Ester 6

NOVA VULGATA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Noctem illam duxit rex insomnem iussitque afferri sibi librummemorialium, annales priorum temporum. Quae cum illo praesente legerentur,	1 And this was the text of the letter: “Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia, to the leaders and generals of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, which are subject to his authority, greetings.
2 ventum est ad eum locum, ubi scriptum erat quomodo nuntiasset Mardochaeusinsidias Bagathan et Thares duorum eunuchorum ianitorum, qui voluerant manusmittere in regem Asuerum.	2 Although I have reigned over many nations and subjugated the whole world under my realm, I was by no means willing to abuse the greatness of this power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and leniency, so that they would settle into a quiet life, apart from any terror, and delight in peace, as all mortals would choose to do.
3 Quod cum audisset rex, ait: “ Quid pro hac fide honoris ac praemiiMardochaeus consecutus est? ”. Dixeruntque ei servi illius ac ministri: “Nihil omnino mercedis accepit ”.	3 Yet, in asking my counselors how this might be able to be accomplished, one who excelled the others in wisdom and fidelity, and who was second after the king, named Haman,
4 Statimque rex: “ Quis est, inquit, inatrio? ”. Aman quippe exterius atrium domus regiae intraverat, ut suggereretregi, ut iuberet Mardochaeum suspendi in patibulo, quod ei fuerat praeparatum.	4 explained to me that there was a people, scattered throughout the whole world, that used strange laws, and, acting against the customs of all peoples, despised the commandments of kings and violated the harmony of all nations with their dissension.
5 Responderunt pueri: “ Ecce Aman stat in atrio ”. Dixitque rex: “Ingrediatur ”.	5 When we had learned this, seeing one nation rebellious against all mankind, having overthrown the usefulness of laws, and going against our orders, and disturbing the peace and harmony of the provinces subject to us,
6 Cumque esset ingressus, ait illi: “ Quid debet fieri viro, quem rex honoraredesiderat? ”. Cogitans autem in corde suo Aman et reputans quod nullum aliumrex nisi se vellet honorare	6 we commanded that whomever Haman, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honor in the place of a father, whomever he would point out should be destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that no one may take pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year,
7 respondit: “ Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,	7 so that these guilty men, all on one day, may go down to the underworld, restoring to our empire the peace that they had disturbed.”
8 debet indui vestibus regiis, quibus rex indutus erat, et imponi super equum, quide sella regis est, et acceperit regium diadema super caput suum;	8 And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.
9 et primus deregiis principibus nobilissimis induat eum et teneat equum eius et per plateamcivitatis incedens clamet et dicat: “Sic honorabitur quemcumque voluerit rexhonorare” ”.	9 The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.
10 Dixitque ei rex: “ Festina et, sumpta stola et equo, fac, ut locutus es,Mardochaeo Iudaeo, qui sedet in foribus palatii; cave, ne quidquam de his, quaelocutus es, praetermittas ”.
11 Tulit itaque Aman stolam et equum; indutumqueMardochaeum et impositum equo praecedebat in platea civitatis atque clamabat:“ Hoc honore condignus est quemcumque rex voluerit honorare ”.
12 Reversusque est Mardochaeus ad ianuam palatii; et Aman festinavit ire indomum suam lugens et operto capite.
13 Narravitque Zares uxori suae et amicisomnia, quae evenissent sibi; cui responderunt sapientes, quos habebat inconsilio, et uxor eius: “ Si de semine Iudaeorum est Mardochaeus, ante quemcadere coepisti, non poteris praevalere contra eum, sed cades in conspectu eius”.
14 Adhuc illis loquentibus, venerunt eunuchi regis et cito eum adconvivium, quod regina paraverat, pergere compulerunt.