Esther 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NOVA VULGATA
1 It was in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia andcomprised one hundred and twenty-seven provinces. (a) In the second year of the reign of the Great King,Ahasuerus, on the first day of Nisan, a dream came to Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of thetribe of Benjamin, (b) a Jew living at Susa and holding high office at the royal court. (c) He was one of thecaptives whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported from Jerusalem with Jeconiah king of Judah. (d)This was his dream. There were cries and noise, thunder and earthquakes, and disorder over the whole earth.(e) Then two great dragons came forward, each ready for the fray, and set up a great roar. (f) At the sound ofthem every nation made ready to wage war against the nation of the just. (g) A day of darkness and gloom, ofaffliction and distress, oppression and great disturbance on earth! (h) The entire upright nation was thrown intoconsternation at the fear of the evils awaiting it and prepared for death, crying out to God. (i) Then from its cry,as from a little spring, there grew a great river, a flood of water. (j) Light came as the sun rose, and the humblewere raised up and devoured the mighty. (k) On awakening from this dream and vision of God's designs,Mordecai thought deeply about the matter, trying his b Est al day to discover what its meaning might be. (l)Mordecai was lodging at court with Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the palace. (m)Having got wind of their plotting and gained knowledge of their designs, he discovered that they were preparingto assassinate King Ahasuerus, and he warned the king against them. (n) The king gave orders for the twoofficers to be tortured; they confessed and were executed. (o) He then had these events entered in his RecordBook, while Mordecai himself also wrote an account of them. (p) The king then appointed Mordecai to an officeat court and rewarded him with presents. (q) But Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who enjoyed highfavour with the king, determined to injure Mordecai in revenge for the affair of the king's two officers.	1 Et fuit in diebus Asueri, qui regnavit ab India usque Aethiopiam super centumviginti septem provincias,
2 In those days, when King Ahasuerus was sitting on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,	2 quando sedit in solio regni sui in castris Susan,
3 in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet at his court for al his officers-of-state and ministers,Persian and Median army-commanders, nobles and provincial governors.	3 tertio igitur anno imperii sui, fecit grande convivium cunctis principibus etpueris suis, fortissimis Persarum et Medorum, inclitis et praefectisprovinciarum coram se,
4 Thus he displayed the riches and splendour of his empire and the pomp and glory of his majesty; thefestivities went on for a long time, a hundred and eighty days.	4 ut ostenderet divitias gloriae regni sui ac splendorematque iactantiam magnitudinis suae multo tempore, centum videlicet et octogintadiebus.
5 When this period was over, for seven days the king gave a banquet for al the people living in the citadelof Susa, to high and low alike, on the esplanade in the gardens of the royal palace.	5 Cumque implerentur dies convivii, invitavit omnem populum, qui inventus est inSusan, a maximo usque ad minimum; et septem diebus iussit convivium praeparariin vestibulo horti palatii regis.
6 There were white and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple thread to silver ringson marble columns, couches of gold and silver on a pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and preciousstones.	6 Et pendebant ex omni parte tentoria linteaet carbasina ac hyacinthina sustentata funibus byssinis atque purpureis, quiargenteis circulis inserti erant et columnis marmoreis fulciebantur; lectuliquoque aurei et argentei dispositi erant super pavimentum smaragdino et pariostratum lapide aliisque varii coloris.
7 For drinking there were golden cups of various design and plenty of wine provided by the king with royalliberality.	7 Bibebant autem, qui invitati erant,aureis poculis, aliis atque aliis; vinum quoque, ut magnificentia regia dignumerat, abundans et praecipuum ponebatur.
8 The royal edict did not, however, make drinking obligatory, the king having instructed the officials of hishousehold to treat each guest according to the guest's own wishes.	8 Nec erat qui cogeret ad bibendum,quoniam sic rex statuerat omnibus praepositis domus suae, ut facerent secundumuniuscuiusque voluntatem.
9 Queen Vashti, for her part, gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.	9 Vasthi quoque regina fecit convivium feminarum in palatio regio, ubi rexAsuerus manere consueverat.
