Liber Esther

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

That 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,

Rege duc nocte illa insomne, et iube ad se ad-fer historias et annales priore de tempores. Que cum illo praesenti lege,

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

They 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.

Veni es ad illo loco ubi scripto es quomodo nuntia Mardochaeo insidias Bagathane et Thare de eunuchos, rege Assuro iugula cupie.

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

And 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.

Rege cum audi quod, dic: quid pro hoc fide de honore et de praemio Mardochaeo consequor es? Servos ad illo de illo et ministros dic: nihil omnino de mercede accipe.

Statimque 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.

And 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.

Et statim rege: qui es, dic, in atrio? Amane quippe interiori atrio de domo de regia intra, ut suggere ad rege, et iube Mardochaeo affige patibulo, quod ad illo es praepara.

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

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

Pueros responde: amane sta in atrio. Et dic rege: ingredior.

Cumque 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,

And 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,

Cumque es ingredior, dic ad illo: quid debe fieri ad viro, quem rege honora desidera? Cogita autem in corde suo Amane, et reputa quod nullo alio rege, nisi se, vol honora,

respondit: Homo, quem rex honorare cupit,

Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,

Responde: homine, quem rege honora cupie,

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

Ought 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,

Debe indue vestes regia, et impone super equo, qui de sella de rege es, et accipe regia diademate super capite suo:

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

And 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.

Et primo de regia principes et tyrannos tene equo de illo, et per platea de civitate incede clame, et que dic: sic honora, omni rege vol honora.

Dixitque 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.

And 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.

Et dic ad illo rege: festina, et sume stola et equo, fac, ut locuto es, Mardochaeo Iudaeo, qui sede ante foris de palatii. Cave ne ullo de hoc, que locuto es, praetermitte.

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

So 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.

Amane itaque fer stola et equo, et indue Mardochaeo in platea de civitate, et impone equo praecede, et clama: hoc honore condigno es, omni rege vol honora.

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

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

Et reverte es Mardochaeo ad ianua de palatii: et Amane festina i in domo suo, luge et opertum capite:

narravitque 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.

And 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.

Et narra Zare ad uxore suo, et ad amicos, omni que eveni ad se. Ad que responde sape que habe in consilio, et uxore de illo: si de semine de Iudaeos es Mardochaeo, ante quem cade incipe, non pote ad illo resiste, sed cades in conspectu de illo.

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

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

Adhuc ad illos loque, eunuchos de rege veni, et cito illo ad convivio, quod regina para, perge compella.