Esther 6
1 Noctem illam duxit rex insomnem, iussitque sibi afferri historias et annales priorum temporum. Quae cum illo praesente legerentur,
But the Lord removed sleep from the king that night: and he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.
2 ventum est ad illum locum ubi scriptum erat quomodo nunciasset Mardochaeus insidias Bagathan, et Thares eunuchorum, regem Assuerum iugulare cupientium.
And he found the records written concerning Mardochæus, how he had told the king concerning the two chamberlains of the king, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Artaxerxes.
3 Quod cum audisset rex, ait: Quid pro hac fide honoris ac praemii Mardochaeus consecutus est? Dixerunt ei servi illius ac ministri: Nihil omnino mercedis accepit.
And the king said, What honour or favour have we done to Mardochæus? And the king’s servants said, Thou hast not done anything to him.
4 Statimque rex, Quis est, inquit, in atrio? Aman quippe interius atrium domus regiae intraverat, ut suggereret regi, et iuberet Mardochaeum affigi patibulo, quod ei fuerat praeparatum.
And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mardochæus, behold, Aman [was] in the court. And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Aman was come in to speak to the king, that he should hang Mardochæus on the gallows, which he had prepared.
5 Responderunt pueri: Aman stat in atrio. Dixitque rex: Ingrediatur.
And the king’s servants said, Behold, Aman stands in the court. And the king said, Call him.
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,
And the king said to Aman, What shall I do to the man whom I wish to honour? And Aman said within himself, Whom would the king honour but myself?
7 respondit: Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,
and he said to the king, As for the man whom the king wishes to honour,
8 debet indui vestibus regiis, et imponi super equum, qui de sella regis est, et accipere regium diadema super caput suum,
let the king’s servants bring the robe of fine linen which the king puts on, and the horse on which the king rides,
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.
and let him give [it] to one of the king’s noble friends, and let him array the man whom the king loves; and let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the street of the city, saying, Thus shall it be [done] to every man whom the king honours.
10 Dixitque ei rex: Festina, et sumpta stola et equo, fac, ut locutus es, Mardochaeo Iudaeo, qui sedet ante fores palatii. Cave ne quidquam de his, quae locutus es, praetermittas.
Then the king said to Aman, Thou hast well said: so do to Mardochæus the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what thou hast spoken be neglected.
11 Tulit itaque Aman stolam et equum, indutumque Mardochaeum in platea civitatis, et impositum equo praecedebat, atque clamabat: Hoc honore condignus est, quemcumque rex voluerit honorare.
So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mardochæus, and mounted him on the horse, and went through the street of the city, and proclaimed, saying, Thus shall it be to every man whom the king wishes to honour.
12 Reversusque est Mardochaeus ad ianuam palatii: et Aman festinavit ire in domum suam, lugens et operto capite:
And Mardochæus returned to the palace: but Aman went home mourning, and having his head covered.
13 narravitque Zares uxori suae, et amicis omnia quae evenissent sibi. Cui responderunt sapientes, quos habebat in consilio, et uxor eius: Si de semine Iudaeorum est Mardochaeus, ante quem cadere coepisti, non poteris ei resistere, sed cades in conspectu eius.
And Aman related the events that had befallen him to Zosara his wife, and to [his] friends: and his friends and his wife said to him, If Mardochæus [be] of the race of the Jews, [and] thou hast begun to be humbled before him, thou wilt assuredly fall, and thou wilt not be able to withstand him, for the living God [is] with him.
14 Adhuc illis loquentibus, venerunt eunuchi regis, et cito eum ad convivium, quod regina paraverat, pergere compulerunt.
While they were yet speaking, the chamberlains arrived, to hasten Aman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
