ΕΣΘΗΡ - Ester - Esther 2

LXX	NEW JERUSALEM
1 και μετα τους λογους τουτους εκοπασεν ο βασιλευς του θυμου και ουκετι εμνησθη της αστιν μνημονευων οια ελαλησεν και ως κατεκρινεν αυτην	1 Some time after this, when the king's wrath had subsided, Ahasuerus remembered Vashti, how she hadbehaved, and the measures taken against her.
2 και ειπαν οι διακονοι του βασιλεως ζητηθητω τω βασιλει κορασια αφθορα καλα τω ειδει	2 The king's gentlemen-in-waiting said, 'A search should be made on the king's behalf for beautiful youngvirgins,
3 και καταστησει ο βασιλευς κωμαρχας εν πασαις ταις χωραις της βασιλειας αυτου και επιλεξατωσαν κορασια παρθενικα καλα τω ειδει εις σουσαν την πολιν εις τον γυναικωνα και παραδοθητωσαν τω ευνουχω του βασιλεως τω φυλακι των γυναικων και δοθητω σμηγμα και η λοιπη επιμελεια	3 and the king appoint commissioners throughout the provinces of his realm to bring al these beautifulyoung virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the harem under the authority of Hegai the king's eunuch, custodian ofthe women. Here he wil give them whatever they need for enhancing their beauty,
4 και η γυνη η αν αρεση τω βασιλει βασιλευσει αντι αστιν και ηρεσεν τω βασιλει το πραγμα και εποιησεν ουτως	4 and the girl who pleases the king can take Vashti's place as queen.' This advice pleased the king and heacted on it.
5 και ανθρωπος ην ιουδαιος εν σουσοις τη πολει και ονομα αυτω μαρδοχαιος ο του ιαιρου του σεμειου του κισαιου εκ φυλης βενιαμιν	5 Now in the citadel of Susa there lived a Jew cal ed Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, ofthe tribe of Benjamin,
6 ος ην αιχμαλωτος εξ ιερουσαλημ ην ηχμαλωτευσεν ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλευς βαβυλωνος	6 who had been deported from Jerusalem among the captives taken away with Jeconiah king of Judah byNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,
7 και ην τουτω παις θρεπτη θυγατηρ αμιναδαβ αδελφου πατρος αυτου και ονομα αυτη εσθηρ εν δε τω μεταλλαξαι αυτης τους γονεις επαιδευσεν αυτην εαυτω εις γυναικα και ην το κορασιον καλον τω ειδει	7 and was now bringing up a certain Hadassah, otherwise cal ed Esther, his uncle's daughter, who hadlost both father and mother; the girl had a good figure and a beautiful face, and on the death of her parentsMordecai had adopted her as his daughter.
8 και οτε ηκουσθη το του βασιλεως προσταγμα συνηχθησαν κορασια πολλα εις σουσαν την πολιν υπο χειρα γαι και ηχθη εσθηρ προς γαι τον φυλακα των γυναικων	8 On the promulgation of the royal command and edict a great number of girls were brought to the citadelof Susa where they were entrusted to Hegai. Esther, too, was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai,the custodian of the women.
9 και ηρεσεν αυτω το κορασιον και ευρεν χαριν ενωπιον αυτου και εσπευσεν αυτη δουναι το σμηγμα και την μεριδα και τα επτα κορασια τα αποδεδειγμενα αυτη εκ βασιλικου και εχρησατο αυτη καλως και ταις αβραις αυτης εν τω γυναικωνι	9 The girl pleased him and won his favour. Not only did he quickly provide her with al she needed for herdressing room and her meals, but he gave her seven special maids from the king's household and transferredher and her maids to the best part of the harem.
10 και ουχ υπεδειξεν εσθηρ το γενος αυτης ουδε την πατριδα ο γαρ μαρδοχαιος ενετειλατο αυτη μη απαγγειλαι	10 Esther had not divulged her race or parentage, since Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.
11 καθ' εκαστην δε ημεραν ο μαρδοχαιος περιεπατει κατα την αυλην την γυναικειαν επισκοπων τι εσθηρ συμβησεται	11 Mordecai walked up and down in front of the courtyard of the harem al day and every day, to learnhow Esther was and how she was being treated.
12 ουτος δε ην καιρος κορασιου εισελθειν προς τον βασιλεα οταν αναπληρωση μηνας δεκα δυο ουτως γαρ αναπληρουνται αι ημεραι της θεραπειας μηνας εξ αλειφομεναι εν σμυρνινω ελαιω και μηνας εξ εν τοις αρωμασιν και εν τοις σμηγμασιν των γυναικων	12 Each girl had to appear in turn before King Ahasuerus after a delay of twelve months fixed by theregulations for the women; this preparatory period was occupied as fol ows: six months with oil of myrrh, and sixmonths with spices and lotions commonly used for feminine beauty treatment.
