16 — Esther

1The great king Artaxerxes, from India to Ethiopia, to the governors and princes of a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, which obey our command, sendeth greeting.Il gran re Artaserse (che domina) dall'India fino all'Etiopia ai governatori, e principi delle cento venti sette provincie, le quali ubbidiscono ai nostri comandi, salute.THE great king Artaxerxes, from India to Aethiopia to the dukes and princes of an hundred twentie seuen prouinces, which obey our commandment, sendeth greeting.Rex magnus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam, centum viginti septem provinciarum ducibus ac principibus qui nostræ jussioni obediunt, salutem dicit. 2Many have abused unto pride the goodness of princes, and the honour that hath been bestowed upon them:Molti hanno abusato della bontà de' prìncipi, e degli onori conferiti ad essi, per insuperbirne:Manie haue abused vnto pride the goodnes of princes, and the honour, that hath beene bestowed vpon them:Multi bonitate principum et honore, qui in eos collatus est, abusi sunt in superbiam: 3And not only endeavour to oppress the king’s subjects, but not bearing the glory that is given them, take in hand, to practise also against them that gave it.E non solamente tentano di opprimere i sudditi dei re, ma non essendo capaci di reggere alla gloria data loro, tendono insidie a quegli stessi, da' quali la ricevettero.and they do not only endeuour to oppresse the kings subiectes, but not bearing the glorie that is geuen them, they worke treason against them that gaue it.et non solum subjectos regibus nituntur opprimere, sed datam sibi gloriam non ferentes, in ipsos qui dederunt, moliuntur insidias. 4Neither are they content not to return thanks for benefits received, and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity, but they think they can also escape the justice of God who seeth all things.E non si contentano di essere in grati a' benefizj, e di violare in se stessi i diritti dell'umanità; ma presumono eziandio di poter sottrarsi al giudicio di Dio, che vede il tutto.Neither are they content not to geue thankes for the benefittes, and to violate in them selues the lawes of humanitie, but they thincke they can escape the sentence of God also who seeth al things.Nec contenti sunt gratias non agere beneficiis, et humanitatis in se jura violare, sed Dei quoque cuncta cernentis arbitrantur se posse fugere sententiam. 5And they break out into so great madness, as to endeavour to undermine by lies such as observe diligently the offices committed to them, and do all things in such manner as to be worthy of all men’s praise,E a tanta insania son giunti, che cogli artifizj della menzogna han tentato di rovinare quegli, i quali adempiono con esattezza gli ufficj loro, e si diportano in tal guisa, che delle lodi di tutti son degni,And they haue burst forth into so great madnes, that such as obserue diligently the offices committed vnto them, and do al thinges so that they are worthie of al mens prayse, them they endeuour to ouerthrow by subtil meanes of lies,Et in tantum vesaniæ proruperunt, ut eos qui credita sibi officia diligenter observant, et ita cuncta agunt ut omnium laude digni sint, mendaciorum cuniculis conentur subvertere, 6While with crafty fraud they deceive the ears of princes that are well meaning, and judge of others by their own nature.Ingannando colle astute fraudi le orecchie de' principi, i quali essendo sinceri, dal proprio lor naturale giudicano degli altri.whiles with craftie fraude they deceiue the simple eares of princes, and esteming others b• their owne nature.dum aures principum simplices, et ex sua natura alios æstimantes, callida fraude decipiunt.

