Esther 3

1 After this, king Artaxerxes exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was of Agag lineage, and he set his throne above all the rulers whom he had.

Et, après cela, le roi Artaxerxès glorifia Aman, fils d'Amadathe le Bugéen, et il l'exalta, et il le fit asseoir sur un siège au-dessus de tous ses amis.

2 And all the king’s servants, who passed by the doors of the palace, bent their knees and adored Haman, for so the ruler had instructed them. Only Mordecai did not bend his knee, nor adore him.

Et tous ceux qui servaient dans le parvis l'adoraient, car ainsi l'avait ordonné le roi; et Mardochée ne se prosternait pas devant lui.

3 The king’s servants, who presided over the doors of the palace, said to him, “Why do you, more than the others, not observe the king’s command?”

Et les serviteurs du parvis dirent à Mardochée: Mardochée, pourquoi désobéis-tu à ce qu'a dit le roi?

4 And when they were saying this frequently, and he would not listen to them, they reported it to Haman, desiring to know whether he would continue in his resolution, for he had told them that he was a Jew.

Chaque jour ils lui parlaient ainsi, et il ne les écoutait pas; enfin, ils informèrent Aman que Mardochée résistait aux ordres du roi; or, Mardochée leur avait déclaré qu'il était Juif.

5 Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.

Et Aman, en apprenant que Mardochée ne se prosternait pas devant lui, fut fort courroucé.

6 And he considered it pointless to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, for he had heard that he was part of the Jewish people. And so he wanted more: to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Artaxerxes.

Et il résolut d'effacer tous les Juifs du royaume d'Artaxerxès.

7 In the first month, which is called Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Pur, in the presence of Haman, to determine on what day and in which month the Jewish people should be destroyed. And it turned out to be the twelfth month, which is called Adar.

Et, en la douzième année du règne d'Artaxerxès, il prépara un édit, et il agita les sorts pour savoir le mois et le jour où il exterminerait en même temps la race de Mardochée, et le sort tomba sur le quatorzième du mois qui est appelé adar.

8 And Haman said to king Artaxerxes, “There is a people dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom and separated one from another, who make use of unusual laws and ceremonies, and who, in addition, show contempt for the king’s ordinances. And you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that they should become insolent through independence.

Et il parla au roi disant: Il y a un peuple épars en toutes les provinces de ton royaume; leurs lois diffèrent de toutes les autres lois; ils n'obéissent point à celles du roi; il n'est pas à propos que le roi les laisse subsister.

9 If it pleases you, declare that they may be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents to the keepers of your treasury.”

S'il plaît au roi, qu'il décrète qu'on les détruise, et moi je ferai rentrer au trésor royal dix mille talents d'argent.

10 And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.

Et le roi ôtant son anneau le remit à Aman pour sceller l'édit contre les Juifs.

11 And he said to him, “Let the silver, which you promise, be for yourself. As for the people, do with them as it pleases you.”

Et le roi lui dit: L'argent sera pour toi, fais de ce peuple ce qu'il te plaît.

12 And the scribes of the king were summoned, in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month. And it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s governors, and to the judges of the provinces, and to various peoples, so that each people could read and hear according to their various languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes. And the letters were sealed with his ring.

Et, le treize du premier mois, les scribes du roi furent convoqués, et ils écrivirent, selon l'ordre d'Aman, aux généraux et aux gouverneurs des cent vingt-sept provinces de l'Inde à l'Éthiopie, et aux chefs des nations chacun en sa langue, de la part du roi Artaxerxès.

13 These were sent by the king’s messengers to all the provinces, so as to kill and destroy all the Jews, from children all the way to the elderly, even little children and women, on one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods, even their necessities.

Et des courriers portèrent dans tout le royaume le commandement de détruire en un seul jour, le premier du douzième mois, qui est adar, toute la race des Juifs, et de piller leurs biens.

14 And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.

Et les copies de ces lettres furent publiées en chaque province, et il fut enjoint à chaque nation de se tenir prête pour le jour indiqué.

15 The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.

On y avait mis de l'empressement à Suse, et le roi et Aman buvaient à pleines coupes; mais la ville était toute troublée.