Esther 6
1 Noctem illam duxit rex insomnem, iussitque sibi afferri historias et annales priorum temporum. Quae cum illo praesente legerentur,
On that night the king was unable to sleep, so he gave orders to bring the books that recorded memorable deeds, and they were read before the king.
2 ventum est ad illum locum ubi scriptum erat quomodo nunciasset Mardochaeus insidias Bagathan, et Thares eunuchorum, regem Assuerum iugulare cupientium.
It was found recorded how Mordecai had furnished information regarding Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s attendants who guarded the entrance of the palace, who had attempted to kill King Ahasuerus.
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.
‘What honour and dignity have been conferred on Mordecai for this?’ the king asked. When the king’s pages who waited on him replied ‘Nothing has been done for 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.
the king said, ‘Who is in the court?’ Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s house to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 Responderunt pueri: Aman stat in atrio. Dixitque rex: Ingrediatur.
So the king’s pages said to him, ‘Haman is standing there, in the court.’ The king said, ‘Let him enter.’
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,
So Haman entered, and the king said to him, ‘What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honour?’ Haman said to himself, ‘Whom besides me could the king wish to honour?’
7 respondit: Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,
So he said to the king, ‘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 a royal garment be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden and on whose head a royal diadem has been placed.
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.
Then let the garment and the horse be placed in charge of one of the king’s noble officials. Let him clothe the man whom the king wishes to honour and let him lead that man on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king wishes to honour.”’
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 Haman, ‘Make haste and take the garment and the horse, as you have said, and do this to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in the king’s gate. Omit nothing of all you have said.’
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 Haman took the garment and the horse and clothed Mordecai, and made him ride through the city square and proclaimed before him, ‘This is what is done for the 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:
Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning, with 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.
Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, ‘If Mordecai before whom you have already been humiliated is of the Jewish people, you can do nothing against him but will surely fall before him.’
14 Adhuc illis loquentibus, venerunt eunuchi regis, et cito eum ad convivium, quod regina paraverat, pergere compulerunt.
While they were still talking with him, the king’s attendants came and quickly took Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