7Now this is proved both from ancient histories, and by the things which are done daily, how the good designs of kings are depraved by the evil suggestions of certain men.Della qual cosa le prove si hanno e dalle antiche storie, e da quel, che accade ogni dì si conosce come per le prave suggestioni di taluni si corrompono le buone inclinazioni dei re.Which thing is proued both out of old histories, and by these thinges, which are done daily, how the enterprises of kinges are depraued by the euil suggestions of certaine menQuæ res et ex veteribus probatur historiis, et ex his quæ geruntur quotidie, quomodo malis quorumdam suggestionibus regum studia depraventur. 8Wherefore we must provide for the peace of all provinces.Per la qual cosa fa d'uopo di provedere alla pace di tutte le provincie.Wherfore we must prouide for the peace of al prouinces.Unde providendum est paci omnium provinciarum. 9Neither must you think, if we command different things, that it cometh of the levity of our mind, but that we give sentence according to the quality and necessity of times, as the profit of the commonwealth requireth.Né dovete credere, che se variano i nostri comandamenti, venga ciò da leggerezza dell'animo nostro, ma che i nostri giudizj sono adattati alla condizione, e alla necessita dei tempi, come porta il bene della Repubblica.Neither must you thincke if we command diuers things, that it cometh of the lightnesse of our mind, but that we geue sentence according to the qualitie & necessitie of times, as the profite of the common wealth requireth.Nec putare debetis, si diversa jubeamus, ex animi nostri venire levitate, sed pro qualitate et necessitate temporum, ut reipublicæ poscit utilitas, ferre sententiam. 10Now that you may more plainly understand what we say, Aman the son of Amadathi, a Macedonian both in mind and country, and having nothing of the Persian blood, but with his cruelty staining our goodness, was received being a stranger by us:E affinchè meglio intendiate quello, che diciamo, Aman figliuolo di Amadati Macedone di animo, e di nazione, e alieno dal sangue Persiano, il quale colla sua crudeltà disonorava la pietà nostra, forestiero fu accolto da noi:And that you may more plainly vnderstand, that which we say, Aman the sonne of Amadathi, both in mind and countrie a Macedonian, and an aliene from the Persians bloud, and with his crueltie stayning our pietie, was receiued of vs a stranger:Et ut manifestius quod dicimus intelligatis, Aman filius Amadathi, et animo et gente Macedo, alienusque a Persarum sanguine, et pietatem nostram sua crudelitate commaculans, peregrinus a nobis susceptus est:

11And found our humanity so great towards him, that he was called our father, and was worshipped by all as the next man after the king:E tanta trovò egli in noi umanità, che era chiamato nostro padre, ed era adorato da tutti, secondo dopo il re:and found our humanitie so great towardes him, that he was called our father, and was adored of al second after the king:et tantam in se expertus humanitatem, ut pater noster vocaretur, et adoraretur ab omnibus post regem secundus: 12But he was so far puffed up with arrogancy, as to go about to deprive us of our kingdom and life.Ma egli si gonfiò di tanta arroganza, che tentò di privarci del regno, e della vita.who was puft vp with so great swelling of arrogancie, that he went about to depriue vs of kingdom and life.qui in tantum arrogantiæ tumorem sublatus est, ut regno privare nos niteretur et spiritu. 13For with certain new and unheard of devices he hath sought the destruction of Mardochai, by whose fidelity and good services our life was saved, and of Esther the partner of our kingdom with all their nation:Imperocché con nuovi, e inauditi e artifizj perseguitò a morte Mardocheo, dalla fedeltà, e servigj del quale noi riconosciamo la vita, ed Esther, che è a parte del nostro regno, con tutta la loro nazione:For by certaine new deuises and not heard of before he hath sought to kil Mardocheus, by whose fidelitie and benefittes we liue, and Esther the felow of our kingdom with al their nation:Nam Mardochæum, cujus fide et beneficiis vivimus, et consortem regni nostri Esther cum omni gente sua, novis quibusdam atque inauditis machinis expetivit in mortem: 14Thinking that after they were slain, he might work treason against us left alone without friends, and might transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.Avendo in mira, uccisi questi, di tendere insidie a noi derelitti, e di far passare ne' Macedoni il regno de' Persiani.thincking this that they being slayne, he might worke treason to our solitarines, and might transferre the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonianshoc cogitans ut illis interfectis, insidiaretur nostræ solitudini, et regnum Persarum transferret in Macedonas. 15But we have found that the Jews, who were by that most wicked man appointed to be slain, are in no fault at all, but contrariwise, use just laws,Or noi non abbiam trovato, che siano rei di verun fallo i Giudei destinati alla morte dal peggiore degli uomini; ma che pel contrario ei vivono sotto giuste leggi;But we haue found the Iewes, which were by that most wicked of men oppoynted to be slayne, in no fault at al, but contrariwise vsing iust lawes,Nos autem a pessimo mortalium Judæos neci destinatos, in nulla penitus culpa reperimus, sed e contrario justis utentes legibus, 16And are the children of the highest and the greatest, and the ever living God, by whose benefit the kingdom was given both to our fathers and to us, and is kept unto this day.E son figliuoli dell'Altissimo, e massimo, e sempre vivente Iddio, per beneficio di cui a' padri nostri, e a noi fu dato il regno, e sino al giorno d'oggi è conservato.and the children of the highest and the greatest, and alwayes louing God, by whose benefite the kingdom was geuen both to our fathers and to vs, and is kept vnto this day.et filios altissimi et maximi semperque viventis Dei, cujus beneficio et patribus nostris et nobis regnum est traditum, et usque hodie custoditur.

