Livro de Ester 4

SAGRADA BIBLIA	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Quando Mardoqueu soube o que se tinha passado, rasgou suas vestes, cobriu-se de saco e cinza, e percorreu a cidade, dando gritos de dor.	1 And so, after this had been carried out, and the indignation of king Artaxerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had happened to her.
2 Veio desse modo até diante da porta do rei, pela qual ninguém tinha o direito de passar com vestes de luto.	2 And the servants of the king, and his ministers, said, “Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
3 Em cada província, em toda parte onde chegava a ordem do rei e seu edito, havia grande desolação entre os judeus. Jejuaram, choraram e fizeram lamentações; e muitos se deitavam sobre o saco e a cinza.	3 and let investigators be sent throughout all the provinces for young women, beautiful and virgins. And let them bring them to the city of Susa, and deliver them to the house of the women under the hand of Hegai the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king’s women. And let them receive feminine ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.
4 As criadas de Ester e seus eunucos vieram contar-lhe o que se passava, e isso lhe causou grande temor. Mandou roupas para revestir Mardoqueu, fazendo-lhe despir o saco de que estava coberto, mas ele não as aceitou.	4 And whoever among them all will please the king’s eyes, let her reign instead of Vashti.” The idea pleased the king, and so he ordered it to be done as they had suggested.
5 Então Ester, chamando Atac, um dos eunucos que o rei pusera a seu serviço, encarregou-o de perguntar a Mardoqueu o que significavam aqueles sinais de dor.	5 There was a Jewish man in the city of Susa, by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the house of Benjamin,
6 Atac foi ter com Mardoqueu, que estava na praça da cidade, diante da porta do rei.	6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried away Jeconiah king of Judah,
7 Soube dele tudo o que tinha acontecido e a quantia de dinheiro que Amã tinha prometido recolher ao tesouro real em troca da destruição dos judeus.	7 who had raised his brother’s daughter Hadassah, who by another name was called Esther. And she had lost both her parents. She was very beautiful, with a graceful appearance. Since her father and mother had both died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
8 Mardoqueu lhe entregou também uma cópia do edito, publicado em Susa para exterminá-los. Devia mostrá-la a Ester, pô-la a par de tudo e movê-la a ir ter com o rei para implorar sua graça e interceder junto dele em favor do povo.	8 And when the king’s command became very well-known, in accordance with his command, many beautiful virgins were brought to Susa, and were delivered to Hegai the eunuch. Likewise, Esther, along with the other young women, was delivered to him, to be protected with the assembled women.
9 Atac veio referir a Ester as palavras de Mardoqueu,	9 She was pleasing to him, and she found favor in his sight. And he commanded a eunuch to hasten the women’s ornaments, and to deliver her share to her, along with seven of the most beautiful young women of the king’s house, so as to both adorn and honor her and her handmaids.
10 mas a rainha mandou Atac responder-lhe:	10 She was not willing to reveal to him her people or her native land. For Mordecai had instructed her that she should keep silent about all these things.
11 Todos os servos do rei e o povo de suas províncias sabem bem que, para quem quer que seja, homem ou mulher, que penetrar sem ser chamado na câmara interior do palácio, há uma lei real condenando-o à morte, exceção feita somente àquele para o qual o rei estender seu cetro de ouro, conservando-lhe a vida. E eis que são já trinta dias que não sou chamada junto ao rei.	11 He went for a walk every day, in the front courtyard of the house in which the chosen virgins were kept, having concern for Esther’s welfare and wanting to know what would happen to her.
12 As palavras de Ester foram referidas a Mardoqueu, e este lhe mandou responder:	12 But, when the time came for each in the line of young women to go in to the king, after everything had been completed concerning feminine grooming, the twelfth month had been reached, to the extent that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for another six months they used certain types of makeup and perfumes.
13 Não imagines que serás a única entre todos os judeus a escapar, por estares no palácio.	13 And when they were going in to the king, whatever they requested to adorn themselves, they received, and when each was pleased with herself, having been prepared in the chamber of the women, she passed on to the king’s chamber.
14 Se te calares agora, o socorro e a libertação virão aos judeus de outra parte; mas tu e a casa de teu pai perecereis. E quem sabe se não foi para essas circunstâncias que chegaste à realeza.	14 And whoever entered at evening, departed in the morning, and then from there she was led to the second house, which was under the hand of Shaashgaz the eunuch, who presided over the king’s concubines. Nor did she have the power to return again to the king, unless the king desired it and had summoned her by name.
15 Ester mandou responder a Mardoqueu:	15 But, as the order continued to progress, the day arrived when Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mordecai, whom he had adopted as his daughter, was required to go in to the king. She did not seek feminine ornaments, except that whatever Hegai the eunuch and keeper of the virgins chose, he gave her to adorn her. For she was very attractive, and her incredible beauty made her appear gracious and amiable in the eyes of all.
16 Vai reunir todos os judeus de Susa e jejuai por mim sem comer nem beber durante três dias e três noites. Eu farei a mesma coisa com as minhas criadas. Depois disso, apesar da lei, irei ter com o rei. Se houver de morrer, morrerei.	16 And so she was led to the chamber of king Artaxerxes, in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 Mardoqueu se retirou e fez o que Ester pediu.	17 It was inquired into and discovered, and they were both hanged on a gallows. And it was committed to the histories and the chronicles which are delivered in the sight of the king.