Esther 8

1 Die illo dedit rex Assuerus Esther reginæ domum Aman adversarii Iudæorum, et Mardochæus ingressus est ante faciem regis. Confessa est enim ei Esther quod esset patruus suus.

On that day king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jews' enemy to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.

2 Tulitque rex annulum, quem ab Aman recipi iusserat, et tradidit Mardochæo. Esther autem constituit Mardochæum super domum suam.

And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Nec his contenta, procidit ad pedes regis, flevitque et locuta ad eum oravit ut malitiam Aman Agagitæ, et machinationes eius pessimas, quas excogitaverat contra Iudæos, iuberet irritas fieri.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

4 At ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu, quo signum clementiæ monstrabatur: illaque consurgens stetit ante eum,

Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.

5 et ait: Si placet regi, et si inveni gratiam in oculis eius, et deprecatio mea non ei videtur esse contraria, obsecro, ut novis epistolis, veteres Aman litteræ, insidiatoris et hostis Iudæorum, quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire præceperat, corrigantur.

And she said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the king's provinces.

6 Quo modo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei?

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

7 Responditque rex Assuerus Esther reginæ, et Mardochæo Iudæo: Domum Aman concessi Esther, et ipsum iussi affigi cruci, quia ausus est manum mittere in Iudæos.

Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

8 Scribite ergo Iudæis, sicut vobis placet, regis nomine, signantes litteras annulo meo. Hæc enim consuetudo erat, ut epistolis, quæ ex regis nomine mittebantur, et illius annulo signatæ erant, nemo auderet contradicere.

Write ye also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring, for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

9 Accitisque scribis et librariis regis (erat autem tempus tertii mensis, qui appellatur Siban) vigesima et tertia die illius scriptæ sunt epistolæ, ut Mardochæus voluerat, ad Iudæos, et ad principes, procuratoresque et iudices, qui centum vigintiseptem provinciis ab India usque ad Æthiopiam præsidebant: provinciæ atque provinciæ, populo et populo iuxta linguas et litteras suas, et Iudæis, prout legere poterant, et audire.

Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of it. And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and rulers of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, a hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

10 Ipsæque epistolæ, quæ regis nomine mittebantur, annulo ipsius obsignatæ sunt, et missæ per veredarios: qui per omnes provincias discurrentes, veteres litteras novis nunciis prævenirent.

And he wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service bred of the stud,

11 Quibus imperavit rex, ut convenirent Iudæos per singulas civitates, et in unum præciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis, et omnes inimicos suos cum coniugibus ac liberis et universis domibus, interficerent atque delerent, et spolia eorum diriperent.

in which the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province who would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

12 Et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies, id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi Adar.

upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

13 Summaque epistolæ hæc fuit, ut in omnibus terris ac populis, qui regis Assueri subiacebant imperio, notum fieret, paratos esse Iudæos ad capiendam vindictam de hostibus suis.

A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 Egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuncia perferentes, et edictum regis pependit in Susan.

So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that were used in the king's service went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace.

15 Mardochæus autem de palatio, et de conspectu regis egrediens, fulgebat vestibus regiis, hyacinthinis videlicet et aeriis, coronam auream portans in capite, et amictus serico pallio atque purpureo. Omnisque civitas exultavit, atque lætata est.

And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.

16 Iudæis autem nova lux oriri visa est, gaudium, honor, et tripudium.

The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.

17 Apud omnes populos, urbes, atque provincias, quocumque regis iussa veniebant, mira exultatio, epulæ atque convivia, et festus dies: in tantum ut plures alterius gentis et sectæ eorum religioni et ceremoniis iungerentur. Grandis enim cunctos Iudaici nominis terror invaserat.

And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.