Ester 2

BIBBIA CEI 2008	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Dopo questi fatti, l’ira del re si placò ed egli non si ricordò più di Vasti, avendo presente quello che lei aveva detto e come egli l’aveva ormai condannata.	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 Dissero allora i servi del re: «Si cerchino per il re fanciulle incorrotte e belle.	2 And the king's servants and his officers said: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
3 E in tutte le province del suo regno il re dia incarico ai governatori locali perché siano scelte fanciulle vergini e belle; siano portate nella città di Susa, nell’harem, e siano consegnate all’eunuco del re che è il custode delle donne e siano dati loro unguenti e ogni altra cosa necessaria,	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 e la donna che piacerà al re diventi regina al posto di Vasti». La proposta 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 Nella città di Susa c’era un Giudeo di nome Mardocheo, figlio di Giàiro, figlio di Simei, figlio di Kis, della tribù di Beniamino,	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 il quale era stato deportato da Gerusalemme quando fu ridotta in schiavitù 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 una figlia adottiva, figlia di Aminadàb, fratello di suo padre, che si chiamava Ester. Quando erano morti i suoi genitori, egli l’aveva allevata per prenderla in moglie. La fanciulla era bella d’aspetto.	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 E quando il decreto del re fu pubblicato, molte fanciulle furono raccolte nella città di Susa sotto la sorveglianza di Gai; anche Ester fu condotta da Gai, custode 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 gli piacque e trovò grazia presso di lui, ed egli si preoccupò di darle gli unguenti e la sua porzione di cibo, oltre alle sette fanciulle assegnate a lei dalla reggia, e usò verso di lei e le sue ancelle un trattamento di favore nell’harem.	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 disse nulla né del suo popolo né della sua stirpe, perché Mardocheo le aveva ordinato di non dirlo.	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 passeggiava ogni giorno lungo il cortile dell’harem, per vedere che cosa fosse accaduto a Ester.	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 Il momento di andare dal re giungeva per una fanciulla alla fine di dodici mesi, quando terminavano i giorni della preparazione. Il periodo della preparazione si svolgeva così: sei mesi per essere unta con olio di mirra e sei con spezie e unguenti femminili.	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 Allora veniva introdotta dal re, e quello che chiedeva le veniva dato per portarlo con sé dall’harem alla reggia.	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 nel secondo harem, dove Gai, l’eunuco del re, custodiva le donne; nessuna di loro poteva rientrare dal re, se non veniva chiamata 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 per Ester, figlia di Aminadàb, fratello del padre di Mardocheo, si compì il tempo di entrare dal re, ella nulla tralasciò di quello che le aveva ordinato l’eunuco, il custode delle donne; Ester infatti trovava grazia presso tutti quelli che 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 entrò dal re Artaserse nel dodicesimo mese, chiamato Adar, l’anno settimo 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 si innamorò di Ester: ella trovò grazia più di tutte le fanciulle e perciò egli pose su di lei la corona regale.	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 banchetto per tutti i suoi amici e i potenti per sette giorni, volendo solennizzare così le nozze di Ester; condonò pure i debiti a tutti quelli che erano sotto il suo dominio.	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 Mardocheo prestava servizio nel palazzo.	19 And when the virgins were sought the second time, and gathered together, Mardochai stayed at the king's gate,
20 Ester non palesò la sua stirpe: Mardocheo infatti le aveva raccomandato di avere il timore di Dio e di osservare i suoi comandamenti, come quando stava con lui. Ester non cambiò il suo modo di vivere.	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 I due eunuchi del re, capi delle guardie del corpo, si rattristarono perché Mardocheo era stato promosso, e cercavano di uccidere il re Artaserse.	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 resa nota a Mardocheo, ed egli la fece conoscere ad Ester; ella rivelò al re la notizia della congiura.	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 Allora il re fece indagare riguardo ai due eunuchi e li impiccò; il re ordinò di prenderne nota negli archivi reali, in memoria e a lode dei buoni uffici di Mardocheo.	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.