< Esther 6 >

1 Noctem illam duxit rex insomnem, iussitque sibi afferri historias et annales priorum temporum. Quæ cum illo præsente legerentur,
That night the king wasn't able to sleep, so he ordered the Book of Records of the King's Reign brought in so it could be read to him.
2 ventum est ad illum locum ubi scriptum erat quo modo nunciasset Mardochæus insidias Bagathan, et Thares eunuchorum, regem Assuerum iugulare cupientium.
There he discovered the account of what Mordecai had reported about Bigthana and Teresh, the two king's eunuchs who were doorkeepers who had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 Quod cum audisset rex, ait: Quid pro hac fide honoris ac præmii Mardochæus consecutus est? Dixerunt ei servi illius ac ministri: Nihil omnino mercedis accepit.
“What honor or position did Morcedai receive as a reward for doing this?” asked the king. “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king's attendants.
4 Statimque rex, Quis est, inquit, in atrio? Aman quippe interius atrium domus regiæ intraverat, ut suggereret regi, et iuberet Mardochæum affigi patibulo, quod ei fuerat præparatum.
“Who's here in the court?” the king asked. Haman had just happened to arrive in the outer court of the royal palace to ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on the pole he had set up for him.
5 Responderunt pueri: Aman stat in atrio. Dixitque rex: Ingrediatur.
The king's attendants told him, “Haman is waiting in the court.” “Tell him to come in,” the king ordered.
6 Cumque esset ingressus, ait illi: Quid debet fieri viro, quem rex honorare desiderat? Cogitans autem in corde suo Aman, et reputans quod nullum alium rex, nisi se, vellet honorare,
When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for a man the king wants to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Who would the king want to honor except me?”
7 respondit: Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,
So Haman said to the king, “A man whom the king wants to honor
8 debet indui vestibus regiis, et imponi super equum, qui de sella regis est, et accipere regium diadema super caput suum,
should be brought royal robes the king has worn, a horse the king has ridden and which has a royal headdress on its head.
9 et primus de regiis principibus, ac tyrannis teneat equum eius, et per plateam civitatis incedens clamet, et dicat: Sic honorabitur, quemcumque voluerit rex honorare.
Have the robes and the horse handed over to one of the king's highest officials and nobles. Let him make sure the man the king wishes to honor is dressed in the royal robes and that he rides on the horse through the city streets, and have the official announce before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!’”
10 Dixitque ei rex: Festina, et sumpta stola et equo, fac, ut locutus es, Mardochæo Iudæo, qui sedet ante fores palatii. Cave ne quidquam de his, quæ locutus es, prætermittas.
Then the king told Haman, “Right! Off you go! Quickly get the royal robes and the horse, and do just what you've said for Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate. Don't leave out anything that you mentioned.”
11 Tulit itaque Aman stolam et equum, indutumque Mardochæum in platea civitatis, et impositum equo præcedebat, atque clamabat: Hoc honore condignus est, quemcumque rex voluerit honorare.
Haman went and got the robes and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and placed him on the horse, and led him through the streets of the city, shouting before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!”
12 Reversusque est Mardochæus ad ianuam palatii: et Aman festinavit ire in domum suam, lugens et operto capite:
Mordecai went back to the palace gate, but Haman rushed home, crying and covering his head in shame.
13 narravitque Zares uxori suæ, et amicis omnia quæ evenissent sibi. Cui responderunt sapientes, quos habebat in consilio, et uxor eius: Si de semine Iudæorum est Mardochæus, ante quem cadere cœpisti, non poteris ei resistere, sed cades in conspectu eius.
Haman explained to his wife Zeresh and all his friends what had happened to him. These wise friends and his wife Zeresh told him, “If Mordecai is one of the Jewish people, and you have already begun to lose status before him—you won't be able to beat him! You're going to lose to him, you're going to fall!”
14 Adhuc illis loquentibus, venerunt eunuchi regis, et cito eum ad convivium, quod regina paraverat, pergere compulerunt.
While they were still talking to him, the king's eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner which Esther had prepared.

< Esther 6 >