Esther 3

NEW JERUSALEM	GREEK BIBLE
1 Shortly afterwards, King Ahasuerus singled out Haman son of Hammedatha, a native of Agag, forpromotion. He raised him in rank, granting him precedence over all his col eagues, the other officers-of-state,	1 Μετα τα πραγματα ταυτα εμεγαλυνεν ο βασιλευς Ασσουηρης τον Αμαν, τον υιον του Αμμεδαθα του Αγαγιτου, και υψωσεν αυτον και εθεσε τον θρονον αυτου υπερανω παντων των αρχοντων των περι αυτον.
2 and al the royal officials employed at the Chancel ery used to bow low and prostrate themselveswhenever Haman appeared -- such was the king's command. Mordecai refused either to bow or to prostratehimself.	2 Και παντες οι δουλοι του βασιλεως, οι εν τη βασιλικη πυλη, εκλινον και προσεκυνουν τον Αμαν? διοτι ουτω προσεταξεν ο βασιλευς περι αυτου. Ο Μαροδοχαιος ομως δεν εκλινε και δεν προσεκυνει αυτον.
3 'Why do you flout the royal command?' the officials of the Chancel ery asked Mordecai.	3 Και ειπον οι δουλοι του βασιλεως, οι εν τη βασιλικη πυλη, προς τον Μαροδοχαιον, Δια τι συ παραβαινεις την προσταγην του βασιλεως;
4 Day after day they asked him this, but he took no notice of them. In the end they reported the matter toHaman, to see whether Mordecai would persist in his attitude, since he had told them that he was a Jew.	4 Αφου δε καθ' ημεραν ελεγον προς αυτον, και εκεινος δεν υπηκουεν εις αυτους, απηγγειλαν τουτο προς τον Αμαν, δια να ιδωσιν αν οι λογοι του Μαροδοχαιου ησαν στερεοι? διοτι ειχε φανερωσει προς αυτους οτι ητο Ιουδαιος.
5 Haman could see for himself that Mordecai did not bow or prostrate himself in his presence; he becamefuriously angry.	5 Και οτε ο Αμαν ειδεν οτι ο Μαροδοχαιος δεν εκλινε και δεν προσεκυνει αυτον, ενεπλησθη θυμου ο Αμαν.
6 And, on being told what race Mordecai belonged to, he thought it beneath him merely to get rid ofMordecai, but made up his mind to wipe out all the members of Mordecai's race, the Jews, living in Ahasuerus'entire empire.	6 Και εστοχασθη ταπεινον να βαλη χειρα επι μονον τον Μαροδοχαιον? διοτι ειχον φανερωσει προς αυτον τον λαον του Μαροδοχαιου? οθεν εζητει ο Αμαν να αφανιση παντας τους Ιουδαιους τους εν παντι τω βασιλειω του Ασσουηρου, τον λαον του Μαροδοχαιου.
7 In the first month, that is the month of Nisan, of the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, the pur (that is, thelot) was cast in Haman's presence, to determine the day and the month. The lot falling on the twelfth month,which is Adar,	7 Και εν τω πρωτω μηνι, ουτος ειναι ο μην Νισαν, εν τω δωδεκατω ετει του βασιλεως Ασσουηρου, ερριψαν φουρ, ηγουν κληρον, ενωπιον του Αμαν, απο ημερας εις ημεραν και απο μηνος εις μηνα, μεχρι του δωδεκατου μηνος, ουτος ειναι ο μην Αδαρ.
8 Haman said to King Ahasuerus, 'There is a certain unassimilated nation scattered among the othernations throughout the provinces of your realm; their laws are different from those of al the other nations, andthe royal laws they ignore; hence it is not in the king's interests to tolerate them.	8 Και ειπεν ο Αμαν προς τον βασιλεα Ασσουηρην, Υπαρχει τις λαος διεσπαρμενος και διακεχωρισμενος μεταξυ των λαων κατα πασας τας επαρχιας του βασιλειου σου? και οι νομοι αυτων διαφοροι των νομων παντων των λαων, και δεν φυλαττουσι τους νομους του βασιλεως? οθεν δεν αρμοζει εις τον βασιλεα να υποφερη αυτους?
9 If their destruction be signed, so please the king, I am ready to pay ten thousand talents of silver to theking's receivers, to be credited to the royal treasury.'	9 εαν ηναι αρεστον εις τον βασιλεα, ας γραφη να εξολοθρευθωσι και εγω θελω μετρησει δεκα χιλιαδας ταλαντων αργυριου εις τας χειρας των οικονομων δια να φερωσιν εις τα θησαυροφυλακια του βασιλεως.
