. I therefore—how shall I be able to enter to the king, I who for thirty days now have not been summoned to him?

12 quod cum audisset Mardocheus

12 when Mordecai had heard this

13 rursum mandavit Hester dicens ne putes quod animam tuam tantum liberes quia in domo regis es prae cunctis Iudaeis

13 Esther again commanded, saying, do not suppose that you will liberate your soul only because you are in the house of the king before all the Jews

14 si enim nunc silueris per aliam occasionem liberabuntur Iudaei et tu et domus patris tui peribitis et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris ut in tali tempore parareris

14 for if you now keep silence, through another occasion the Jews will be liberated, but you and your father’s house will perish; and who knows whether for this reason you have come to the kingdom, that in such a time you might be prepared

15 rursumque Hester haec Mardocheo verba mandavit

15 and again Esther sent these words to Mordecai

16 vade et congrega omnes Iudaeos quos in Susis reppereris et orate pro me non comedatis et non bibatis tribus diebus ac noctibus et ego cum ancillulis meis similiter ieiunabo et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens invocata tradensque me morti et periculo

16 go and gather all the Jews whom you shall find in Susa, and pray for me; do not eat and do not drink for three days and nights; and I with my little handmaids will likewise fast, and then I will enter to the king, doing this against the law, invocation made, and delivering myself to death and peril

17 ivit itaque Mardocheus et fecit omnia quae ei Hester praeceperat

17 therefore Mordecai went and did all that Esther had commanded him

[5]

1 die autem tertio induta est Hester regalibus vestimentis et stetit in atrio domus regiae quod erat interius contra basilicam regis at ille sedebat super solium in consistorio palatii contra ostium domus

1 however, on the third day Esther was clothed in regal garments and stood in the atrium of the royal house, which was interior, opposite the king’s basilica; but he was sitting upon the throne in the consistory of the palace, opposite the doorway of the house

2 cumque vidisset Hester reginam stantem placuit oculis eius et extendit contra eam virgam auream quam tenebat manu quae accedens osculata est summitatem virgae eius

2 and when he saw Queen Esther standing, she pleased his eyes, and he extended toward her the golden scepter which he was holding in his hand; and she, approaching, kissed the tip of his scepter

3 dixitque ad eam rex quid vis Hester regina quae est petitio tua etiam si dimidiam regni partem petieris dabitur tibi

3 And the king said to her: What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your petition? Even if you should ask for half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.

4 at illa respondit si regi placet obsecro ut venias ad me hodie et Aman tecum ad convivium quod paravi

4 but she replied, if it pleases the king, I beseech that you come to me today, and Haman with you, to the banquet which I have prepared

5 statimque rex vocate inquit cito Aman ut Hester oboediat voluntati venerunt itaque rex et Aman ad convivium quod eis regina paraverat

5 and immediately the king said, 'Call quickly Haman, that Hester’s will may be obeyed.' They came, therefore, the king and Haman, to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them.

6 dixitque ei rex postquam vinum biberat abundanter quid petis ut detur tibi et pro qua re postulas etiam si dimidiam partem regni mei petieris inpetrabis

6 And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine abundantly, What do you seek, that it may be given to you, and for what cause do you petition? Even if you should ask for half of my kingdom, you will obtain it.

7 cui respondit Hester petitio mea et preces istae sunt

7 to which Esther replied: my petition and these prayers are as follows

8 si inveni gratiam in conspectu regis et si regi placet ut det mihi quod postulo et meam impleat petitionem veniat rex et Aman ad convivium quod paravi eis et cras regi aperiam voluntatem meam

8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to give me what I request and to fulfill my petition, let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I have prepared for them, and tomorrow I will disclose my will to the king

9 egressus est itaque illo die Aman laetus et alacer cumque vidisset Mardocheum sedentem ante fores palatii et non solum non adsurrexisse sibi sed nec motum quidem de loco sessionis suae indignatus est valde

9 Haman therefore went out that day joyful and brisk; and when he had seen Mordecai sitting before the doors of the palace, and not only not having risen for him, but not even moved from the place of his sitting, he was very indignant.

