Esther 6

DOUAI-RHEIMS	JERUSALEM
1 That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,	1 Or, cette nuit-là, comme le sommeil le fuyait, le roi réclama le livre des Mémoires ou Chroniquespour s'en faire donner lecture.
2 They came to that place where it was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.	2 Il s'y trouvait la dénonciation par Mardochée de Bigtân et Téresh, les deux eunuques gardes du seuil,coupables d'avoir projeté d'attenter à la vie d'Assuérus.
3 And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward at all.	3 "Et quelle distinction, quelle dignité, s'enquit le roi, furent pour cela conférées à ce Mardochée" --"Rien n'a été fait pour lui", répondirent les courtisans de service.
4 And the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king's house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet which was prepared for him.	4 Le roi leur demanda alors: "Qui est dans le vestibule?" C'était juste le moment où Aman arrivait dansle vestibule extérieur du palais royal pour demander au roi de faire pendre Mardochée à la potence dressée pourlui par ses soins,
5 The servants answered: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.	5 si bien que les courtisans répondirent: "C'est Aman qui se tient dans le vestibule" -- "Qu'il entre!"ordonna le roi,
6 And when he was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,	6 et, sitôt entré: "Comment faut-il traiter un homme que le roi veut honorer" -- "Quel autre que moi leroi voudrait-il honorer", se dit Aman.
7 Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,	7 "Le roi veut honorer quelqu'un? Répondit-il donc,
8 Ought to be clothed with the king's apparel, and to be set upon the horse that the king rideth upon, and to have the royal crown upon his head,	8 qu'on prenne des vêtements princiers, de ceux que porte le roi; qu'on amène un cheval, de ceux quemonte le roi et sur la tête duquel on aura mis un diadème royal.
9 And let the first of the king's princes and nobles hold his horse, and going through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say: Thus shall he be honoured, whom the king hath a mind to honour.	9 Puis vêtements et cheval seront confiés à l'un des plus nobles des grands officiers royaux. Celui-cirevêtira alors de ce costume l'homme que le roi veut honorer et le conduira à cheval sur la grand-place en criantdevant lui: Voyez comment l'on traite l'homme que le roi veut honorer" --
10 And the king said to him: Make haste and take the robe and the horse, and do as thou hast spoken to Mardochai the Jew, who sitteth before the gates of the palace. Beware thou pass over any of those things which thou hast spoken.	10 "Ne perds pas un instant, répondit le roi à Aman, prends vêtements et cheval, et tout ce que tu viensde dire, fais-le à Mardochée, le Juif, l'attaché de la Royale Porte. Surtout, n'omets rien de ce que tu as dit!"
11 So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mardochai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, went before him, and proclaimed: This honour is he worthy of, whom the king hath a mind to honour.	11 Prenant donc vêtements et cheval, Aman habilla Mardochée, puis le promena à cheval sur la grand-place en criant devant lui: "Voyez comment l'on traite l'homme que le roi veut honorer!"
12 But Mardochai returned to the palace gate: and Aman made haste to go to his house, mourning and having his head covered:	12 Après quoi Mardochée s'en revint à la Porte Royale tandis qu'Aman, de son côté, rentraitprécipitamment chez lui, consterné et le visage voilé.
13 And he told Zares his wife, and his friends, all that had befallen him. And the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife answered him: If Mardochai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst not resist him, but thou shalt fall in his sight.	13 Il raconta à sa femme Zéresh et à tous ses amis ce qui venait d'arriver. Sa femme Zéresh et ses amislui dirent: "Tu viens de commencer à déchoir devant Mardochée: s'il est de la race des Juifs, tu ne pourras plusreprendre le dessus. Au contraire tu tomberas sans cesse plus bas devant lui."
14 As they were yet speaking, the king's eunuchs came, and compelled him to go quickly to the banquet which the queen had prepared.	14 La conversation n'était pas achevée qu'arrivèrent les eunuques du roi, venus chercher Aman pour leconduire en hâte au banquet offert par Esther.