13 και τοτε εισπορευεται προς τον βασιλεα και ο εαν ειπη παραδωσει αυτη συνεισερχεσθαι αυτη απο του γυναικωνος εως των βασιλειων	13 When each girl went to the king, she was given whatever she wanted to take with her, since she thenmoved from the harem into the royal household.
14 δειλης εισπορευεται και προς ημεραν αποτρεχει εις τον γυναικωνα τον δευτερον ου γαι ο ευνουχος του βασιλεως ο φυλαξ των γυναικων και ουκετι εισπορευεται προς τον βασιλεα εαν μη κληθη ονοματι	14 She went there in the evening, and the fol owing morning returned to another harem entrusted to thecare of Shaashgaz, the king's officer, custodian of the concubines. She did not go to the king any more, unlesshe was particularly pleased with her and had her summoned by name.
15 εν δε τω αναπληρουσθαι τον χρονον εσθηρ της θυγατρος αμιναδαβ αδελφου πατρος μαρδοχαιου εισελθειν προς τον βασιλεα ουδεν ηθετησεν ων αυτη ενετειλατο ο ευνουχος ο φυλαξ των γυναικων ην γαρ εσθηρ ευρισκουσα χαριν παρα παντων των βλεποντων αυτην	15 But when it was the turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail, whose nephew Mordecai had adopted heras his own daughter, to go into the king's presence, she did not ask for anything beyond what had beenassigned her by Hegai, the king's officer, custodian of the women. Esther won the approval of al who saw her.
16 και εισηλθεν εσθηρ προς αρταξερξην τον βασιλεα τω δωδεκατω μηνι ος εστιν αδαρ τω εβδομω ετει της βασιλειας αυτου	16 She was brought to King Ahasuerus in his royal apartments in the tenth month, which is cal ed Tebeth,in the seventh year of his reign;
17 και ηρασθη ο βασιλευς εσθηρ και ευρεν χαριν παρα πασας τας παρθενους και επεθηκεν αυτη το διαδημα το γυναικειον	17 and the king liked Esther better than any of the other women; none of the other girls found so muchfavour and approval with him. So he set the royal diadem on her head and proclaimed her queen instead ofVashti.
18 και εποιησεν ο βασιλευς ποτον πασι τοις φιλοις αυτου και ταις δυναμεσιν επι ημερας επτα και υψωσεν τους γαμους εσθηρ και αφεσιν εποιησεν τοις υπο την βασιλειαν αυτου	18 The king then gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for al his officers-of-state and ministers,decreed a holiday for al the provinces and distributed largesse with royal prodigality.
19 ο δε μαρδοχαιος εθεραπευεν εν τη αυλη	19 When Esther, like the other girls, had been transferred to the second harem,
20 η δε εσθηρ ουχ υπεδειξεν την πατριδα αυτης ουτως γαρ ενετειλατο αυτη μαρδοχαιος φοβεισθαι τον θεον και ποιειν τα προσταγματα αυτου καθως ην μετ' αυτου και εσθηρ ου μετηλλαξεν την αγωγην αυτης	20 she did not divulge her parentage or race, in obedience to the orders of Mordecai, whose instructionsshe continued to fol ow as when she had been under his care.
21 και ελυπηθησαν οι δυο ευνουχοι του βασιλεως οι αρχισωματοφυλακες οτι προηχθη μαρδοχαιος και εζητουν αποκτειναι αρταξερξην τον βασιλεα	21 At this time Mordecai was attached to the Chancel ery and two malcontents, Bigthan and Teresh,officers in the king's service as Guards of the Threshold, plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
22 και εδηλωθη μαρδοχαιω ο λογος και εσημανεν εσθηρ και αυτη ενεφανισεν τω βασιλει τα της επιβουλης	22 Mordecai came to hear of this and informed Queen Esther, who in turn, on Mordecai's authority, toldthe king.
23 ο δε βασιλευς ητασεν τους δυο ευνουχους και εκρεμασεν αυτους και προσεταξεν ο βασιλευς καταχωρισαι εις μνημοσυνον εν τη βασιλικη βιβλιοθηκη υπερ της ευνοιας μαρδοχαιου εν εγκωμιω	23 The matter was investigated and proved to be true. The two conspirators were sent to the gal ows, andthe incident was recorded in the Annals, in the royal presence.