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
On that day, King Achashyerosh gave the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.
2 tulitque rex anulum quem ab Aman recipi iusserat et tradidit Mardocheo Hester autem constituit Mardocheum super domum suam
The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. 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 Agagitae et machinationes eius pessimas quas excogitaverat contra Iudaeos iuberet irritas fieri
Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plot that he had devised against the Jews.
4 at ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu quo signum clementiae 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 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
She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right to the king, and I am 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 who are in all the king's provinces.
6 quomodo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei
For how can I endure to see the disaster that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?"
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
Then King Achashyerosh said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, "See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows, because he laid his hand on 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
Write 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 not be reversed by any man."
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
Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and officials of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their 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
He wrote in the name of King Achashyerosh, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bread from swift steeds.
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
In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
12 et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi adar
on one day in all the provinces of King Achashyerosh, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month 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 letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntios perferentes et edictum regis pependit in Susis
So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Shushan.
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 of the presence of the king in royal clothing 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 Iudaeis autem nova lux oriri visa est gaudium honor et tripudium
The Jews had light, gladness, 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 in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen on them.
