Liber Esther

Quæ cum audisset Mardochæus, scidit vestimenta sua, et indutus est sacco, spargens cinerem capiti: et in platea mediæ civitatis voce magna clamabat, ostendens amaritudinem animi sui,

Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.

Mardochaeo cum audi que, scinde vestimentos suo, et indusa es sacco, sparge cinere ad capite: et in platea medio de civitate voce magna clama, ostende amaritudine de animo suo,

et hoc ejulatu usque ad fores palatii gradiens. Non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare.

And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king's court.

Et hoc eiulatu usque ad foris de palatii grada. Non nam es lice indue sacco aula de rege intra.

In omnibus quoque provinciis, oppidis, ac locis, ad quæ crudele regis dogma pervenerat, planctus ingens erat apud Judæos, jejunium, ululatus, et fletus, sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus.

And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king's cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.

In omni etiam provincias, oppidos, et locos, ad que crudeli de rege dogmate perveni, planctu ingenti es apud Iudaeos, ieiunio, ululatu, et fletu, sacco et cinere multo pro sterne ute.

Ingressæ autem sunt puellæ Esther et eunuchi, nuntiaveruntque ei. Quod audiens consternata est, et vestem misit, ut ablato sacco induerent eum: quam accipere noluit.

Then Esther's maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.

Ingredior autem es puellas de Esthro et eunuchos, et nuntia ad illo. Quod audiente consterna es, et veste mitte, ut aufer sacco indue illo: quam accipe ne vol.

Accitoque Athach eunucho, quem rex ministrum ei dederat, præcepit ei ut iret ad Mardochæum, et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret.

And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.

Et accita Athach eunucho, quem rege ministro ad illo da, praecipie ad illo ut i ad Mardochaeo, et disce ab eo quare hoc fac.

Egressusque Athach, ivit ad Mardochæum stantem in platea civitatis, ante ostium palatii:

And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:

Et egredior Athach, i ad Mardochaeo sta in platea de civitate, ante ostio de palatii:

qui indicavit ei omnia quæ acciderant: quomodo Aman promisisset ut in thesauros regis pro Judæorum nece inferret argentum.

And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king's treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.

Qui indica ad illo omni que accide: quomodo Amane promitte ut in thesauros de rege pro Iudaeos nece infer argento.

Exemplar quoque edicti, quod pendebat in Susan, dedit ei, ut reginæ ostenderet, et moneret eam ut intraret ad regem et deprecaretur eum pro populo suo.

He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.

Exemplare etiam de edicto, quod pende in Susan, da ad illo, ut de regina ostende, et mone illa ut intra ad rege et depreca illo pro populo suo.

Regressus Athach, nuntiavit Esther omnia quæ Mardochæus dixerat.

And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.

Regredior Athach, nuntia Esthro omni Mardochaeo dic que.

Quæ respondit ei, et jussit ut diceret Mardochæo:

She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:

Que responde ad illo, et iube ut dic ad Mardochaeo:

Omnes servi regis, et cunctæ, quæ sub ditione ejus sunt, norunt provinciæ, quod sive vir, sive mulier non vocatus, interius atrium regis intraverit, absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur: nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiæ, atque ita possit vivere. Ego igitur quomodo ad regem intrare potero, quæ triginta jam diebus non sum vocata ad eum?

All the king's servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king's inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?

Omni servos de rege, et cuncta, que sub ditione de illo es, nosce de provincia, quod sive viro, sive muliere non vocato, interiori atrio de rege intra, absque ullo cunctatione statim interfice: nisi forte rege tetenda aurea ad illo virga pro signo de clementia, et ita pote vive. Me ergo quomodo ad rege intra pote, que triginta jam dies non es voca ad illo?

Quod cum audisset Mardochæus,

And when Mardochai had heard this,

Quod cum audi Mardochaeo,

rursum mandavit Esther, dicens: Ne putes quod animam tuam tantum liberes, quia in domo regis es præ cunctis Judæis:

He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king's house, more than all the Jews:

Iterum Esthro manda, dicente: ne puta quod anima tuo tanto libera, quia in domo de rege es prae cuncta Iudaeos:

si enim nunc silueris, per aliam occasionem liberabuntur Judæi: et tu, et domus patris tui, peribitis. Et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris, ut in tali tempore parareris?

For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father's house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?

Si nam nunc sile, per alio occasione Iudaeos libera: et te, et domo de patre tuo, peri. Et qui nosce utro ergo ad regno veni, ut in tale tempore para?

Rursumque Esther hæc Mardochæo verba mandavit:

And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:

Et mursus Esthro hoc ad Mardochaeo verbos manda:

Vade, et congrega omnes Judæos quos in Susan repereris, et orate pro me. Non comedatis et non bibatis tribus diebus et tribus noctibus: et ego cum ancillis meis similiter jejunabo, et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens, non vocata, tradensque me morti et periculo.

Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.

Vade, et congrega omni Iudaeos que in Susan reperi, et ora pro me. Non comede et non bibe tre die et tre nocte: et me cum ancillas meo similiter ieiuna, et tunc ingredior ad rege contra lege faciente, non voca, et trade me ad morte et periculo.

Ivit itaque Mardochæus, et fecit omnia quæ ei Esther præceperat.

So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.

Mardochaeo itaque i, et fac omni Esthro ad illo praecipie que.