Ester 4

NOVA VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Cum comperisset Mardochaeus omnia, quae acciderant, scidit vestimenta suaet indutus est sacco spargens cinerem capiti. Et in platea mediae civitatis vocemagna et amara clamabat	1 Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.
2 usque ad fores palatii gradiens; non enim erat licitumindutum sacco aulam regis intrare.	2 And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king's court.
3 In omnibus quoque provinciis, quocumqueedictum et dogma regis pervenerat, planctus ingens erat apud Iudaeos, ieiunium,ululatus et fletus, sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus.	3 And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king's cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.
4 Ingressae sunt autem puellae Esther et eunuchi nuntiaveruntque ei. Quodaudiens consternata est valde et misit vestem, ut, ablato sacco, induerent eum;quam accipere noluit.	4 Then Esther's maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation: and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.
5 Accitoque Athach eunucho, quem rex ministrum ei dederat,praecepit ei, ut iret ad Mardochaeum et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret.	5 And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.
6 Egressusque Athach ivit ad Mardochaeum stantem in platea civitatis ante ostiumpalatii.	6 And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:
7 Qui indicavit ei omnia, quae ei acciderant, quantum Aman promisisset,ut in thesauros regis pro Iudaeorum nece inferret argentum.	7 And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king's treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.
8 Exemplar quoqueedicti, quod pendebat in Susan ad perdendum eos, dedit ei, ut reginae ostenderetet moneret eam, ut intraret ad regem et deprecaretur eum et rogaret pro populosuo. 8a “ Memor, inquit, dierum humilitatis tuae, quando nutrita sis in manumea, quia Aman secundus a rege locutus est contra nos in mortem. Et tu, invocaDominum et loquere regi pro nobis et libera nos de morte ”.	8 He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.
9 Regressus Athachnuntiavit Esther omnia, quae Mardochaeus dixerat.	9 And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.
10 Quae respondit ei etiussit, ut diceret Mardochaeo:	10 She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:
11 “ Omnes servi regis et cunctae, quae subdicione eius sunt, norunt provinciae, quod cuique sive viro sive mulieri, quinon vocatus interius atrium regis intraverit, una lex sit, ut statiminterficiatur, nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit, ut possit vivere;ego autem triginta iam diebus non sum vocata ad regem ”.	11 ,11All the king's servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king's inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?
12 Quod cum audissetMardochaeus,	12 And when Mardochai had heard this,
13 rursum mandavit Esther dicens: “ Ne putes quod animam tuamtantum liberes, quia in domo regis es, prae cunctis Iudaeis.	13 He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:
14 Si enim nuncsilueris, aliunde Iudaeis liberatio et salvatio exsurget, et tu et domus patristui peribitis; et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris, ut in tali temporeparareris? ”.	14 For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father's house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?
15 Rursumque Esther haec Mardochaeo verba mandavit:	15 And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:
16 “ Vade et congregaomnes Iudaeos, qui in Susan reperiuntur; et ieiunate pro me. Non comedatis etnon bibatis tribus diebus et tribus noctibus, et ego cum ancillis meis similiterieiunabo; et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens; si pereo, pereo ”.	16 Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.
17 Ivit itaque Mardochaeus et fecit omnia, quae ei Esther mandaverat.	17 So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.