3 — Esther

1After these things, king Assuerus advanced Aman, the son of Amadathi, who was of the race of Agag: and he set his throne above all the princes that were with him.Dopo di ciò il re Assuero innalzò Aman figliuolo di Amadathi, il quale era della stirpe di Agag; e lo fece sedere sopra tutti i principi, che avea d'intorno.AFTER these things king Assuerus aduanced Aman the sonne of Amadathi, which was of the stocke of Agag: & he put his throne aboue al the princes which he had.Post hæc rex Assuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi, qui erat de stirpe Agag: et posuit solium ejus super omnes principes quos habebat. 2And all the king’s servants, that were at the doors of the palace, bent their knees, and worshipped Aman: for so the emperor had commanded them, only Mardochai did not bend his knee, nor worship him.E tutti i servi del re, che frequentavano le porte del palazzo, piegavano le ginocchia, e adoravano Aman; perocché così avea comandato l'Imperadore: il solo Mardocheo non piegava le ginocchia, e non lo adorava.And al the kings seruantes, that were in the doores of his pallace, bowed their knees, and adored Aman: for so the emperour had commanded them, onlie Mardocheus did not bowe his knee, nor adore him.Cunctique servi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua, et adorabant Aman: sic enim præceperat eis imperator: solus Mardochæus non flectebat genu, neque adorabat eum. 3And the king’s servants that were chief at the doors of the palace, said to him: Why dost thou alone not observe the king’s commandment?E i servi del re, che presedevano alle porte del palazzo, gli dissero: Perchè non osservi tu l'ordine del re, come tutti gli altri?To whom the kings seruantes, that were chiefe at the doores of the pallace, said: Why doest thou aboue the rest not obserue the kings commandment.Cui dixerunt pueri regis, qui ad fores palatii præsidebant: Cur præter ceteros non observas mandatum regis ? 4And when they were saying this often, and he would not hearken to them, they told Aman, desirous to know whether he would continue in his resolution: for he had told them that he was a Jew.E avendo quelli detto ciò a lui più volte, e non volendo egli fare a modo loro, ne diedero parte ad Aman, desiderosi di far prova se quegli restasse sempre ne' medesimi sentimenti; perocché egli avea detto, se esser Giudeo.And when they said this often, and he would not heare, they told Aman, desirous to know whether he would perseuere in his sentence: for he had told them that he was a Iew.Cumque hoc crebrius dicerent, et ille nollet audire, nuntiaverunt Aman, scire cupientes utrum perseveraret in sententia: dixerat enim eis se esse Judæum.

5Now when Aman had heard this, and had proved by experience that Mardochai did not bend his knee to him, nor worship him, he was exceeding angry.Udito ciò Aman, e conosciuto avendo alla prova, che Mardocheo non piegava a lui le ginocchia, e non lo adorava, ne concepì grande sdegno:Which when Aman had heard, and had proued by experience that Mardocheus bowed not his knee vnto him, nor adored him, he was angrie excedingly.Quod cum audisset Aman, et experimento probasset quod Mardochæus non flecteret sibi genu, nec se adoraret, iratus est valde, 6And he counted it nothing to lay his hands upon Mardochai alone: for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Jews, and he chose rather to destroy all the nation of the Jews that were in the kingdom of Assuerus.E gli parve un nulla il punire il solo Mardocheo; perocché avea saputo, com'egli era Giudeo di nazione; e volle piuttosto tutta sterminare la moltitudine de' Giudei, che erano nel regno di Assuero.And he counted it a matter of nothing to lay his handes vpon Mardocheus alone: for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Iewes, and he would rather destroy al the nation of the Iewes, that were in the kingdom of Assuerus.et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardochæum mittere manus suas: audierat enim quod esset gentis Judææ; magisque voluit omnem Judæorum, qui erant in regno Assueri, perdere nationem. 7In the first month (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth year of the reign of Assuerus, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, on what day and what month the nation of the Jews should be destroyed: and there came out the twelfth month, which is called Adar.Nel primo mese chiamato Nisan, l'anno duodecimo del regno di Assuero si gettarono in casa di Aman le sorti (dette in Ebreo Phur) nell'urna, per sapere in qual giorno, e in qual mese dovesse essere trucidata la nazione de' Giudei; e uscì fuori il mese duodecimo chiamato Adar.The first moneth (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth yeare of the reigne of Assuerus, the lot was cast into a potte which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, in what day and what moneth the nation of the Iewes should be slayne: and there came forth the twelfth moneth, which is called Adar.Mense primo (cujus vocabulum est Nisan), anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa est sors in urnam, quæ hebraice dicitur phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Judæorum deberet interfici: et exivit mensis duodecimus, qui vocatur Adar. 8And Aman said to king Assuerus: There is a people scattered through all the provinces of thy kingdom, and separated one from another, that use new laws and ceremonies, and moreover despise the king’s ordinances: and thou knowest very well that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they should grow insolent by impunity.Or Aman disse al re Assuero: Havvi un popolo disperso per tutte le provincie del tuo regno di uomini segregati tra' loro, i quali han leggi, e ceremonie inusitate, e oltre a ciò sprezzano gli ordini del re: e tu sai benissimo, che non torna bene pel tuo regno il lasciargli insolentire.And Aman said to king Assuerus: There is a people dispersed through al the prouinces of thy kingdom, and separated one from an other, vsing new lawes and ceremonies, moreouer also contemning the kings ordinances: And thou knowest very wel that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they waxe insolent by libertie.Dixitque Aman regi Assuero: Est populus per omnes provincias regni tui dispersus, et a se mutuo separatus, novis utens legibus et cæremoniis, insuper et regis scita contemnens: et optime nosti quod non expediat regno tuo ut insolescat per licentiam.