10 The king then took his signet ring off his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, thepersecutor of the Jews.	10 Και εκβαλων ο βασιλευς το δακτυλιδιον αυτου απο της χειρος αυτου, εδωκεν αυτο εις τον Αμαν τον υιον του Αμμεδαθα του Αγαγιτου, τον εχθρον των Ιουδαιων,
11 'Keep the money,' he said, 'and you can have the people too; do what you like with them.'	11 Και ειπεν ο βασιλευς προς τον Αμαν? το αργυριον διδεται εις σε, και ο λαος, δια να καμης εις αυτον οπως σοι αρεσκει.
12 The royal scribes were therefore summoned for the thirteenth day of the first month, when they wroteout the orders addressed by Haman to the king's satraps, to the governors ruling each province and to theprincipal officials of each people, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language. Theedict was signed in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with his ring,	12 Και προσεκληθησαν οι γραμματεις του βασιλεως την δεκατην τριτην ημεραν του πρωτου μηνος, και εγραφη κατα παντα οσα προσεταξεν ο Αμαν, προς τους σατραπας του βασιλεως και προς τους διοικητας τους κατα πασαν επαρχιαν και προς τους αρχοντας εκαστου λαου πασης επαρχιας κατα το γραφειν αυτων, και προς εκαστον λαον κατα την γλωσσαν αυτων? εν ονοματι του βασιλεως Ασσουηρου εγραφη και εσφραγισθη με το δακτυλιδιον του βασιλεως.
13 and letters were sent by runners to every province of the realm, ordering the destruction, slaughter andannihilation of al Jews, young and old, including women and children, on the same day -- the thirteenth day ofthe twelfth month, which is Adar -- and the seizing of their possessions. (a) The text of the letter was as fol ows:'The Great King, Ahasuerus, to the governors of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces stretching from Indiato Ethiopia, and to their subordinate district commissioners: (b) 'Being placed in authority over many nations andruling the whole world, I have resolved never to be carried away by the insolence of power, but always to rulewith moderation and clemency, so as to assure for my subjects a life ever free from storms and, offering mykingdom the benefits of civilisation and free transit from end to end, to restore that peace which al men desire.(c) In consultation with our advisers as to how this aim is to be effected, we have been informed by one of them,eminent among us for prudence and wel proved for his unfailing devotion and unshakeable trustworthiness, andin rank second only to our majesty, Haman by name, (d) that there is, mingled among all the tribes of the earth, acertain ill-disposed people, opposed by its laws to every other nation and continually defying the royalordinances, in such a way as to obstruct that form of government assured by us to the general good. (e)'Considering therefore that this people, unique of its kind, is in complete opposition to al humanity from which itdiffers by its outlandish laws, that it is hostile to our interests and that it commits the most heinous crimes, to thepoint of endangering the stability of the realm: (f) 'We command that those persons designated to you in theletters written by Haman, who was appointed to watch over our interests and is a second father to us, be alldestroyed, root and branch, including women and children, by the swords of their enemies, without any pity ormercy, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, of the present year, (g) so that, these past and presentmalcontents being in one day forcibly thrown down to Hades, our government may henceforward enjoy perpetualstability and peace.'	13 Και εσταλησαν γραμματα δια ταχυδρομων εις πασας τας επαρχιας του βασιλεως, δια να αφανισωσι, να φονευσωσι και να εξολοθρευσωσι παντας τους Ιουδαιους, νεους και γεροντας, νηπια και γυναικας, εν μια ημερα, την δεκατην τριτην του δωδεκατου μηνος, ουτος ειναι ο μην Αδαρ, και να διαρπασωσι τα υπαρχοντα αυτων.
14 Copies of this decree, to be promulgated as law in each province, were published to the variouspeoples, so that each might be ready for the day aforementioned.	14 Το αντιγραφον της επιστολης, το προς διαδοσιν του προσταγματος κατα πασαν επαρχιαν, εδημοσιευθη προς παντας τους λαους, δια να ηναι ετοιμοι εν εκεινη τη ημερα.
15 At the king's command, the runners set out with all speed; the decree was first promulgated in thecitadel of Susa. While the king and Haman gave themselves up to feasting and drinking, consternation reigned inthe city of Susa.	15 Οι ταχυδρομοι εξηλθον, σπευδοντες δια την προσταγην του βασιλεως, και η διαταγη εξεδοθη εν Σουσοις τη βασιλευουση. Ο δε βασιλευς και ο Αμαν εκαθησαν να συμποσιασωσιν? η δε πολις Σουσα ητο εν αμηχανια.