Liber Esther, 9

1. Igitur duodecimi mensis — id est Adar — tertia decima die, quando verbum et edictum regis explendum erat, et hostes Iudaeorum sperabant quod dominarentur ipsis, versa vice Iudaei superaverunt adversarios suos.

1. Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to get the mastery over them, but which had been changed to a day when the Jews should get the mastery over their foes,

2. Congregatique sunt per singulas civitates, ut extenderent manum contra inimicos et persecutores suos; nullusque ausus est resistere, eo quod omnes populos invaserat formido eorum.

2. the Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasu-e'rus to lay hands on such as sought their hurt. And no one could make a stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.

3. Nam et omnes provinciarum principes et satrapae et procuratores omnisque dignitas, quae singulis locis ac operibus praeerat, sustinebant Iudaeos timore Mardochaei,

3. All the princes of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal officials also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mor'decai had fallen upon them.

4. quem principem esse palatii et plurimum posse cognoverant; fama quoque nominis eius crescebat cotidie et per cunctorum ora volitabat.

4. For Mor'decai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mor'decai grew more and more powerful.

5. Itaque percusserunt Iudaei omnes inimicos suos plaga gladii et necis et interitus, reddentes eis, quod sibi paraverant facere.

5. So the Jews smote all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

6. In Susan quingentos viros interfecerunt, extra decem filios Aman Agagitae hostis Iudaeorum, quorum ista sunt nomina:

6. In Susa the capital itself the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men,

7. Pharsandatha et Delphon et Esphatha

7. and also slew Par-shan-da'tha and Dalphon and Aspa'tha

8. et Phoratha et Adalia et Aridatha

8. and Pora'tha and Ada'lia and Arida'tha

9. et Phermesta et Arisai et Aridai et Iezatha.

9. and Parmash'ta and Ar'isai and Ar'idai and Vaiza'tha,

10. Quos cum occidissent, praedas de substantiis eorum tangere noluerunt.

10. the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammeda'tha, the enemy of the Jews; but they laid no hand on the plunder.

11. Statimque numerus eorum, qui occisi erant in Susan, ad regem relatus est.

11. That very day the number of those slain in Susa the capital was reported to the king.

12. Qui dixit reginae: “In urbe Susan interfecerunt et deleverunt Iudaei quingentos viros et decem filios Aman. Quantam putas eos exercuisse caedem in universis provinciis? Quid ultra postulas et quid vis, ut fieri iubeam?”.

12. And the king said to Queen Esther, "In Susa the capital the Jews have slain five hundred men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled."

13. Cui illa respondit: “Si regi placet, detur potestas Iudaeis, qui in Susan sunt, ut sicut hodie fecerunt, sic et cras faciant, et decem filii Aman in patibulo suspendantur”.

13. And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows."

14. Praecepitque rex, ut ita fieret. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, et decem filii Aman suspensi sunt.

14. So the king commanded this to be done; a decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

15. Congregatis igitur Iudaeis, qui in Susan erant, quarta decima die mensis Adar, interfecti sunt in Susan trecenti viri, nec eorum ab illis direpta substantia est.

15. The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they slew three hundred men in Susa; but they laid no hands on the plunder.

16. Reliqui autem Iudaei per omnes provincias, quae dicioni regis subiacebant, congregati pro animabus suis steterunt, ut requiescerent ab hostibus, ac interfecerunt de persecutoribus suis septuaginta quinque milia, sed nullus de substantiis eorum quidquam contigit.

16. Now the other Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies, and slew seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they laid no hands on the plunder.

17. Dies autem tertius decimus mensis Adar, dies apud omnes interfectionis fuit, et quarta decima die requieverunt. Quem constituerunt esse diem epularum et laetitiae.

17. This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness.

18. At hi, qui in urbe Susan congregati sunt, tertio decimo et quarto decimo die eiusdem mensis in caede versati sunt, quinto decimo autem die requieverunt; et idcirco eundem diem constituerunt sollemnem epularum atque laetitiae.

