Ester 2

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 His ita gestis, postquam regis Asueri deferbuerat indignatio, recordatusest Vasthi, et quae fecisset vel quae passa esset.	1 After this, when King Ahasuerus' wrath had cooled, he thought over what Vashti had done and what had been decreed against her.
2 Dixeruntque pueri regis acministri eius: “ Quaerantur regi puellae virgines ac speciosae,	2 Then the king's personal attendants suggested: "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
3 etconstituantur, qui considerent per universas provincias puellas speciosas etvirgines et adducant eas ad civitatem Susan et tradant in domum feminarum submanu Egei eunuchi, qui est praepositus et custos mulierum regiarum; et accipiantmundum muliebrem.	3 Let the king appoint commissaries in all the provinces of his realm to bring together all beautiful young virgins to the harem in the stronghold of Susa. Under the care of the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, let cosmetics be given them.
4 Et, quaecumque inter omnes oculis regis placuerit, ipsaregnet pro Vasthi ”. Placuit sermo regi; et ita, ut suggesserant, iussitfieri.	4 Then the girl who pleases the king shall reign in place of Vashti." This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
5 Erat vir Iudaeus in Susan civitate vocabulo Mardochaeus filius Iair filiiSemei filii Cis de tribu Beniamin,	5 There was in the stronghold of Susa a certain Jew named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
6 qui translatus fuerat de Ierusalem cumcaptivis, qui ducti fuerant cum Iechonia rege Iudae, quem Nabuchodonosor rexBabylonis transtulerat.	6 who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the captives taken with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported.
7 Qui fuit nutricius filiae patrui sui Edissae, quaealtero nomine Esther vocabatur et utrumque parentem amiserat: pulchra aspectu etdecora facie. Mortuisque patre eius ac matre, Mardochaeus sibi eam adoptavit infiliam.	7 He was foster father to Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin; for she had lost both father and mother. The girl was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. On the death of her father and mother, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.
8 Et factum est, cum percrebruisset regis imperium, et iuxta mandatum illiusmultae virgines pulchrae adducerentur Susan et Egeo traderentur, Esther quoquein domum regis in manus Egei custodis feminarum tradita est.	8 When the king's order and decree had been obeyed and many maidens brought together to the stronghold of Susa under the care of Hegai, Esther also was brought in to the royal palace under the care of Hegai, custodian of the women.
9 Quae placuit eiet invenit gratiam in conspectu illius; et acceleravit mundum muliebrem ettradidit ei partes suas et septem puellas speciosissimas de domo regis, et tamipsam quam pedisequas eius transtulit in optimam partem domus feminarum.	9 The girl pleased him and won his favor. So he promptly furnished her with cosmetics and provisions. Then picking out seven maids for her from the royal palace, he transferred both her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
10 Quaenon indicaverat ei populum et cognationem suam; Mardochaeus enim praeceperat, utde hac re omnino reticeret.	10 Esther did not reveal her nationality or family, for Mordecai had commanded her not to do so.
11 Qui deambulabat cotidie ante vestibulum domus, inqua electae virgines servabantur, curam agens salutis Esther et scire volensquid ei accideret.	11 Day by day Mordecai would walk about in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was to become of her.
12 Cum autem venisset tempus singularum per ordinem puellarum, ut intrarent adregem, expletis omnibus, quae ad cultum muliebrem pertinebant, per mensesduodecim; ita dumtaxat, ut sex mensibus oleo ungerentur myrrhino et aliis sexfeminarum pigmentis et aromatibus uterentur,	12 Each girl went in turn to visit King Ahasuerus after the twelve months' preparation decreed for the women. Of this period of beautifying treatment, six months were spent with oil of myrrh, and the other six months with perfumes and cosmetics.
13 ingredientesque ad regem,quidquid postulassent, accipiebant, ut portarent secum de triclinio feminarum adregis cubiculum.	13 Then, when the girl was to visit the king, she was allowed to take with her from the harem to the royal palace whatever she chose.
14 Et, quae intraverat vespere, mane iterum in domum feminarumdeducebatur, sub manu Sasagazi eunuchi, qui concubinis praesidebat. Nec habebatpotestatem ad regem ultra redeundi, nisi voluisset rex et eam venire iussissetex nomine.	14 She would go in the evening and return in the morning to a second harem under the care of the royal eunuch Shaashgaz, custodian of the concubines. She could not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and had her summoned by name.
15 Evoluto autem tempore per ordinem, instabat dies, quo Esther filia Abihailpatrui Mardochaei, quam sibi adoptaverat in filiam, intrare deberet ad regem.Quae non quaesivit quidquam, nisi quae voluit Egeus eunuchus custos feminarum,et omnium oculis gratiosa et amabilis videbatur.	15 As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of his nephew Mordecai, when her turn came to visit the king, she did not ask for anything but what the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, suggested. Yet she won the admiration of all who saw her.
16 Ducta est itaque adcubiculum regis Asueri mense decimo, qui vocatur Tebeth, septimo anno regnieius.	16 Esther was led to King Ahasuerus in his palace in the tenth month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 Et amavit eam rex plus quam omnes mulieres; habuitque gratiam etfavorem coram eo super omnes virgines, et posuit diadema regni in capite eiusfecitque eam regnare in loco Vasthi.	17 The king loved Esther more than all other women, and of all the virgins she won his favor and benevolence. So he placed the royal diadem on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
18 Et iussit convivium praepararimagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis, convivium Esther; et deditremissionem tributi universis provinciis ac dona largitus est iuxtamagnificentiam principalem.	18 Then the king gave a great feast in honor of Esther to all his officials and ministers, granting a holiday to the provinces and bestowing gifts with royal bounty.
19 Mardochaeus autem manebat ad regis ianuam,	19 [To resume: From the time the virgins had been brought together, and while Mordecai was passing his time at the king's gate,
20 necdum prodiderat Esthercognationem et populum suum iuxta mandatum eius; quidquid enim illepraecipiebat, observabat Esther, ut eo tempore solita erat, quo eam parvulamnutriebat.	20 Esther had not revealed her family or nationality, because Mordecai had told her not to; and Esther continued to follow Mordecai's instructions, just as she had when she was being brought up by him.
21 Eo igitur tempore, quo Mardochaeus ad regis ianuam morabatur, irati suntBagathan et Thares, duo eunuchi regis, qui ianitores erant volueruntque in regemmittere manus.	21 And during the time that Mordecai spent at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted in anger to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
22 Quod Mardochaeum non latuit; statimque nuntiavit reginaeEsther, et illa regi ex nomine Mardochaei.	22 When the plot became known to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, who in turn informed the king for Mordecai.
23 Quaesitum est et inventum, etappensus uterque eorum in patibulo; mandatumque est libro annalium coram rege.	23 The matter was investigated and verified, and both of them were hanged on a gibbet. This was written in the annals for the king's use.]