एस्तेर 6

1That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,

2They came to that place where it was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.

3And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward at all.

4And the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king’s house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet which was prepared for him.

5The servants answered: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.

6And when he was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,

7Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,

8Ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and to be set upon the horse that the king rideth upon, and to have the royal crown upon his head,

9And let the first of the king’s princes and nobles hold his horse, and going through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say: Thus shall he be honoured, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

10And the king said to him: Make haste and take the robe and the horse, and do as thou hast spoken to Mardochai the Jew, who sitteth before the gates of the palace. Beware thou pass over any of those things which thou hast spoken.

11So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mardochai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, went before him, and proclaimed: This honour is he worthy of, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

12But Mardochai returned to the palace gate: and Aman made haste to go to his house, mourning and having his head covered:

13And he told Zares his wife, and his friends, all that had befallen him. And the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife answered him: If Mardochai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst not resist him, but thou shalt fall in his sight.

14As they were yet speaking, the king’s eunuchs came, and compelled him to go quickly to the banquet which the queen had prepared.

1Noctem illam duxit rex insomnem, jussitque sibi afferri historias et annales priorum temporum. Quæ cum illo præsente legerentur,

2ventum est ad illum locum ubi scriptum erat quomodo nuntiasset Mardochæus insidias Bagathan et Thares eunuchorum, regem Assuerum jugulare cupientium.

3Quod cum audisset rex, ait: Quid pro hac fide honoris ac præmii Mardochæus consecutus est? Dixerunt ei servi illius ac ministri: Nihil omnino mercedis accepit.

4Statimque rex: Quis est, inquit, in atrio? Aman quippe interius atrium domus regiæ intraverat, ut suggereret regi, et juberet Mardochæum affigi patibulo, quod ei fuerat præparatum.

5Responderunt pueri: Aman stat in atrio. Dixitque rex: Ingrediatur.

6Cumque esset ingressus, ait illi: Quid debet fieri viro, quem rex honorare desiderat? Cogitans autem in corde suo Aman, et reputans quod nullum alium rex, nisi se, vellet honorare,

7respondit: Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,

8debet indui vestibus regiis, et imponi super equum, qui de sella regis est, et accipere regium diadema super caput suum:

9et primus de regiis principibus ac tyrannis teneat equum ejus, et per plateam civitatis incedens clamet, et dicat: Sic honorabitur, quemcumque voluerit rex honorare.

10Dixitque ei rex: Festina, et sumpta stola et equo, fac, ut locutus es, Mardochæo Judæo, qui sedet ante fores palatii. Cave ne quidquam de his, quæ locutus es, prætermittas.

11Tulit itaque Aman stolam et equum, indutumque Mardochæum in platea civitatis, et impositum equo præcedebat, atque clamabat: Hoc honore condignus est, quemcumque rex voluerit honorare.

12Reversusque est Mardochæus ad januam palatii: et Aman festinavit ire in domum suam, lugens et operto capite:

13narravitque Zares uxori suæ, et amicis, omnia quæ evenissent sibi. Cui responderunt sapientes quos habebat in consilio, et uxor ejus: Si de semine Judæorum est Mardochæus, ante quem cadere cœpisti, non poteris ei resistere, sed cades in conspectu ejus.

14Adhuc illis loquentibus, venerunt eunuchi regis, et cito eum ad convivium, quod regina paraverat, pergere compulerunt.

1The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,

2they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.

3When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”

4And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.

5The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”

6And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,

7answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,

8ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.

9And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’ ”

10And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”

11And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”

12And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.

13And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”

14As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.