Ester 2

BIBBIA CEI 1974	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Dopo queste cose, quando la collera del re si fu calmata, egli si ricordò di Vasti, di ciò che essa aveva fatto e di quanto era stato deciso a suo riguardo.	1 After this, when the wrath of king Assuerus was appeased, he remembered Vasthi, and what she had done end what she had suffered:
2 Allora quelli che stavano al servizio del re dissero: "Si cerchino per il re fanciulle vergini e d'aspetto avvenente;	2 And the king's servants and his officers said: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
3 stabilisca il re in tutte le province del suo regno commissari, i quali radunino tutte le fanciulle vergini e belle nella reggia di Susa, nella casa delle donne, sotto la sorveglianza di Egài, eunuco del re e guardiano delle donne, che darà loro quanto è necessario per abbigliarsi;	3 And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king's women: and let them receive women's ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.
4 la fanciulla che piacerà al re diventerà regina al posto di Vasti". La cosa piacque al re e così si fece.	4 And whosoever among them all shall please the king's eyes, let her be queen instead of Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and he commanded it should be done as they had suggested.
5 Ora nella cittadella di Susa c'era un Giudeo chiamato Mardocheo, figlio di Iair, figlio di Simei, figlio di un Beniaminita,	5 There was a man in the city of Susan, a Jew, named Mardochai, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the race of Jemini,
6 che era stato deportato da Gerusalemme fra quelli condotti in esilio con Ieconìa re di Giuda da Nabucodònosor re di Babilonia.	6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away Jechonias king of Juda,
7 Egli aveva allevato Hadàssa, cioè Ester, figlia di un suo zio, perché essa era orfana di padre e di madre. La fanciulla era di bella presenza e di aspetto avvenente; alla morte del padre e della madre, Mardocheo l'aveva presa come propria figlia.	7 And he had brought up his brother's daughter Edissa, who by another name was called Esther: now she had lost both her parents: and was exceeding fair and beautiful. And her father and mother being dead, Mardochai adopted her for his daughter.
8 Quando l'ordine del re e il suo editto furono divulgati e un gran numero di fanciulle venivano radunate nella cittadella di Susa sotto la sorveglianza di Egài, anche Ester fu presa e condotta nella reggia, sotto la sorveglianza di Egài, guardiano delle donne.	8 And when the king's ordinance was noised abroad, and according to his commandment many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him to be kept in the number of the women.
9 La fanciulla piacque a Egài ed entrò nelle buone grazie di lui; egli si preoccupò di darle il necessario per l'abbigliamento e il vitto; le diede sette ancelle scelte nella reggia e assegnò a lei e alle sue ancelle l'appartamento migliore nella casa delle donne.	9 And she pleased him, and found favour in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch to hasten the women's ornaments, and to deliver to her her part, and seven of the most beautiful maidens of the king's house, and to adorn and deck out both her and her waiting maids.
10 Ester non aveva detto nulla né del suo popolo né della sua famiglia, perché Mardocheo le aveva proibito di parlarne.	10 And she would not tell him her people nor her country. For Mardochai had charged her to say nothing at all of that:
11 Mardocheo tutti i giorni passeggiava davanti al cortile della casa delle donne per sapere se Ester stava bene e che cosa succedeva di lei.	11 And he walked every day before the court of the house, in which the chosen virgins werre kept, having a care for Esther's welfare, and desiring to know what would befall her.
12 Quando veniva il turno per una fanciulla di andare dal re Assuero alla fine dei dodici mesi prescritti alle donne per i loro preparativi, sei mesi per profumarsi con olio di mirra e sei mesi con aromi e altri cosmetici usati dalle donne,	12 Now when every virgin's turn came to go in to the king, after all had been done for setting them off to advantage, it was the twelfth month: so that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for other six months they used certain perfumes and sweet spices.
13 la fanciulla andava dal re e poteva portare con sé dalla casa delle donne alla reggia quanto chiedeva.	13 And when they were going in to the king, whatsoever they asked to adorn themselves they received: and being decked out, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king's chamber.
14 Vi andava la sera e la mattina seguente passava nella seconda casa delle donne, sotto la sorveglianza di Saasgàz, eunuco del re e guardiano delle concubine. Poi non tornava più dal re a meno che il re la desiderasse ed essa fosse richiamata per nome.	14 And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was conducted to the second house, that was under the hand of Susagaz the eunuch, who had the charge over the king's concubines: neither could she return any more to the king, unless the king desired it, and had ordered her by name to come.
15 Quando arrivò per Ester figlia di Abicàil, zio di Mardocheo, che l'aveva adottata per figlia, il turno di andare dal re, essa non domandò se non quello che le fu indicato da Egài, eunuco del re e guardiano delle donne. Ester attirava la simpatia di quanti la vedevano.	15 And as the time came orderly about, the day was at hand, when Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardochai, whom he had adopted for his daughter, was to go in to the king. But she sought not women's ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the virgins had a mind, he gave her to adorn her. For she was exceeding fair, and her incredible beauty made her appear agreeable and amiable in the eyes of all.
16 Ester fu dunque condotta presso il re Assuero nella reggia il decimo mese, cioè il mese di Tebèt, il settimo anno del suo regno.	16 So she was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 Il re amò Ester più di tutte le altre donne ed essa trovò grazia e favore agli occhi di lui più di tutte le altre vergini. Egli le pose in testa la corona regale e la fece regina al posto di Vasti.	17 And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had favour and kindness before him above all the women, and he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vasthi.
18 Poi il re fece un gran banchetto a tutti i principi e ai ministri, che fu il banchetto di Ester; concesse un giorno di riposo alle province e fece doni con munificenza regale.	18 And he commanded a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the princes, and for his servants, for the marriage and wedding of Esther. And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.
19 Ora la seconda volta che si radunavano le fanciulle, Mardocheo aveva stanza alla porta del re.	19 And when the virgins were sought the second time, and gathered together, Mardochai stayed at the king's gate,
20 Ester, secondo l'ordine che Mardocheo le aveva dato, non aveva detto nulla né della sua famiglia né del suo popolo poiché essa faceva quello che Mardocheo le diceva, come quando era sotto la sua tutela.	20 Neither had Esther as yet declared her country and people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: and she did all things in the same manner as she was wont at that time when he brought her up a little one.
21 In quei giorni, quando Mardocheo aveva stanza alla porta del re, Bigtàn e Tères, due eunuchi del re e tra i custodi della soglia, irritati contro il re Assuero, cercarono il modo di mettere le mani sulla persona del re.	21 At that time, therefore, when Mardochai abode at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the king's eunuchs, who were porters, and presided in the first entry of the palace, were angry: and they designed to rise up against the king, and to kill him.
22 La cosa fu risaputa da Mardocheo, che avvertì la regina Ester ed Ester ne parlò al re in nome di Mardocheo.	22 And Mardochai had notice of it, and immediately he told it to queen Esther: and she to the king in Mardochai's name, who had reported the thing unto her.
23 Fatta investigazione e scoperto il fatto, i due eunuchi furono impiccati a un palo. E la cosa fu registrata nel libro delle cronache, alla presenza del re.	23 It was inquired into, and found out: and they were both hanged on a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and recorded in the chronicles before the king.