Ester 3

NOVA VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Post haec rex Asuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi, qui erat de stirpeAgag, et posuit solium eius super omnes principes, quos habebat.	1 In the days of Artaxerxes, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred twenty-seven provinces,
2 Cunctiqueservi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua et adorabantAman; sic enim praeceperat rex pro illo. Solus Mardochaeus non flectebat genuneque adorabat eum.	2 when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city of Susa was the root of his kingdom.
3 Cui dixerunt pueri regis, qui ad fores palatiipraesidebant: “ Cur non observas mandatum regis? ”.	3 And so, in the third year of his reign, he made a great feast for all the leaders and his servants, for the most powerful among the Persians and the distinguished among the Medes, and for the rulers of the provinces before him,
4 Cumque hoc crebriusdicerent, et ille nollet audire, nuntiaverunt Aman scire cupientes utrumperseveraret in sententia; dixerat enim eis se esse Iudaeum.	4 so that he might show the glorious riches of his kingdom, as well as its greatness, and so boast of his power, for a long time, namely, one hundred and eighty days.
5 Cumque Aman experimento probasset quod Mardochaeus non sibi flecteret genu necse adoraret, iratus est valde	5 And when the days of the feast were nearly completed, he invited all the people, who had been found in Susa, from the greatest even to the least, and he commanded a feast to be prepared, for seven days, in the court of the garden and the arboretum, which had been planted by the care and by the hand of the king.
6 et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardochaeum mitteremanus suas — audierat enim quod esset gentis Iudaeae — magisque voluit omnemIudaeorum, qui erant in regno Asueri, perdere nationem.	6 And, in every direction, tents the color of the sky and of flax as well as hyacinth were hung up, suspended by cords of linen and even purple, which had been placed through rings of ivory and were held up with marble columns. The couches also, of gold and silver, had been arranged over a pavement of emerald-green, bearing scattered jewels, which was decorated with a wonderful variety of images.
7 Mense primo, cuius vocabulum est Nisan, anno duodecimo regni Asueri, missa estin urnam sors, quae dicitur Phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gensIudaeorum deberet interfici; et exivit dies tertia decima mensis duodecimi, quivocatur Adar.	7 Moreover, those who had been invited drank from golden cups, and dishes of foods were brought in one after another. Likewise, choice wine was presented in abundance, as was worthy of royal magnificence.
8 Dixitque Aman regi Asuero: “ Est populus per omnes provinciasregni tui dispersus, segregatus inter populos alienisque utens legibus, quasceteri non cognoscunt, insuper et regis scita contemnens; non expedit regi, utdet illis requiem.	8 Nor was anyone compelled to drink who was unwilling, but, just as the king had appointed, one of his nobles was set over each table, so that each one might select what he wanted.
9 Si tibi placet, scriptis decerne, ut pereat, et decem miliatalentorum argenti appendam arcariis gazae tuae ”.	9 Likewise, Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the palace where king Artaxerxes was accustomed to stay the night.
10 Tulit ergo rex anulum,quo utebatur, de manu sua et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag,hosti Iudaeorum.	10 And so, on the seventh day, when the king was more cheerful, and, after excessive drinking, had become warmed with wine, he ordered Mehuman, and Biztha, and Harbona, and Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zethar, and Charkas, seven eunuchs who served in his presence,
11 Dixitque ad eum: “ Argentum, quod polliceris, tuum sit; depopulo age, quod tibi placet ”.	11 to bring in queen Vashti before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to the whole people and to the leaders, for she was very beautiful.
12 Vocatique sunt scribae regis mense primo, tertia decima die eius, et scriptumest, ut iusserat Aman, ad omnes satrapas regis et duces provinciarum etprincipes diversarum gentium, ut quaeque gens legere poterat et audire provarietate linguarum, ex nomine regis Asueri; et litterae ipsius signatae anulo.	12 She refused, and she showed contempt towards the king’s command, which he had delivered to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry and inflamed with a very great fury,
13 Missae sunt epistulae per cursores ad universas provincias regis, utperderent, occiderent atque delerent omnes Iudaeos, a puero usque ad senem,parvulos et mulieres uno die, hoc est tertio decimo mensis duodecimi, quivocatur Adar, et bona eorum diriperent.	13 questioned the wise men, who, according to royal custom were always near him and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws as well as the judgments of their ancestors,
14 Exemplar autem epistularum ut lex in omnibus provinciis promulgandum erat, utscirent omnes populi et pararent se ad praedictam diem.	14 (but first and foremost were Carshena, and Shethar, and Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, seven rulers of the Persians as well as the Medes, who saw the face of the king and who were accustomed to sitting down first after him,)
15 Festinabant cursores,qui missi erant, regis imperium explere; statimque in Susan pependit edictum,rege et Aman celebrante convivium, dum civitas ipsa esset conturbata.	15 and he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, so that every nation was able to hear and to read, in various languages and letters, that husbands are to be the greater rulers in their own houses, and that this should be published to every people.