ΕΣΘΗΡ - Ester - Esther 6

LXX	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 ο δε κυριος απεστησεν τον υπνον απο του βασιλεως την νυκτα εκεινην και ειπεν τω διδασκαλω αυτου εισφερειν γραμματα μνημοσυνα των ημερων αναγινωσκειν αυτω	1 And this was the text of the letter: “Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia, to the leaders and generals of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, which are subject to his authority, greetings.
2 ευρεν δε τα γραμματα τα γραφεντα περι μαρδοχαιου ως απηγγειλεν τω βασιλει περι των δυο ευνουχων του βασιλεως εν τω φυλασσειν αυτους και ζητησαι επιβαλειν τας χειρας αρταξερξη	2 Although I have reigned over many nations and subjugated the whole world under my realm, I was by no means willing to abuse the greatness of this power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and leniency, so that they would settle into a quiet life, apart from any terror, and delight in peace, as all mortals would choose to do.
3 ειπεν δε ο βασιλευς τινα δοξαν η χαριν εποιησαμεν τω μαρδοχαιω και ειπαν οι διακονοι του βασιλεως ουκ εποιησας αυτω ουδεν	3 Yet, in asking my counselors how this might be able to be accomplished, one who excelled the others in wisdom and fidelity, and who was second after the king, named Haman,
4 εν δε τω πυνθανεσθαι τον βασιλεα περι της ευνοιας μαρδοχαιου ιδου αμαν εν τη αυλη ειπεν δε ο βασιλευς τις εν τη αυλη ο δε αμαν εισηλθεν ειπειν τω βασιλει κρεμασαι τον μαρδοχαιον επι τω ξυλω ω ητοιμασεν	4 explained to me that there was a people, scattered throughout the whole world, that used strange laws, and, acting against the customs of all peoples, despised the commandments of kings and violated the harmony of all nations with their dissension.
5 και ειπαν οι διακονοι του βασιλεως ιδου αμαν εστηκεν εν τη αυλη και ειπεν ο βασιλευς καλεσατε αυτον	5 When we had learned this, seeing one nation rebellious against all mankind, having overthrown the usefulness of laws, and going against our orders, and disturbing the peace and harmony of the provinces subject to us,
6 ειπεν δε ο βασιλευς τω αμαν τι ποιησω τω ανθρωπω ον εγω θελω δοξασαι ειπεν δε εν εαυτω αμαν τινα θελει ο βασιλευς δοξασαι ει μη εμε	6 we commanded that whomever Haman, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honor in the place of a father, whomever he would point out should be destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that no one may take pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year,
7 ειπεν δε προς τον βασιλεα ανθρωπον ον ο βασιλευς θελει δοξασαι	7 so that these guilty men, all on one day, may go down to the underworld, restoring to our empire the peace that they had disturbed.”
8 ενεγκατωσαν οι παιδες του βασιλεως στολην βυσσινην ην ο βασιλευς περιβαλλεται και ιππον εφ' ον ο βασιλευς επιβαινει	8 And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.
9 και δοτω ενι των φιλων του βασιλεως των ενδοξων και στολισατω τον ανθρωπον ον ο βασιλευς αγαπα και αναβιβασατω αυτον επι τον ιππον και κηρυσσετω δια της πλατειας της πολεως λεγων ουτως εσται παντι ανθρωπω ον ο βασιλευς δοξαζει	9 The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.
10 ειπεν δε ο βασιλευς τω αμαν καθως ελαλησας ουτως ποιησον τω μαρδοχαιω τω ιουδαιω τω θεραπευοντι εν τη αυλη και μη παραπεσατω σου λογος ων ελαλησας
11 ελαβεν δε αμαν την στολην και τον ιππον και εστολισεν τον μαρδοχαιον και ανεβιβασεν αυτον επι τον ιππον και διηλθεν δια της πλατειας της πολεως και εκηρυσσεν λεγων ουτως εσται παντι ανθρωπω ον ο βασιλευς θελει δοξασαι
12 επεστρεψεν δε ο μαρδοχαιος εις την αυλην αμαν δε υπεστρεψεν εις τα ιδια λυπουμενος κατα κεφαλης
13 και διηγησατο αμαν τα συμβεβηκοτα αυτω ζωσαρα τη γυναικι αυτου και τοις φιλοις και ειπαν προς αυτον οι φιλοι και η γυνη ει εκ γενους ιουδαιων μαρδοχαιος ηρξαι ταπεινουσθαι ενωπιον αυτου πεσων πεση ου μη δυνη αυτον αμυνασθαι οτι θεος ζων μετ' αυτου
14 ετι αυτων λαλουντων παραγινονται οι ευνουχοι επισπευδοντες τον αμαν επι τον ποτον ον ητοιμασεν εσθηρ