17Wherefore know ye that those letters which he sent in our name, are void and of no effect.Per la qual cosa sappiate, che mille son quelle lettere, che egli a nome nostro spedì.Wherfore know ye those letters, which he directed in our name, to be of none effect.Unde eas litteras, quas sub nomine nostro ille direxerat, sciatis esse irritas. 18For which crime both he himself that devised it, and all his kindred hang on gibbets, before the gates of this city Susan: not we, but God repaying him as he deserved.In pena della quale scelleraggine ed egli che la ordì, e tutta la sua parentela sono stati appesi a' patiboli dinanzi alle porte di questa città di Susa, a lui rendendo non noi, ma Dio quel, che egli ha meritato.For the which heinous fact, before the gates of this citie, that is, of Susan, both him self that deuised it, and al his kinred hang on gibbettes: not we, but God repaying him that which he hath deserued.Pro quo scelere ante portas hujus urbis, id est, Susan, et ipse qui machinatus est, et omnis cognatio ejus pendet in patibulis: non nobis, sed Deo reddente ei quod meruit. 19But this edict, which we now send, shall be published in all cities, that the Jews may freely follow their own laws.Or questo editto spedito da noi sia affisso in tutte le città, affinchè sia lecito a' Giudei di seguire le loro leggi.But this edict, which we now send, let it be set forth in al cities, that it be lawful for the Iewes to vse their owne lawes.Hoc autem edictum, quod nunc mittimus, in cunctis urbibus proponatur, ut liceat Judæis uti legibus suis. 20And you shall aid them that they may kill those who had prepared themselves to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar.E voi dovete prestar loro la mano, affinchè a quelli, che si erano accinti a sterminarli possano dar morte il terzodecimo giorno del mese duodecimo detto Adar:Whom you must helpe, that those, which had prepared them selues to their slaughter, they may kil the thirtenth day of the twelfth moneth, which is called Adar.Quibus debetis esse adminiculo, ut eos qui se ad necem eorum paraverant, possint interficere tertiadecima die mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar. 21For the almighty God hath turned this day of sadness and mourning into joy to them.Perocché questo giorno di afflizione, e di duolo, lo ha per essi cangiato Dio onnipotente in giorno di gaudio.For God omnipotent hath turned this day of sadnes and mourning into ioy to them.Hanc enim diem, Deus omnipotens, mœroris et luctus, eis vertit in gaudium. 22Wherefore you shall also count this day among other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy, that it may be known also in times to come,Onde voi pure tra gli altri di festi vi conterete questo giorno, e lo celebrerete con ogni allegrezza, affinchè ancor ne' futuri tempi si riconosca,Wherfore count you also this day among other festiual daies, and celebrate it with al ioy, that hereafter also it may be knowne,Unde et vos inter ceteros festos dies, hanc habetote diem, et celebrate eam cum omni lætitia, ut et in posterum cognoscatur, 23That all they who faithfully obey the Persians, receive a worthy reward for their fidelity: but they that are traitors to their kingdom, are destroyed for their wickedness.Come tutti quelli, che ubbidiscono fedelmente ai Persiani, ricevon degna mercede della loro fede; e quei, che congiurano contro il loro regno, per la loro scelleratezza periscono.that al, which faythfully obey the Persians, receiue worthie reward for their fidelitie: and they that lie in wayte against their kingdom, perish for their wicked fact.omnes qui fideliter Persis obediunt, dignam pro fide recipere mercedem; qui autem insidiantur regno eorum, perire pro scelere.

24And let every province and city, that will not be partaker of this solemnity, perish by the sword and by fire, and be destroyed in such manner as to be made unpassable, both to men and beasts, for an example of contempt, and disobedience.E qualunque provincia, e ritta, che non vorrà essere a parte di questa solennità, perisca di spada, e col fuoco, e sia sterminata, talmente che non solo agli uomini, ma anche alle bestie sia inaccessibile, in perpetuo esempio ai disprezzatori, e ai disubbidienti.And euerie prouince and citie, that wil not be partaker of this solemnitie, let it perish by sword and fyre, and let it so be destroyed, that not onlie men, but also beastes haue no accesse therto for euer, for an example of contempt, and disobedience.Omnis autem provincia et civitas quæ noluerit solemnitatis hujus esse particeps, gladio et igne pereat, et sic deleatur, ut non solum hominibus, sed etiam bestiis invia sit in sempiternum, pro exemplo contemptus et inobedientiæ.