Esther 7
1 Therfor the kyng and Aaman entriden to the feeste, to drynke with the queen.
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2 And the kyng seide to hir, yhe, in the secounde dai, aftir that he was hoot of the wiyn, Hester, what is thin axyng, that it be youun to thee, and what wolt thou be doon? Yhe, thouy thou axist the half part of my rewme, thou schalt gete.
The king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition, queen Esther? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”
3 To whom sche answeride, A! king, if Y haue founde grace in thin iyen, and if it plesith thee, yyue thou my lijf to me, for which Y preie, and my puple, for which Y biseche.
Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
4 For Y and my puple ben youun, that we be defoulid, and stranglid, and that we perische; `and Y wolde, that we weren seeld in to seruauntis and seruauntessis, `and the yuel `were suffrable, and Y `were stille weilynge; but now oure enemy is, whos cruelte turneth `in to the kyng.
For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.”
5 And kyng Assuerus answeride, and seide, Who is this, and of what power, that he be hardi to do these thingis?
Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?”
6 And Hester seide, Oure worste aduersarie and enemy is this Aaman. Which thing he herde, and was astonyde anoon, and `suffride not to bere the semelaunt of the kyng and of the queen.
Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7 Forsothe the kyng roos wrooth, and fro the place of the feeste he entride in to a gardyn biset with trees. And Aaman roos for to preie Hester, the queen, for his lijf; for he vndurstood yuel maad redi of the kyng to hym.
The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen, for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8 And whanne the kyng turnede ayen fro the gardyn `biset with wode, and hadde entrid in to the place of feeste he foond that Aaman felde doun on the bed, wherynne Hester lai. And the king seide, `Also he wole oppresse the queen, while Y am present, in myn hows. The word was not yit goon out of the kyngis mouth, and anoon thei hiliden his face.
Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
9 And Arbona seide, oon of the onest seruauntis and chast, that stoden in the seruyce of the kyng, Lo! the tre hauynge fifti cubitis of heiythe stondith in the hows of Aaman, which tre he hadde maad redi to Mardochee, that spak for the kyng. To whom the kyng seide, Hange ye Aaman in that tre.
Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king, said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it!”
10 Therfor Aaman was hangid in the iebat, which he hadde maad redi to Mardochee, and the ire of the kyng restide.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath was pacified.