10 et dissimulata ira reversus in domum suam convocavit ad se amicos et Zares uxorem suam

10 and, with his anger concealed, having returned to his house, he summoned to himself his friends and Zeresh his wife

11 et exposuit illis magnitudinem divitiarum suarum filiorumque turbam et quanta eum gloria super omnes principes et servos suos rex elevasset

11 and he set forth to them the magnitude of his riches and the multitude of his sons, and how greatly in glory the king had elevated him over all the princes and his servants

12 et post haec ait regina quoque Hester nullum alium vocavit cum rege ad convivium praeter me apud quam etiam cras cum rege pransurus sum

12 and after these things he said, Queen Esther also called no one else with the king to the banquet except me, with whom also tomorrow I am to dine with the king

13 et cum haec omnia habeam nihil me habere puto quamdiu videro Mardocheum Iudaeum sedentem ante fores regias

13 and although I have all these things, I consider that I have nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting before the royal doors

14 responderuntque ei Zares uxor eius et ceteri amici iube parari excelsam trabem habentem altitudinem quinquaginta cubitos et dic mane regi ut adpendatur super eam Mardocheus et sic ibis cum rege laetus ad convivium placuit ei consilium et iussit excelsam parari crucem

14 and Zeresh his wife and the rest of his friends answered him: order a lofty beam to be prepared having a height of fifty cubits, and say to the king in the morning that Mordecai be hanged upon it, and thus you will go with the king glad to the banquet; the counsel pleased him, and he ordered a lofty gallows to be prepared

[6]

1 noctem illam rex duxit insomnem iussitque adferri sibi historias et annales priorum temporum qui cum illo praesente legerentur

1 the king passed that night sleepless and ordered the histories and annals of prior times to be brought to himself, which were to be read with him present

2 ventum est ad eum locum ubi scriptum erat quomodo nuntiasset Mardocheus insidias Bagathan et Thares eunuchorum regem Asuerum iugulare cupientium

2 they came to that place where it was written how Mardocheus had reported the plot of Bagathan and Thares, eunuchs, who were desiring to assassinate King Asuerus

3 quod cum rex audisset ait quid pro hac fide honoris ac praemii Mardocheus consecutus est dixeruntque ei servi illius ac ministri nihil omnino mercedis accepit

3 when the king had heard this, he said, What honor and reward has Mordecai attained for this fidelity? and his servants and ministers said to him, He has received absolutely no remuneration.

4 statimque rex quis est inquit in atrio Aman quippe interius atrium domus regiae intraverat ut suggereret regi et iuberet Mardocheum adfigi patibulo quod ei fuerat praeparatum

4 and immediately the king said, “Who is in the court?” For Aman had entered the inner court of the royal house to suggest to the king that he command Mardocheus to be affixed to the gallows which had been prepared for him.

5 responderunt pueri Aman stat in atrio dixitque rex ingrediatur

5 the servants answered: Haman is standing in the atrium; and the king said, let him enter.

6 cumque esset ingressus ait illi quid debet fieri viro quem rex honorare desiderat cogitans Aman in corde suo et reputans quod nullum alium rex nisi se vellet honorare

6 and when he had entered, he said to him, What ought to be done to the man whom the king desires to honor? Haman, thinking in his heart and reputing that the king would wish to honor no other but himself,

7 respondit homo quem rex honorare cupit

7 he answered: the man whom the king desires to honor

8 debet indui vestibus regiis et inponi super equum qui de sella regis est et accipere regium diadema super caput suum

8 he ought to be clothed in regal vestments and set upon a horse that is of the king’s saddle, and to receive the royal diadem upon his head

9 et primus de regis principibus ac tyrannis teneat equum eius et per plateam civitatis incedens clamet ac dicat sic honorabitur quemcumque rex voluerit honorare

9 and let the foremost of the king’s princes and tyrants hold his horse, and, proceeding through the street of the city, let him cry out and say: Thus shall he be honored, whomever the king has willed to honor.

10 dixitque ei rex festina et sumpta stola et equo fac ita ut locutus es Mardocheo Iudaeo qui sedet ante fores palatii cave ne quicquam de his quae locutus es praetermittas

10 and the king said to him: Make haste, and, taking the robe and the horse, do thus as you have spoken for Mordecai the Jew, who sits before the doors of the palace; beware lest you pretermit anything of what you have spoken.

