Ester 8

NOVA VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Die illo dedit rex Asuerus Esther reginae domum Aman adversariiIudaeorum, et Mardochaeus ingressus est ante faciem regis; confessa est enim eiEsther quid esset sibi.	1 That day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai was admitted to the king's presence, for Esther had revealed his relationship to her.
2 Tulitque rex anulum suum, quem ab Aman recipiiusserat, et tradidit Mardochaeo; Esther autem constituit Mardochaeum superdomum Aman.	2 The king removed his signet ring from Haman, and transferred it into the keeping of Mordecai; and Esther put Mordecai in charge of the house of Haman.
3 Et adiecit Esther loqui coram rege et procidit ad pedes eius flevitque etlocuta ad eum oravit, ut malitiam Aman Agagitae et machinationes eius pessimas,quas excogitaverat contra Iudaeos, iuberet irritas fieri.	3 In another audience with the king, Esther fell at his feet and tearfully implored him to revoke the harm done by Haman the Agagite, and the plan he had devised against the Jews.
4 At ille ex moresceptrum aureum protendit manu; illaque consurgens stetit ante eum	4 The king stretched forth the golden scepter to Esther. So she rose and, standing in his presence,
5 et ait: “Si placet regi, et si inveni gratiam coram eo, et deprecatio mea non ei videturesse contraria, et accepta sum in oculis eius, obsecro, ut novis epistulisveteres litterae Aman filii Amadathi, Agagitae, insidiatoris et hostisIudaeorum, quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire praeceperat,corrigantur.	5 said: "If it pleases your majesty and seems proper to you, and if I have found favor with you and you love me, let a document be issued to revoke the letters which that schemer Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, wrote for the destruction of the Jews in all the royal provinces.
6 Quomodo enim potero sustinere malum, quod passurus est populusmeus, et interitum cognationis meae? ”.	6 For how can I witness the evil that is to befall my people, and how can I behold the destruction of my race?"
7 Responditque rex Asuerus Esther reginae et Mardochaeo Iudaeo: “ Domum Amanconcessi Esther et ipsum iussi appendi in patibulo, quia ausus est manum inIudaeos mittere.	7 King Ahasuerus then said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai: "Now that I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gibbet because he attacked the Jews,
8 Scribite ergo Iudaeis sicut vobis placet, ex regis nomine,signantes litteras anulo meo, quia epistulae ex regis nomine scriptae et illiusanulo signatae non possunt immutari ”.	8 you in turn may write in the king's name what you see fit concerning the Jews and seal the letter with the royal signet ring." For whatever is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.
9 Accitisque scribis regis — erat autem tempus tertii mensis, qui appellaturSivan, vicesima et tertia illius die — scriptae sunt epistulae, ut Mardochaeusvoluerat, ad Iudaeos et ad satrapas procuratoresque et principes, qui centumviginti septem provinciis ab India usque ad Aethiopiam praesidebant, provinciaeatque provinciae, populo et populo, iuxta linguas et litteras suas, et Iudaeisiuxta linguam et litteras suas.	9 At that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, Sivan, the royal scribes were summoned. Exactly as Mordecai dictated, they wrote to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and officials of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia: to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
10 Ipsaeque epistulae, quae ex regis nominemittebantur, anulo ipsius obsignatae sunt et missae per veredarios electis equisregiis discurrentes.	10 These letters, which he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring, he sent by mounted couriers riding thoroughbred royal steeds.
11 Quibus permisit rex Iudaeis in singulis civitatibus, utin unum congregarentur et starent pro animabus suis et omnes inimicos suos cumconiugibus ac liberis interficerent atque delerent et spolia eorum diriperent;	11 In these letters the king authorized the Jews in each and every city to group together and defend their lives, and to kill, destroy, wipe out, along with their wives and children, every armed group of any nation or province which should attack them, and to seize their goods as spoil
12 et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies, id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar.	12 throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on a single day, the thirteenth of the twelfth month, Adar.
13 Exemplar epistulae in forma legis in omnibus provinciis promulgandum erat, utomnibus populis notum fieret paratos esse Iudaeos in diem illam ad capiendamvindictam de hostibus suis.	13 A copy of the letter to be promulgated as law in each and every province was published among all the peoples, so that the Jews might be prepared on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 Egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntiosperferentes, et edictum regis pependit in Susan.	14 Couriers mounted on royal steeds sped forth in haste at the king's order, and the decree was promulgated in the stronghold of Susa.
15 Mardochaeus autem de palatio et de conspectu regis egrediens fulgebatvestibus regiis, hyacinthinis videlicet et albis, coronam magnam auream portansin capite et amictus pallio serico atque purpureo; omnisque civitas exsultavitatque laetata est.	15 Mordecai left the king's presence clothed in a royal robe of violet and of white cotton, with a large crown of gold and a cloak of crimson byssus. The city of Susa shouted with joy,
16 Iudaeis autem nova lux oriri visa est, gaudium, honor ettripudium.	16 and there was splendor and merriment for the Jews, exultation and triumph.
17 Apud omnes populos, urbes atque provincias, quocumque regis iussaveniebant, Iudaeis fuit exsultatio, epulae atque convivia et festus dies, intantum ut plures alterius gentis et sectae eorum religioni et caeremoniisiungerentur; grandis enim cunctos Iudaici nominis terror invaserat.	17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king's order arrived, there was merriment and exultation, banqueting and feasting for the Jews. And many of the peoples of the land embraced Judaism, for they were seized with a fear of the Jews.