18. But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness.

19. Hi vero Iudaei, qui in oppidis non muratis ac villis morabantur, quartum decimum diem mensis Adar conviviorum et gaudii decreverunt, ita ut exsultent in eo et mittant sibi mutuo partes epularum. Illi autem, qui in urbibus habitant, agunt etiam quintum decimum diem mensis Adar cum gaudio et convivio et ut diem festum, in quo mittunt sibi mutuo partes epularum. (19a) Et satrapae provinciarum et principes et scribae regis honorificabant Deum, quia timor Mardochaei eos invaserat. Factum erat enim, ut praeceptum regis in toto regno nominaretur.

19. Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the open towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting and holiday-making, and a day on which they send choice portions to one another.

20. Scripsit itaque Mardochaeus omnia haec et litteris comprehensa misit ad omnes Iudaeos, qui in omnibus regis provinciis morabantur, tam in vicino positis quam procul,

20. And Mor'decai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasu-e'rus, both near and far,

21. ut quartam decimam et quintam decimam diem mensis Adar pro festis susciperent et, revertente semper anno, sollemni honore celebrarent

21. enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year,

22. secundum dies, in quibus requieverunt Iudaei ab inimicis suis, et mensem, qui de luctu atque tristitia in hilaritatem gaudiumque ipsis conversus est, essentque istae dies epularum atque laetitiae, et mitterent sibi invicem ciborum partes et pauperibus munuscula largirentur.

22. as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending choice portions to one another and gifts to the poor.

23. Susceperuntque Iudaei in sollemnem ritum cuncta, quae eo tempore facere coeperant, et quae Mardochaeus litteris facienda mandaverat.

23. So the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mor'decai had written to them.

24. Aman enim filius Amadathi stirpis Agag, adversarius omnium Iudaeorum, cogitavit contra eos malum, ut deleret illos, et misit Phur, id est sortem, ut eos conturbaret atque deleret.

24. For Haman the Ag'agite, the son of Hammeda'tha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to crush and destroy them;

25. Sed postquam ingressa est Esther ad regem, mandavit ille simul cum litteris, ut malum, quod iste contra Iudaeos cogitaverat, reverteretur in caput eius, et suspenderentur ipse et filii eius in patibulo.

25. but when Esther came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his wicked plot which he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26. Atque ex illo tempore dies isti appellati sunt Phurim propter nomen Phur. Propter cuncta illa, quae in hac epistula continentur,

26. Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. And therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had befallen them,

27. et propter ea, quae de his viderant et quae eis acciderant, statuerunt et in sollemnem ritum numquam mutandum susceperunt Iudaei super se et semen suum et super cunctos, qui religioni eorum voluerint copulari, ut duos hos dies secundum praeceptum et tempus eorum singulis annis celebrarent.

27. the Jews ordained and took it upon themselves and their descendants and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year,

28. Isti dies memorarentur et celebrarentur per singulas generationes in singulis cognationibus, provinciis et civitatibus, nec esset ulla civitas, in qua dies Phurim non observarentur a Iudaeis et ab eorum progenie.

28. that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every family, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

29. Scripseruntque Esther regina filia Abihail et Mardochaeus Iudaeus omni studio ad confirmandam hanc secundam epistulam Phurim.

29. Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Ab'ihail, and Mor'decai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim.

30. Et miserunt ad omnes Iudaeos, qui in centum viginti septem provinciis regis Asueri versabantur, verba pacis et veritatis,

30. Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasu-e'rus, in words of peace and truth,

31. statuentes dies Phurim pro temporibus suis, sicut constituerant Mardochaeus et Esther, et sicut illi statuerant pro seipsis et pro semine suo, praecepta ieiuniorum et clamorum.

31. that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mor'decai the Jew and Queen Esther enjoined upon the Jews, and as they had laid down for themselves and for their descendants, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting.

32. Et mandatum Esther confirmavit praecepta Phurim et scriptum est in libro.

32. The command of Queen Esther fixed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.