11 tulit itaque Aman stolam et equum indutumque Mardocheum in platea civitatis et inpositum equo praecedebat atque clamabat hoc honore condignus est quemcumque rex voluerit honorare

11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and, having clothed Mordecai in the square of the city and set him upon the horse, he went before and cried out: this honor is condign for whomever the king wishes to honor.

12 reversus est Mardocheus ad ianuam palatii et Aman festinavit ire in domum suam lugens et operto capite

12 Mordecai returned to the gate of the palace, and Haman hastened to go to his house, mourning and with his head covered.

13 narravitque Zares uxori suae et amicis omnia quae evenissent sibi cui responderunt sapientes quos habebat in consilio et uxor eius si de semine Iudaeorum est Mardocheus ante quem cadere coepisti non poteris ei resistere sed cades in conspectu eius

13 and he recounted to Zares his wife and to his friends all the things that had happened to him; to whom the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife, answered: if Mardocheus is of the seed of the Judaeans, before whom you have begun to fall, you will not be able to resist him, but you will fall in his sight.

14 adhuc illis loquentibus venerunt eunuchi regis et cito eum ad convivium quod regina paraverat pergere conpulerunt

14 while they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs came and quickly compelled him to go to the banquet which the queen had prepared

[7]

1 intravit itaque rex et Aman ut biberent cum regina

1 therefore the king and Haman entered, to drink with the queen

2 dixitque ei rex etiam in secundo die postquam vino incaluerat quae est petitio tua Hester ut detur tibi et quid vis fieri etiam si dimidiam regni mei partem petieris inpetrabis

2 and the king said to her also on the second day, after he had grown warm with wine, What is your petition, Esther, that it may be given to you, and what do you wish to be done? even if you ask for half of my kingdom, you shall obtain it.

3 ad quem illa respondit si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis o rex et si tibi placet dona mihi animam meam pro qua rogo et populum meum pro quo obsecro

3 to whom she replied: If I have found grace in your eyes, o king, and if it pleases you, give to me my soul for which I ask, and my people for whom I beseech.

4 traditi enim sumus ego et populus meus ut conteramur iugulemur et pereamus atque utinam in servos et famulas venderemur esset tolerabile malum et gemens tacerem nunc autem hostis noster est cuius crudelitas redundat in regem

4 for we have been delivered over, I and my people, to be crushed, to be slaughtered, and to perish; and would that we were sold into slavery as slaves and maidservants, the evil would be tolerable, and, groaning, I would keep silent; but now our enemy is one whose cruelty redounds upon the king.

5 respondensque rex Asuerus ait quis est iste et cuius potentiae ut haec audeat facere

5 and King Ahasuerus, answering, said: Who is this, and of what power, that he should dare to do these things?

6 dixit Hester hostis et inimicus noster pessimus iste est Aman quod ille audiens ilico obstipuit vultum regis ac reginae ferre non sustinens

6 Esther said: Our adversary and enemy—the very worst—is this Haman; and hearing this he immediately was stupefied, not able to bear the countenance of the king and the queen.

7 rex autem surrexit iratus et de loco convivii intravit in hortum arboribus consitum Aman quoque surrexit ut rogaret Hester reginam pro anima sua intellexit enim a rege sibi paratum malum

7 the king, however, rose in wrath and from the place of the banquet entered into a garden planted with trees; Haman also rose to beg Queen Hester for his life, for he understood that evil had been prepared for him by the king

8 qui cum reversus esset de horto nemoribus consito et intrasset convivii locum repperit Aman super lectulum corruisse in quo iacebat Hester et ait etiam reginam vult opprimere me praesente in domo mea necdum verbum de ore regis exierat et statim operuerunt faciem eius

8 when he had returned from the garden planted with groves and had entered the place of the banquet, he found Aman fallen upon the little couch on which Hester was lying, and he said, Will he even oppress the queen, with me present, in my own house? The word had not yet gone out from the king’s mouth, and immediately they covered his face.

9 dixitque Arbona unus de eunuchis qui stabant in ministerio regis en lignum quod paraverat Mardocheo qui locutus est pro rege stat in domo Aman habens altitudinis quinquaginta cubitos cui dixit rex adpendite eum in eo

9 and Arbona said, one of the eunuchs who were standing in the ministry of the king: behold, the tree which he had prepared for Mordecai, who spoke on behalf of the king, stands in Haman’s house, having a height of fifty cubits. To which the king said: Hang him on it.

