< Esther 3 >

1 After these events did king Achashverosh make great Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and he advanced him; and he placed his seat above that of all the princes that were with him.
Post hæc rex Assuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi, qui erat de stirpe Agag: et posuit solium eius super omnes principes, quos habebat.
2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bent the knee and prostrated themselves to Haman; for so had the king commanded concerning him; but Mordecai bent not the knee nor prostrated himself.
Cunctique servi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua, et adorabant Aman: sic enim præceperat eis imperator. Solus Mardochæus non flectebat genu, neque adorabat eum.
3 Then said the king's, servants, who were in the king's gate, unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's command?
Cui dixerunt pueri regis, qui ad fores palatii præsidebant: Cur præter ceteros non observas mandatum regis?
4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke unto him day by day, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether the words of Mordecai would be able to stand; for he had told them that be was a Jew.
Cumque hoc crebrius dicerent, et ille nollet audire, nuntiaverunt Aman, scire cupientes utrum perseveraret in sententia: dixerat enim eis se esse Iudæum.
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bent not the knee, nor prostrated himself to him, Haman became full of fury.
Quod cum audisset Aman, et experimento probasset quod Mardochæus non flecteret sibi genu, nec se adoraret, iratus est valde,
6 But it appeared too contemptible in his eyes to lay his hand on Mordecai alone: for they had told him of the people of Mordecai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout all the kingdom of Achashverosh, the people of Mordecai.
et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardochæum mittere manus suas: audierat enim quod esset gentis Iudææ. Magisque voluit omnem Iudæorum, qui erant in regno Assueri, perdere nationem.
7 In the first month, that is the month Nissan, in the twelfth year of king Achashverosh, some one cast the Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month [to month], to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
Mense primo (cuius vocabulum est Nisan) anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa est sors in urnam, quæ Hebraice dicitur phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Iudæorum deberet interfici: et exivit mensis duodecimus, qui vocatur Adar.
8 Then said Haman unto king Achashverosh, There is one people scattered yet separate among the nations in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are different from those of every people; while they do not execute the laws of the king; and it is no profit for the king to tolerate them.
Dixitque Aman regi Assuero: Est populus per omnes provincias regni tui dispersus, et a se mutuo separatus, novis utens legibus et ceremoniis, insuper et regis scita contemnens. Et optime nosti quod non expediat regno tuo ut insolescat per licentiam.
9 If it be pleasing to the king, let [a decree] be written to destroy them; and ten thousand talents of silver will I weigh out into the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring [the same] into the king's treasuries.
Si tibi placet, decerne, ut pereat, et decem millia talentorum appendam arcariis gazæ tuæ.
10 And the king drew his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews.
Tulit ergo rex annulum, quo utebatur, de manu sua, et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag, hosti Iudæorum,
11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, that people also, to do therewith as it seemeth good in thy eyes.
dixitque ad eum: Argentum, quod tu polliceris, tuum sit. De populo age quod tibi placet.
12 Then were called the king's scribes in the first month on the thirteenth day thereof, and there was written all just as Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language: in the name of king Achashverosh was it written, and it was sealed with the king's signet-ring.
Vocatique sunt scribæ regis mense primo Nisan, tertiadecima die eiusdem mensis: et scriptum est, ut iusserat Aman, ad omnes satrapas regis, et iudices provinciarum, diversarumque gentium, ut quæque gens legere poterat, et audire pro varietate linguarum ex nomine regis Assueri: et litteræ signatæ ipsius annulo,
13 And the letters were sent by the runners unto all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to exterminate all the Jews, from young to old, little ones and women, on one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their property as spoil.
missæ sunt per cursores regis ad universas provincias ut occiderent atque delerent omnes Iudæos, a puero usque ad senem, parvulos, et mulieres, uno die, hoc est tertiodecimo mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar, et bona eorum diriperent.
14 A copy of the writing, to be given out as a law in every province, was published unto all the nations, that they might be ready against that day.
Summa autem epistolarum hæc fuit, ut omnes provinciæ scirent, et pararent se ad prædictam diem.
15 The runners went out with all speed with the king's decree, and the law was given out in Shushan the capital: and the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Festinabant cursores, qui missi erant, regis imperium explere. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, rege et Aman celebrante convivium, et cunctis Iudæis, qui in urbe erant, flentibus.

< Esther 3 >