Liber Esther, 1

0. (1a) Anno secundo, regnante Artaxerxe rege magno, prima die mensis Nisan vidit somnium Mardochaeus filius Iair filii Semei filii Cis de tribu Beniamin, (1b) vir magnus, qui ministrabat in aula regia. (1c) Et hoc eius somnium fuit. Apparuerunt voces et tumultus et tonitrua et terraemotus et conturbatio magna super terram. (1d) Et ecce duo dracones magni parati prodierunt uterque luctari; (1e) et facta est illorum magna pugna, et dominabantur, et congregatae sunt nationes (1f) in die tenebroso et malo, et fuit perturbatio magna in habitantibus super terram. (1g) Et timuerunt perditionem (1h) clamaveruntque ad Deum. Et a voce clamoris eorum factus est fons parvus, qui crevit in fluvium maximum et in aquas plurimas redundavit. (1i) Lux et sol ortus est, et humiles exaltati sunt et devoraverunt inclitos. (1k) Quod cum vidisset somnium Mardochaeus et surrexisset de strato, cogitabat quid Deus facere vellet; et fixum habebat in animo, quousque revelaretur.

0.

1. Et fuit in diebus Asueri, qui regnavit ab India usque Aethiopiam super centum viginti septem provincias,

1. In the days of Ahasu-e'rus, the Ahasu-e'rus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces,

2. quando sedit in solio regni sui in castris Susan,

2. in those days when King Ahasu-e'rus sat on his royal throne in Susa the capital,

3. tertio igitur anno imperii sui, fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus et pueris suis, fortissimis Persarum et Medorum, inclitis et praefectis provinciarum coram se,

3. in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and servants, the army chiefs of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces being before him,

4. ut ostenderet divitias gloriae regni sui ac splendorem atque iactantiam magnitudinis suae multo tempore, centum videlicet et octoginta diebus.

4. while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his majesty for many days, a hundred and eighty days.

5. Cumque implerentur dies convivii, invitavit omnem populum, qui inventus est in Susan, a maximo usque ad minimum; et septem diebus iussit convivium praeparari in vestibulo horti palatii regis.

5. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the capital, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

6. Et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria lintea et carbasina ac hyacinthina sustentata funibus byssinis atque purpureis, qui argenteis circulis inserti erant et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur; lectuli quoque aurei et argentei dispositi erant super pavimentum smaragdino et pario stratum lapide aliisque varii coloris.

6. There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings caught up with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones.

7. Bibebant autem, qui invitati erant, aureis poculis, aliis atque aliis; vinum quoque, ut magnificentia regia dignum erat, abundans et praecipuum ponebatur.

7. Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.

8. Nec erat qui cogeret ad bibendum, quoniam sic rex statuerat omnibus praepositis domus suae, ut facerent secundum uniuscuiusque voluntatem.

8. And drinking was according to the law, no one was compelled; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as every man desired.

9. Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio regio, ubi rex Asuerus manere consueverat.

9. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasu-e'rus.

10. Itaque die septimo, cum rex esset hilarior potione meri, praecepit Mauman et Bazatha et Harbona et Bagatha et Abgatha et Zethar et Charchas, septem eunuchis, qui in conspectu eius ministrabant,

10. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehu'man, Biztha, Harbo'na, Bigtha and Abag'tha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasu-e'rus as chamberlains,

11. ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coram rege, posito super caput eius diademate regni, ut ostenderet cunctis populis et principibus pulchritudinem illius; erat enim pulchra valde.

11. to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to behold.

12. Quae renuit et ad regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, venire contempsit; unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus

12. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command conveyed by the eunuchs. At this the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13. interrogavit sapientes, qui tempora noverant, et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio scientium leges ac iura maiorum —

13. Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times -- for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,

14. erant autem ei proximi Charsena et Sethar et Admatha et Tharsis et Mares et Marsana et Mamuchan, septem duces Persarum atque Medorum, qui videbant faciem regis et primi sedebant in regno C:

14. the men next to him being Carshe'na, Shethar, Adma'tha, Tarshish, Meres, Marse'na, and Memu'can, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom -- :

15. “Secundum legem quid oportet fieri Vasthi reginae, quae Asueri regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, facere noluit?”.

15. "According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasu-e'rus conveyed by the eunuchs?"

16. Responditque Mamuchan, audiente rege atque principibus: “Non solum regem laesit regina Vasthi, sed et omnes principes et populos, qui sunt in cunctis provinciis regis Asueri.

16. Then Memu'can said in presence of the king and the princes, "Not only to the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also to all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasu-e'rus.

17. Egredietur enim sermo reginae ad omnes mulieres, ut contemnant viros suos et dicant: “Rex Asuerus iussit, ut regina Vasthi intraret ad eum, et illa noluit”.

17. For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt upon their husbands, since they will say, `King Ahasu-e'rus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'

18. Atque hac ipsa die dicent omnes principum coniuges Persarum atque Medorum quem audierint sermonem reginae principibus regis; unde despectio et indignatio.

18. This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will be telling it to all the king's princes, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty.

19. Si tibi, rex, placet, egrediatur edictum a facie tua et scribatur inter leges Persarum atque Medorum, quas immutari illicitum est, ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem, sed regnum illius altera, quae melior illa est, accipiat.

19. If it please the king, let a royal order go forth from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is to come no more before King Ahasu-e'rus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

20. Et hoc in omne, quod latissimum est, provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium, et cunctae uxores, tam maiorum quam minorum, deferent maritis suis honorem”.

20. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, vast as it is, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low."

21. Placuit consilium eius regi et principibus, fecitque rex iuxta consilium Mamuchan.

21. This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memu'can proposed;

22. Et misit epistulas ad universas provincias regni sui, ut quaeque gens audire et legere poterat, diversis linguis et litteris, esse viros principes ac maiores in domibus suis et subditas habere omnes mulieres, quae essent cum eis.

22. he sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be lord in his own house and speak according to the language of his people.