10 suspensus est itaque Aman in patibulo quod paraverat Mardocheo et regis ira quievit

10 therefore Haman was hanged on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king’s wrath was quieted

[8]

1 die illo dedit rex Asuerus Hester reginae domum Aman adversarii Iudaeorum et Mardocheus ingressus est ante faciem regis confessa est enim ei Hester quod esset patruus suus

1 on that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, and Mordecai entered before the presence of the king; for Esther had confessed to him that he was her uncle.

2 tulitque rex anulum quem ab Aman recipi iusserat et tradidit Mardocheo Hester autem constituit Mardocheum super domum suam

2 and the king took the ring which he had ordered to be taken back from Haman and handed it over to Mordecai; moreover Esther appointed Mordecai over her house.

3 nec his contenta procidit ad pedes regis flevitque et locuta ad eum oravit ut malitiam Aman Agagitae et machinationes eius pessimas quas excogitaverat contra Iudaeos iuberet irritas fieri

3 nor content with these, she fell at the feet of the king, and wept, and speaking to him she entreated that he would order the malice of Haman the Agagite and his most wicked machinations, which he had devised against the Jews, to be rendered null.

4 at ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu quo signum clementiae monstrabatur illaque consurgens stetit ante eum

4 but he, according to custom, extended the golden scepter with his hand, by which a sign of clemency was shown; and she, rising, stood before him

5 et ait si placet regi et inveni gratiam coram oculis eius et deprecatio mea non ei videtur esse contraria obsecro ut novis epistulis veteres Aman litterae insidiatoris et hostis Iudaeorum quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire praeceperat corrigantur

5 and she said: if it pleases the king, and I have found grace before his eyes, and my supplication does not seem to him to be contrary, I beseech that by new epistles the former letters of Haman, the insidiator and enemy of the Jews, by which he had commanded them to perish in all the king’s provinces, be corrected

6 quomodo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei

6 for how indeed will I be able to endure the slaughter and the destruction of my people?

7 responditque rex Asuerus Hester reginae et Mardocheo Iudaeo domum Aman concessi Hester et ipsum iussi adfigi cruci qui ausus est manum in Iudaeos mittere

7 And King Ahasuerus answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew: I have granted Haman’s house to Esther, and I have ordered the man himself to be fastened to the gibbet, he who dared to lay a hand upon the Jews.

8 scribite ergo Iudaeis sicut vobis placet ex regis nomine signantes litteras anulo meo haec enim consuetudo erat ut epistulis quae ex regis nomine mittebantur et illius anulo signatae erant nemo auderet contradicere

8 therefore write to the Jews as it pleases you, in the king’s name, sealing the letters with my ring; for this was the custom, that to the epistles which were sent in the king’s name and were sealed with his ring, no one would dare to contradict

9 accitisque scribis et librariis regis erat autem tempus tertii mensis qui appellatur siban vicesima et tertia illius die scriptae sunt epistulae ut Mardocheus voluerat ad Iudaeos et ad principes procuratoresque et iudices qui centum viginti septem provinciis ab India usque Aethiopiam praesidebant provinciae atque provinciae populo et populo iuxta linguas et litteras suas et Iudaeis ut legere poterant et audire

9 and, the scribes and the secretaries of the king having been called in—now it was the time of the third month, which is called Sivan, on its twenty-third day—letters were written as Mordecai had willed, to the Jews and to the princes, procurators, and judges who presided over 127 provinces from India as far as Ethiopia, to each province and each people according to their tongues and their letters, and to the Jews as they were able to read and to hear.

10 ipsaeque epistulae quae ex regis nomine mittebantur anulo illius obsignatae sunt et missae per veredarios qui per omnes provincias discurrentes veteres litteras novis nuntiis praevenirent

10 And the letters themselves, which were sent in the king’s name, were sealed with his ring and sent by couriers, who, running through all the provinces, might forestall the old letters with new messages.

11 quibus imperavit rex ut convenirent Iudaeos per singulas civitates et in unum praeciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis et omnes inimicos suos cum coniugibus ac liberis et universis domibus interficerent atque delerent

11 in which the king commanded that they convene the Jews in each and every city and prescribe that they be congregated into one, that they stand for their lives, and that they slay and obliterate all their enemies, with spouses and children and all their houses.

