ΕΣΘΗΡ - Ester - Esther 8

LXX	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 και εν αυτη τη ημερα ο βασιλευς αρταξερξης εδωρησατο εσθηρ οσα υπηρχεν αμαν τω διαβολω και μαρδοχαιος προσεκληθη υπο του βασιλεως υπεδειξεν γαρ εσθηρ οτι ενοικειωται αυτη	1 Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was imminent, fled to the Lord.
2 ελαβεν δε ο βασιλευς τον δακτυλιον ον αφειλατο αμαν και εδωκεν αυτον μαρδοχαιω και κατεστησεν εσθηρ μαρδοχαιον επι παντων των αμαν	2 And when she had put aside her royal apparel, she took up garments suitable for weeping and mourning, and instead of various ointments, she covered her head with ashes from burnt dung, and she humbled her body with fasting, and all the aspects of her beauty, she covered with her torn hair.
3 και προσθεισα ελαλησεν προς τον βασιλεα και προσεπεσεν προς τους ποδας αυτου και ηξιου αφελειν την αμαν κακιαν και οσα εποιησεν τοις ιουδαιοις	3 And she begged the Lord God of Israel, saying, “My Lord, who alone is our King, help me, a solitary woman, for there is no other helper but you.
4 εξετεινεν δε ο βασιλευς εσθηρ την ραβδον την χρυσην εξηγερθη δε εσθηρ παρεστηκεναι τω βασιλει	4 My peril is close at hand.
5 και ειπεν εσθηρ ει δοκει σοι και ευρον χαριν πεμφθητω αποστραφηναι τα γραμματα τα απεσταλμενα υπο αμαν τα γραφεντα απολεσθαι τους ιουδαιους οι εισιν εν τη βασιλεια σου	5 I have heard from my father that you, Lord, chose Israel from among all nations and our fathers from among all their former ancestors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and you have done for them just as you said.
6 πως γαρ δυνησομαι ιδειν την κακωσιν του λαου μου και πως δυνησομαι σωθηναι εν τη απωλεια της πατριδος μου	6 We have sinned in your sight, and therefore you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies,
7 και ειπεν ο βασιλευς προς εσθηρ ει παντα τα υπαρχοντα αμαν εδωκα και εχαρισαμην σοι και αυτον εκρεμασα επι ξυλου οτι τας χειρας επηνεγκε τοις ιουδαιοις τι ετι επιζητεις	7 for we have worshipped their gods. You are just, O Lord.
8 γραψατε και υμεις εκ του ονοματος μου ως δοκει υμιν και σφραγισατε τω δακτυλιω μου οσα γαρ γραφεται του βασιλεως επιταξαντος και σφραγισθη τω δακτυλιω μου ουκ εστιν αυτοις αντειπειν	8 And now they are not content to oppress us with a very difficult servitude, but attributing the strength of their hands to the power of their idols,
9 εκληθησαν δε οι γραμματεις εν τω πρωτω μηνι ος εστι νισα τριτη και εικαδι του αυτου ετους και εγραφη τοις ιουδαιοις οσα ενετειλατο τοις οικονομοις και τοις αρχουσιν των σατραπων απο της ινδικης εως της αιθιοπιας εκατον εικοσι επτα σατραπειαις κατα χωραν και χωραν κατα την εαυτων λεξιν	9 they want to alter your promises, and erase your inheritance, and close the mouths of those who praise you, and extinguish the glory of your temple and your altar,
10 εγραφη δε δια του βασιλεως και εσφραγισθη τω δακτυλιω αυτου και εξαπεστειλαν τα γραμματα δια βιβλιαφορων	10 so that they may open the mouths of the nations, and praise the strength of idols, and proclaim a worldly king in perpetuity.
11 ως επεταξεν αυτοις χρησθαι τοις νομοις αυτων εν παση πολει βοηθησαι τε αυτοις και χρησθαι τοις αντιδικοις αυτων και τοις αντικειμενοις αυτων ως βουλονται	11 Lord, do not hand over your scepter to that which does not exist, lest they laugh at our ruin, but turn their counsel upon themselves and destroy him who has begun to rage against us.
12 εν ημερα μια εν παση τη βασιλεια αρταξερξου τη τρισκαιδεκατη του δωδεκατου μηνος ος εστιν αδαρ	12 Be mindful, Lord, and show yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me faith, Lord, King of gods and of every power.
13 τα δε αντιγραφα εκτιθεσθωσαν οφθαλμοφανως εν παση τη βασιλεια ετοιμους τε ειναι παντας τους ιουδαιους εις ταυτην την ημεραν πολεμησαι αυτων τους υπεναντιους	13 Grant fitting words to my mouth in the sight of the lion, and transform his heart to hate our enemy, so that both he, and the others who conspire with him, may perish.
14 οι μεν ουν ιππεις εξηλθον σπευδοντες τα υπο του βασιλεως λεγομενα επιτελειν εξετεθη δε το προσταγμα και εν σουσοις	14 But free us by your hand, and help me, who has no other helper but you, Lord, who holds the knowledge of all things.
15 ο δε μαρδοχαιος εξηλθεν εστολισμενος την βασιλικην στολην και στεφανον εχων χρυσουν και διαδημα βυσσινον πορφυρουν ιδοντες δε οι εν σουσοις εχαρησαν	15 And you know that I hate the glory of the wicked, and I detest the bed of the uncircumcised, and of all outsiders.
16 τοις δε ιουδαιοις εγενετο φως και ευφροσυνη	16 You know my necessity, that I loathe the sign of my exaltation and glory, which is on my head in the days of my exhibition, and that I detest it like a menstruous rag and do not wear it in the days of my silence,
17 κατα πολιν και χωραν ου αν εξετεθη το προσταγμα ου αν εξετεθη το εκθεμα χαρα και ευφροσυνη τοις ιουδαιοις κωθων και ευφροσυνη και πολλοι των εθνων περιετεμοντο και ιουδαιζον δια τον φοβον των ιουδαιων	17 O God, whose strength is above all things, heed the voice of those who have no other hope, and free us from the hand of the wicked, and rescue me from my fear.”