9If it please thee, decree that they may be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents to thy treasurers.Se così ti piace, da ordine, ch'ei periscano, e io peserò dieci mila talenti ai tesorieri della tua casa.If it please thee, decree that they may perish, and I wil pay ten thousand talentes to the cofferers of thy treasure.Si tibi placet, decerne, ut pereat, et decem millia talentorum appendam arcariis gazæ tuæ. 10And the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy of the Jews,Allora il re si tolse dal dito l'anello, di cui solea servirsi, e lo dette ad Aman figliuolo di Amadathi della stirpe di Agag, nemico de' Giudei,The king therfore tooke the ring that he vsed, from his hand, and gaue it to Aman the sonne of Amadathi of the progenie of Agag, the enemie of the Iewes,Tulit ergo rex annulum, quo utebatur, de manu sua, et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag, hosti Judæorum, 11And he said to him: As to the money which thou promisest, keep it for thyself: and as to the people, do with them as seemeth good to thee.E gli disse L'argento, che esibisci, sia tuo di quella gente quel, che ti pare,and he said to him: The siluer which thou doest promise, be it thine: but concerning the people doe that which pleaseth thee.dixitque ad eum: Argentum, quod tu polliceris, tuum sit; de populo age quod tibi placet. 12And the king’s scribes were called in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month: and they wrote, as Aman had commanded, to all the king’s lieutenants, and to the judges of the provinces, and of divers nations, as every nation could read, and hear according to their different languages, in the name of king Assuerus: and the letters, sealed with his ring,E furon chiamati i segretarj del re, il primo mese detto Nisan ai tredici dello stesso mese, e secondo l'ordine dato da Aman fu scritto questo a nome di Assuero a tutti i satrapi del re, e ai giudici delle provincie, e delle diverse nazioni in varj linguaggi, perchè potesse leggersi, e intendersi da ciascuna nazione; e la lettera fu sigillata col sigillo reale,And the kings scribes were called in the first moneth, Nisan, the thirtenth day of the same moneth: and there was written, as Aman had commanded, to al the kings lieuftenantes, and iudges of the prouinces, and of diuers nations, as euerie nation could read, and heare according to the varietie of languages, in the name of king Assuerus: and the letters signed with his ring,Vocatique sunt scribæ regis mense primo Nisan, tertiadecima die ejusdem mensis: et scriptum est, ut jusserat Aman, ad omnes satrapas regis, et judices provinciarum, diversarumque gentium, ut quæque gens legere poterat et audire pro varietate linguarum ex nomine regis Assueri: et litteræ signatæ ipsius annulo 13Were sent by the king’s messengers to all provinces, to kill and destroy all the Jews, both young and old, little children, and women, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to make a spoil of their goods.E fu spedita in tutte le provincie per mezzo de' corrieri del re, affinchè uccidessero, e sterminassero tutti i Giudei ragazzi, e vecchi, fanciulli, e donne, in uno stesso giorno, viene a dire, ai tredici del duodecimo mese detto Adar, e che dessero il sacco a tutti i loro beni.were sent by the kings postes to al prouinces, that they should kil and destroy al the Iewes, from boy vnto old man, children, and wemen, in one day, that is, in the thirtenth of the twelth monerh, which is called Adar, and should spoyle them of their goodes.missæ sunt per cursores regis ad universas provincias, ut occiderent atque delerent omnes Judæos, a puero usque ad senem, parvulos et mulieres, uno die, hoc est tertiodecimo mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar; et bona eorum diriperent.

14And the contents of the letters were to this effect, that all provinces might know and be ready against that day.E tale fu la sostanza della lettera, affinchè tutte le provincie ne fossero informate, e si preparassero pel giorno stabilito.And the content of the letters was this, that al prouinces might know, & prepare them selues against the day aforesayd.Summa autem epistolarum hæc fuit, ut omnes provinciæ scirent, et pararent se ad prædictam diem. 15The couriers that were sent made haste to fulfil the king’s commandment. And immediately the edict was hung up in Susan, the king and Aman feasting together, and all the Jews that were in the city weeping.Andavano in fretta i corrieri ad eseguire il comando reale: e subito fu affisso in Susa l'editto in tempo, che il re, e Aman erano in solenne convito, e mentre tutti i Giudei, che stavano in quella città, erano in pianti.The postes that were sent, made hast to fulfil the kings cō mandment. And immediatly the edict hong in Susan, the king and Aman feasting, and al the Iewes that were in the citie, weeping.Festinabant cursores, qui missi erant, regis imperium explere. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, rege et Aman celebrante convivium, et cunctis Judæis, qui in urbe erant, flentibus.