12 et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi adar

12 and one day of vengeance was appointed throughout all the provinces, that is, the thirteenth of the twelfth month, Adar

13 summaque epistulae fuit ut in omnibus terris ac populis qui regis Asueri imperio subiacebant notum fieret paratos esse Iudaeos ad capiendam vindictam de hostibus suis

13 and the sum of the letter was that, in all the lands and peoples who were subject to the imperium of King Ahasuerus, it be made known that the Jews were prepared to take vengeance on their enemies

14 egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntios perferentes et edictum regis pependit in Susis

14 and the swift couriers went out, conveying the messages, and the king’s edict was posted at Susa

15 Mardocheus autem de palatio et de conspectu regis egrediens fulgebat vestibus regiis hyacinthinis videlicet et aerinis coronam auream portans capite et amictus pallio serico atque purpureo omnisque civitas exultavit atque laetata est

15 But Mordocheus, going out from the palace and from the sight of the king, shone in royal garments, hyacinthine, namely, and sky-colored, bearing a golden crown upon his head and wrapped in a seric (silken) and purple mantle, and the whole city exulted and rejoiced.

16 Iudaeis autem nova lux oriri visa est gaudium honor et tripudium

16 But for the Jews a new light seemed to arise joy honor and rejoicing

17 apud omnes populos urbes atque provincias quocumque regis iussa veniebant mira exultatio epulae atque convivia et festus dies in tantum ut plures alterius gentis et sectae eorum religioni et caerimoniis iungerentur grandis enim cunctos iudaici nominis terror invaserat

17 among all peoples, cities, and provinces, wherever the king’s orders came, there was wondrous exultation, banquets and feasts, and a festal day, to such an extent that many of another nation and sect were joined to their religion and ceremonies; for a great terror of the Judaic name had invaded all.

[9]

1 igitur duodecimi mensis quem adar vocari ante iam diximus tertiadecima die quando cunctis Iudaeis interfectio parabatur et hostes eorum inhiabant sanguini versa vice Iudaei superiores esse coeperunt et se de adversariis vindicare

1 therefore on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which we have already said is called Adar, when slaughter was being prepared for all the Jews and their enemies were gaping for blood, with the turn reversed the Jews began to be the superiors and to vindicate themselves upon their adversaries

2 congregatique sunt per singulas civitates oppida et loca ut extenderent manum contra inimicos et persecutores suos nullusque ausus est resistere eo quod omnes populos magnitudinis eorum formido penetrarat

2 and they were congregated through each of the cities, towns, and places, to extend the hand against their enemies and their persecutors; and no one dared to resist, because the dread of their magnitude had penetrated all peoples

3 nam et provinciarum iudices duces et procuratores omnisque dignitas quae singulis locis et operibus praeerat extollebant Iudaeos timore Mardochei

3 for even the judges of the provinces, the dukes and procurators, and every dignity that presided over the individual places and operations, were extolling the Jews out of fear of Mordecai

4 quem principem esse palatii et plurimum posse cognoverant fama quoque nominis eius crescebat cotidie et per cunctorum ora volitabat

4 whom they had come to know to be the chief of the palace and to be very powerful; and the fame of his name too was increasing daily and was flitting on the lips of all.

5 itaque percusserunt Iudaei inimicos suos plaga magna et occiderunt eos reddentes eis quod sibi paraverant facere

5 and so the Jews struck their enemies with a great blow and killed them, rendering to them what they had prepared to do to themselves

6 in tantum ut etiam in Susis quingentos viros interficerent et decem extra filios Aman Agagitae hostis Iudaeorum quorum ista sunt nomina

6 to such an extent that even in Susa they killed 500 men, and, besides, the 10 sons of Haman the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, whose names are these

7 Pharsandatha et Delphon et Esphata

7 Pharsandatha and Delphon and Esphata

8 et Phorata et Adalia et Aridatha

8 and Phorata and Adalia and Aridatha

9 et Ephermesta et Arisai et Aridai et Vaizatha

9 and Ephermesta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha

10 quos cum occidissent praedas de substantiis eorum agere noluerunt

10 whom, when they had killed, they were unwilling to carry off prey from their properties

11 statimque numerus eorum qui occisi erant in Susis ad regem relatus est

11 and immediately the number of those who had been slain in Susa was reported to the king

12 qui dixit reginae in urbe Susis interfecere Iudaei quingentos viros et alios decem filios Aman quantam putas eos exercere caedem in universis provinciis quid ultra postulas et quid vis ut fieri iubeam

12 who said to the queen: In the city of Susa the Jews have killed five hundred men, and also the ten sons of Haman; how great a carnage do you suppose they are exercising in all the provinces? What further do you request, and what do you wish that I should order to be done?

