Esther 8
1 die illo dedit rex Asuerus Hester reginae domum Aman adversarii Iudaeorum et Mardocheus ingressus est ante faciem regis confessa est enim ei Hester quod esset patruus suus
That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.
2 tulitque rex anulum quem ab Aman recipi iusserat et tradidit Mardocheo Hester autem constituit Mardocheum super domum suam
The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.
3 nec his contenta procidit ad pedes regis flevitque et locuta ad eum oravit ut malitiam Aman Agagitae et machinationes eius pessimas quas excogitaverat contra Iudaeos iuberet irritas fieri
And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.
4 at ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu quo signum clementiae monstrabatur illaque consurgens stetit ante eum
The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.
5 et ait si placet regi et inveni gratiam coram oculis eius et deprecatio mea non ei videtur esse contraria obsecro ut novis epistulis veteres Aman litterae insidiatoris et hostis Iudaeorum quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire praeceperat corrigantur
“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.
6 quomodo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei
For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
7 responditque rex Asuerus Hester reginae et Mardocheo Iudaeo domum Aman concessi Hester et ipsum iussi adfigi cruci qui ausus est manum in Iudaeos mittere
So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.
8 scribite ergo Iudaeis sicut vobis placet ex regis nomine signantes litteras anulo meo haec enim consuetudo erat ut epistulis quae ex regis nomine mittebantur et illius anulo signatae erant nemo auderet contradicere
Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”
9 accitisque scribis et librariis regis erat autem tempus tertii mensis qui appellatur siban vicesima et tertia illius die scriptae sunt epistulae ut Mardocheus voluerat ad Iudaeos et ad principes procuratoresque et iudices qui centum viginti septem provinciis ab India usque Aethiopiam praesidebant provinciae atque provinciae populo et populo iuxta linguas et litteras suas et Iudaeis ut legere poterant et audire
At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan ), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush —writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
10 ipsaeque epistulae quae ex regis nomine mittebantur anulo illius obsignatae sunt et missae per veredarios qui per omnes provincias discurrentes veteres litteras novis nuntiis praevenirent
Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.
11 quibus imperavit rex ut convenirent Iudaeos per singulas civitates et in unum praeciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis et omnes inimicos suos cum coniugibus ac liberis et universis domibus interficerent atque delerent
By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
12 et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi adar
The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
13 summaque epistulae fuit ut in omnibus terris ac populis qui regis Asueri imperio subiacebant notum fieret paratos esse Iudaeos ad capiendam vindictam de hostibus suis
A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntios perferentes et edictum regis pependit in Susis
The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses, pressed on by the command of the king. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.
15 Mardocheus autem de palatio et de conspectu regis egrediens fulgebat vestibus regiis hyacinthinis videlicet et aerinis coronam auream portans capite et amictus pallio serico atque purpureo omnisque civitas exultavit atque laetata est
Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
16 Iudaeis autem nova lux oriri visa est gaudium honor et tripudium
For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor.
17 apud omnes populos urbes atque provincias quocumque regis iussa veniebant mira exultatio epulae atque convivia et festus dies in tantum ut plures alterius gentis et sectae eorum religioni et caerimoniis iungerentur grandis enim cunctos iudaici nominis terror invaserat
In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