10 On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven officers in attendance on the person of King Ahasuerus,	10 Itaque die septimo, cum rex esset hilarior potione meri, praecepit Mauman etBazatha et Harbona et Bagatha et Abgatha et Zethar et Charchas, septem eunuchis,qui in conspectu eius ministrabant,
11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king, crowned with her royal diadem, in order to display her beauty tothe people and the officers-of-state, since she was very beautiful.	11 ut introducerent reginam Vasthi coramrege, posito super caput eius diademate regni, ut ostenderet cunctis populis etprincipibus pulchritudinem illius; erat enim pulchra valde.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the officers. The king was veryangry at this and his rage grew hot.	12 Quae renuit et ad regis imperium, quod per eunuchos mandaverat, venirecontempsit; unde iratus rex et nimio furore succensus
13 Addressing himself to the wise men who were versed in the law -- it being the practice to refer mattersaffecting the king to expert lawyers and jurists-	13 interrogavit sapientes,qui tempora noverant, et illorum faciebat cuncta consilio scientium leges aciura maiorum —
14 he summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, seven Persianand Median officers-of-state who had privileged access to the royal presence and occupied the leading positionsin the kingdom.	14 erant autem ei proximi Charsena et Sethar et Admatha etTharsis et Mares et Marsana et Mamuchan, septem duces Persarum atque Medorum,qui videbant faciem regis et primi sedebant in regno C:
15 'According to law,' he said, 'what is to be done to Queen Vashti for not obeying the command of KingAhasuerus delivered by the officers?'	15 “ Secundum legemquid oportet fieri Vasthi reginae, quae Asueri regis imperium, quod per eunuchosmandaverat, facere noluit? ”.
16 In the presence of the king and the officers-of-state, Memucan replied, 'Queen Vashti has wronged notonly the king but also al the officers-of-state and all the peoples inhabiting the provinces of King Ahasuerus.	16 Responditque Mamuchan, audiente rege atque principibus: “ Non solum regemlaesit regina Vasthi, sed et omnes principes et populos, qui sunt in cunctisprovinciis regis Asueri.
17 The queen's conduct wil soon become known to al the women, who wil adopt a contemptuousattitude towards their own husbands. They wil say, "King Ahasuerus himself commanded Queen Vashti toappear before him and she did not come."	17 Egredietur enim sermo reginae ad omnes mulieres, utcontemnant viros suos et dicant: “Rex Asuerus iussit, ut regina Vasthiintraret ad eum, et illa noluit”.
18 Before the day is out, the wives of the Persian and Median officers-of-state wil be tel ing every one ofthe king's officers-of-state what they have heard about the queen's behaviour; and that wil mean contempt andanger all round.	18 Atque hac ipsa die dicent omnes principumconiuges Persarum atque Medorum quem audierint sermonem reginae principibusregis; unde despectio et indignatio.
19 If it is the king's pleasure, let him issue a royal edict, to be irrevocably incorporated into the laws of thePersians and Medes, to the effect that Vashti is never to appear again before King Ahasuerus, and let the kingconfer her royal dignity on a worthier woman.	19 Si tibi, rex, placet, egrediatur edictuma facie tua et scribatur inter leges Persarum atque Medorum, quas immutariillicitum est, ut nequaquam ultra Vasthi ingrediatur ad regem, sed regnum illiusaltera, quae melior illa est, accipiat.
20 Let this edict issued by the king be proclaimed throughout his empire -- which is great -- and al thewomen wil henceforth bow to the authority of their husbands, both high and low alike.'	20 Et hoc in omne, quod latissimum est,provinciarum tuarum divulgetur imperium, et cunctae uxores, tam maiorum quamminorum, deferent maritis suis honorem ”.
21 This speech pleased the king and the officers-of-state, and the king did as Memucan advised.	21 Placuit consilium eius regi et principibus, fecitque rex iuxta consiliumMamuchan.
22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each nationin its own language, ensuring that every husband should be master in his own house.	22 Et misit epistulas ad universas provincias regni sui, ut quaequegens audire et legere poterat, diversis linguis et litteris, esse virosprincipes ac maiores in domibus suis et subditas habere omnes mulieres, quaeessent cum eis.