13 cui illa respondit si regi placet detur potestas Iudaeis ut sicut hodie fecerunt in Susis sic et cras faciant et decem filii Aman in patibulis suspendantur

13 to whom she responded: if it pleases the king, let power be granted to the Jews, that just as today they have done in Susa, so also tomorrow they may do, and let the ten sons of Aman be hanged on gibbets.

14 praecepitque rex ut ita fieret statimque in Susis pependit edictum et decem Aman filii suspensi sunt

14 and the king commanded that it be done so, and immediately in Susa the edict hung, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged

15 congregatis Iudaeis quartadecima adar mensis die interfecti sunt in Susis trecenti viri nec eorum ab illis direpta substantia est

15 the Jews having been gathered on the fourteenth day of the month Adar, three hundred men were slain in Susa, nor was their substance despoiled by them

16 sed et per omnes provincias quae dicioni regis subiacebant pro animabus suis stetere Iudaei interfectis hostibus ac persecutoribus suis in tantum ut septuaginta quinque milia occisorum implerentur et nullus de substantiis eorum quicquam contingeret

16 but also through all the provinces which lay under the king’s dominion the Jews stood for their lives, their enemies and their persecutors having been slain, to such an extent that 75,000 of the slain were fulfilled, and no one touched anything of their substances.

17 dies autem tertiusdecimus mensis adar unus apud omnes interfectionis fuit et quartodecimo die caedere desierunt quem constituerunt esse sollemnem ut in eo omni deinceps tempore vacarent epulis gaudio atque conviviis

17 but the thirteenth day of the month adar was one and the same among all for slaughter, and on the fourteenth day they ceased to strike, which they constituted to be solemn, that on it for all time thereafter they might be at leisure for banquets, joy, and convivialities

18 at hii qui in urbe Susis caedem exercuerant tertiodecimo et quartodecimo eiusdem mensis die in caede versati sunt quintodecimo autem die percutere desierunt et idcirco eandem diem constituere sollemnem epularum atque laetitiae

18 but those who in the city of Susa had carried out the slaughter were engaged in slaughter on the thirteenth and fourteenth day of the same month; but on the fifteenth day they ceased to strike, and for that reason they established the same day as a solemnity of banquets and of joy

19 hii vero Iudaei qui in oppidis non muratis ac villis morabantur quartumdecimum diem mensis adar conviviorum et gaudii decreverunt ita ut exultent in eo et mittant sibi mutuo partes epularum et ciborum

19 but those Jews who were dwelling in unwalled towns and villages decreed the fourteenth day of the month Adar to be for banquets and joy, so that on it they exult and send to one another mutual portions of feasts and foods

20 scripsit itaque Mardocheus omnia haec et litteris conprehensa misit ad Iudaeos qui in omnibus regis provinciis morabantur tam in vicino positis quam procul

20 Mordecai therefore wrote all these things and, having set them down in letters, sent to the Jews who were dwelling in all the king’s provinces, both those placed nearby and those far away

21 ut quartamdecimam et quintamdecimam diem mensis adar pro festis susciperent et revertente semper anno sollemni honore celebrarent

21 that they should take up the 14th and 15th day of the month Adar as feast days, and, with the year always returning, celebrate them with solemn honor

22 quia in ipsis diebus se ulti sunt Iudaei de inimicis suis et luctus atque tristitia in hilaritatem gaudiumque conversa sint essentque istae dies epularum atque laetitiae et mitterent sibi invicem ciborum partes et pauperibus munuscula largirentur

22 because on those very days the Jews avenged themselves on their enemies, and mourning and sadness were converted into hilarity and joy, and that these should be days of banquets and gladness, and that they should send to one another portions of food and lavish little gifts upon the poor

23 susceperuntque Iudaei in sollemnem ritum cuncta quae eo tempore facere coeperant et quae Mardocheus litteris facienda mandaverat

23 and the Jews undertook into a solemn rite all the things which at that time they had begun to do, and what Mordecai had commanded to be done by letters

24 Aman enim filius Amadathi stirpis Agag hostis et adversarius Iudaeorum cogitavit contra eos malum ut occideret illos atque deleret et misit phur quod nostra lingua vertitur in sortem

24 For Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of the stock of Agag, the enemy and adversary of the Jews, devised evil against them to kill them and to delete them, and he cast Pur, which in our tongue is translated “lot”.

