Liber Esther, 8

1. die illo dedit rex Asuerus Hester reginæ domum Aman adversarii Judæorum et Mardocheus ingressus est ante faciem regis confessa est enim ei Hester quod esset patruus suus

1. On that day king Assuerus gave the house of Aman, the Jews' enemy, to queen Esther, and Mardochai came in before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her uncle.

2. tulitque rex anulum quem ab Aman recipi jusserat et tradidit Mardocheo Hester autem constituit Mardocheum super domum suam

2. And the king took the ring which he had commanded to be taken again from Aman, and gave it to Mardochai. And Esther set Mardochai over her house.

3. nec his contenta procidit ad pedes regis flevitque et locuta ad eum oravit ut malitiam Aman Agagitæ et machinationes ejus pessimas quas excogitaverat contra Judæos juberet irritas fieri

3. And not content with these things, she fell down at the king's feet and wept, and speaking to him besought him, that he would give orders that the malice of Aman the Agagite, and his most wicked devices which he had invented against the Jews, should be of no effect.

4. at ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu quo signum clementiæ monstrabatur illaque consurgens stetit ante eum

4. But he, as the manner was, held out the golden sceptre with his hand, which was the sign of clemency: and she arose up and stood before him,

5. et ait si placet regi et inveni gratiam coram oculis ejus et deprecatio mea non ei videtur esse contraria obsecro ut novis epistulis veteres Aman litteræ insidiatoris et hostis Judæorum quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire præceperat corrigantur

5. And said: If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and my request be not disagreeable to him, I beseech thee, that the former letters of Aman the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he commanded that they should be destroyed in all the king's provinces, may be reversed by new letters.

6. quomodo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei

6. For how call I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?

7. responditque rex Asuerus Hester reginæ et Mardocheo Judæo domum Aman concessi Hester et ipsum jussi adfigi cruci qui ausus est manum in Judæos mittere

7. And king Assuerus answered Esther the queen, and Mardochai the Jew: I have given Aman's house to Esther, and I have commanded him to be hanged on a gibbet, because he durst lay hands on the Jews.

8. scribite ergo Judæis sicut vobis placet ex regis nomine signantes litteras anulo meo hæc enim consuetudo erat ut epistulis quæ ex regis nomine mittebantur et illius anulo signatæ erant nemo auderet contradicere

8. Write ye therefore to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king's name, and seal the letters with my ring. For this was the custom, that no man durst gainsay the letters which were sent in the king's name, and were sealed with his ring.

9. accitisque scribis et librariis regis erat autem tempus tertii mensis qui appellatur siban vicesima et tertia illius die scriptæ sunt epistulæ ut Mardocheus voluerat ad Judæos et ad principes procuratoresque et judices qui centum viginti septem provinciis ab India usque Æthiopiam præsidebant provinciæ atque provinciæ populo et populo juxta linguas et litteras suas et Judæis ut legere poterant et audire

9. Then the king's scribes and secretaries were called for (now it was the time of the third month which is called Siban) the three and twentieth day of the month, and letters were written, as Mardochai had a mind, to the Jews, and to the governors, and to the deputies, and to the judges, who were rulers over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia: to province and province, to people and people, according to their languages and characters, and to the Jews, according as they could read and hear.

10. ipsæque epistulæ quæ ex regis nomine mittebantur anulo illius obsignatæ sunt et missæ per veredarios qui per omnes provincias discurrentes veteres litteras novis nuntiis prævenirent

10. And these letters which were sent in the king's name, were sealed with his ring, and sent by posts: who were to run through all the provinces, to prevent the former letters with new messages.

11. quibus imperavit rex ut convenirent Judæos per singulas civitates et in unum præciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis et omnes inimicos suos cum coniugibus ac liberis et universis domibus interficerent atque delerent

11. And the king gave orders to them, to speak to the Jews in every city, and to command them to gather themselves together, and to stand for their lives, and to kill and destroy all their enemies with their wives and children and all their houses, and to take their spoil.

12. et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi adar

12. And one day of revenge was appointed through all the provinces, to wit, the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar.

13. summaque epistulæ fuit ut in omnibus terris ac populis qui regis Asueri imperio subiacebant notum fieret paratos esse Judæos ad capiendam vindictam de hostibus suis

13. And this was the content of the letter, that it should be notified in all lands and peoples that were subject to the empire of king Assuerus, that the Jews were ready to be revenged of their enemies.

14. egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntios perferentes et edictum regis pependit in Susis

14. So the swift posts went out carrying the messages, and the king's edict was hung up in Susan.

15. Mardocheus autem de palatio et de conspectu regis egrediens fulgebat vestibus regiis hyacinthinis videlicet et ærinis coronam auream portans capite et amictus pallio serico atque purpureo omnisque civitas exultavit atque lætata est

15. And Mardochai going forth out of the palace, and from the king's presence, shone in royal apparel, to wit, of violet and sky colour, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was glad.

16. Judæis autem nova lux oriri visa est gaudium honor et tripudium

16. But to the Jews a new light seemed to rise, joy, honour, and dancing.

17. apud omnes populos urbes atque provincias quocumque regis jussa veniebant mira exultatio epulæ atque convivia et festus dies in tantum ut plures alterius gentis et sectæ eorum religioni et cærimoniis jungerentur grandis enim cunctos judaici nominis terror invaserat

17. And in all peoples, cities, and provinces, whithersoever the king's commandments came, there was wonderful rejoicing, feasts and banquets, and keeping holy day: insomuch that many of other nations and religion, joined themselves to their worship and ceremonies. For a great dread of the name of the Jews had fallen upon all.