Ester 5

BIBBIA CEI 1974	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Il terzo giorno, quando ebbe finito di pregare, ella si tolse le vesti da schiava e si coprì di tutto il fasto del suo grado.	1 After this, king Artaxerxes exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was of Agag lineage, and he set his throne above all the rulers whom he had.
2 Alzato lo scettro d'oro, lo posò sul collo di lei, la baciò e le disse: "Parlami!".	2 And all the king’s servants, who passed by the doors of the palace, bent their knees and adored Haman, for so the ruler had instructed them. Only Mordecai did not bend his knee, nor adore him.
3 Allora il re le disse: "Che vuoi, Ester, qual è la tua richiesta? Fosse pure metà del mio regno, l'avrai!".	3 The king’s servants, who presided over the doors of the palace, said to him, “Why do you, more than the others, not observe the king’s command?”
4 Ester rispose: "Se così piace al re, venga oggi il re con Amàn al banchetto che gli ho preparato".	4 And when they were saying this frequently, and he would not listen to them, they reported it to Haman, desiring to know whether he would continue in his resolution, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 Il re disse: "Convocate subito Amàn, per far ciò che Ester ha detto". Il re andò dunque con Amàn al banchetto che Ester aveva preparato.	5 Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.
6 Il re disse a Ester, mentre si beveva il vino: "Qual è la tua richiesta? Ti sarà concessa. Che desideri? Fosse anche la metà del regno, sarà fatto!".	6 And he considered it pointless to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, for he had heard that he was part of the Jewish people. And so he wanted more: to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Artaxerxes.
7 Ester rispose: "Ecco la mia richiesta e quel che desidero:	7 In the first month, which is called Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Pur, in the presence of Haman, to determine on what day and in which month the Jewish people should be destroyed. And it turned out to be the twelfth month, which is called Adar.
8 se ho trovato grazia agli occhi del re e se piace al re di concedermi quello che chiedo e di soddisfare il mio desiderio, venga il re con Amàn anche domani al banchetto che io preparerò loro e io risponderò alla domanda del re".	8 And Haman said to king Artaxerxes, “There is a people dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom and separated one from another, who make use of unusual laws and ceremonies, and who, in addition, show contempt for the king’s ordinances. And you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that they should become insolent through independence.
9 Amàn quel giorno uscì lieto e con il cuore contento, ma quando vide alla porta del re Mardocheo che non si alzava né si muoveva per lui, fu preso d'ira contro Mardocheo.	9 If it pleases you, declare that they may be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents to the keepers of your treasury.”
10 Tuttavia Amàn si trattenne, andò a casa e mandò a chiamare i suoi amici e Zeres sua moglie.	10 And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.
11 Amàn parlò loro della magnificenza delle sue ricchezze, del gran numero dei suoi figli, di quanto il re aveva fatto per renderlo grande e come l'aveva innalzato sopra i capi e i ministri del re.	11 And he said to him, “Let the silver, which you promise, be for yourself. As for the people, do with them as it pleases you.”
12 Aggiunse: "Anche la regina Ester non ha invitato con il re nessun altro se non me al banchetto che ha dato; anche per domani sono invitato da lei con il re.	12 And the scribes of the king were summoned, in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month. And it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s governors, and to the judges of the provinces, and to various peoples, so that each people could read and hear according to their various languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes. And the letters were sealed with his ring.
13 Ma tutto questo non mi basta, fin quando io vedrò Mardocheo, il Giudeo, restar seduto alla porta del re".	13 These were sent by the king’s messengers to all the provinces, so as to kill and destroy all the Jews, from children all the way to the elderly, even little children and women, on one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods, even their necessities.
14 Allora sua moglie Zeres e tutti i suoi amici gli dissero: "Si prepari un palo alto cinquanta cubiti e tu domani mattina di' al re che vi sia impiccato Mardocheo; poi va' pure contento al banchetto con il re". La cosa piacque ad Amàn che fece preparare il palo.