25 et postea ingressa est Hester ad regem obsecrans ut conatus eius litteris regis irriti fierent et malum quod contra Iudaeos cogitaverat reverteretur in caput eius denique et ipsum et filios eius adfixerunt cruci

25 and afterward Esther entered to the king, beseeching that his attempts be made void by the letters of the king, and that the evil which he had contrived against the Jews would return upon his own head; finally, both him and his sons they affixed to a cross.

26 atque ex illo tempore dies isti appellati sunt Phurim id est Sortium eo quod phur id est sors in urnam missa fuerit et cuncta quae gesta sunt epistulae id est libri huius volumine continentur

26 and from that time these days were called Phurim, that is, of Lots, because phur, that is, lot, had been cast into the urn; and all the things that were done are contained in the epistle, that is, in the volume of this book.

27 quaeque sustinuerint et quae deinceps inmutata sint suscepere Iudaei super se et semen suum et super cunctos qui religioni eorum voluerint copulari ut nulli liceat duos hos dies absque sollemnitate transigere quam scriptura testatur et certa expetunt tempora annis sibi iugiter succedentibus

27 and the things which they had endured and the things which thereafter had been altered, the Jews took upon themselves and their seed and upon all who might wish to be coupled to their religion, that it be permitted to no one to pass these two days without solemnity, as Scripture testifies, and fixed times require in the years continually succeeding to them.

28 isti sunt dies quos nulla umquam delebit oblivio et per singulas generationes cunctae in toto orbe provinciae celebrabunt nec est ulla civitas in qua dies Phurim id est Sortium non observentur a Iudaeis et ab eorum progenie quae his caerimoniis obligata est

28 these are the days which no oblivion will ever obliterate, and through each generation all the provinces in the whole world will celebrate them; nor is there any city in which the days of Phurim, that is, of Lots, are not observed by the Jews and by their progeny which is bound to these ceremonies

29 scripseruntque Hester regina filia Abiahil et Mardocheus Iudaeus etiam secundam epistulam ut omni studio dies ista sollemnis sanciretur in posterum

29 and Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew also wrote a second letter, so that with all zeal this solemn day might be sanctioned for the future

30 et miserunt ad omnes Iudaeos qui in centum viginti septem regis Asueri provinciis versabantur ut haberent pacem et susciperent veritatem

30 and they sent to all the Jews who were dwelling in the 127 provinces of King Ahasuerus, that they might have peace and receive truth

31 observantes dies Sortium et suo tempore cum gaudio celebrarent sicut constituerat Mardocheus et Hester et illi observanda susceperant a se et a semine suo ieiunia atque clamores et Sortium dies

31 observing the Days of Lots, and that in its time they should celebrate with joy, as Mordecai and Esther had ordained, and they had undertaken from themselves and from their seed the fasts and clamors, and the Days of Lots, to be observed

32 et omnia quae libri huius qui vocatur Hester historia continentur

32 and all the things which are contained in the history of this book which is called Hester

[10]

1 rex vero Asuerus omnem terram et cunctas maris insulas fecit tributarias

1 King Ahasuerus indeed made all the land and all the islands of the sea tributary

2 cuius fortitudo et imperium et dignitas atque sublimitas qua exaltavit Mardocheum scripta sunt in libris Medorum atque Persarum

2 whose fortitude and empire and dignity and sublimity, with which he exalted Mordecai, are written in the books of the Medes and the Persians

3 et quomodo Mardocheus iudaici generis secundus a rege Asuero fuerit et magnus inter Iudaeos et acceptabilis plebi fratrum suorum quaerens bona populo suo et loquens ea quae ad pacem sui seminis pertinerent

3 and how Mardocheus, of Judaic stock, was second after King Asuerus, and great among the Jews and acceptable to the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking those things which pertained to the peace of his seed