Esther 2

1 his itaque gestis postquam regis Asueri deferbuerat indignatio recordatus est Vasthi et quae fecisset vel quae passa esset

And after this the king’s anger was pacified, and he no more mentioned Astin, bearing in mind what she had said, and how he had condemned her.

2 dixeruntque pueri regis ac ministri eius quaerantur regi puellae virgines ac speciosae

Then the servants of the king said, Let there be sought for the king chaste [and] beautiful young virgins.

3 et mittantur qui considerent per universas provincias puellas speciosas et virgines et adducant eas ad civitatem Susan et tradant in domum feminarum sub manu Aegaei eunuchi qui est praepositus et custos mulierum regiarum et accipiant mundum muliebrem et cetera ad usus necessaria

And let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select fair [and] chaste young damsels [and bring them] to the city Susa, into the women’s apartment, and let them be consigned to the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let things for purification and other attendance be given [to them].

4 et quaecumque inter omnes oculis regis placuerit ipsa regnet pro Vasthi placuit sermo regi et ita ut suggesserant iussit fieri

And let the woman who shall please the king be queen instead of Astin. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 erat vir iudaeus in Susis civitate vocabulo Mardocheus filius Iair filii Semei filii Cis de stirpe Iemini

Now there was a Jew in the city Susa, and his name was Mardochæus, the [son] of Jairus, [the son] of Semeias, [the son] of Cisæus, of the tribe of Benjamin;

6 qui translatus fuerat de Hierusalem eo tempore quo Iechoniam regem Iuda Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis transtulerat

who had been brought a prisoner from Jerusalem, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried into captivity.

7 qui fuit nutricius filiae fratris sui Edessae quae altero nomine Hester vocabatur et utrumque parentem amiserat pulchra nimis et decora facie mortuisque patre eius ac matre Mardocheus sibi eam adoptavit in filiam

And he had a foster-child, daughter of Aminadab his father’s brother, and her name [was] Esther; and when her parents were dead, he brought her up for a wife for himself: and the damsel was beautiful.

8 cumque percrebuisset regis imperium et iuxta mandata illius multae virgines pulchrae adducerentur Susan et Aegaeo traderentur eunucho Hester quoque inter ceteras puellas ei tradita est ut servaretur in numero feminarum

And because the king’s ordinance was published, many damsels were gathered to the city Susa under the hand of Gai; and Esther was brought to Gai the keeper of the women.

9 quae placuit ei et invenit gratiam in conspectu illius ut adceleraret mundum muliebrem et traderet ei partes suas et septem puellas speciosissimas de domo regis et tam ipsam quam pedisequas eius ornaret atque excoleret

And the damsel pleased him, and she found favour in his sight; and he hasted to give her the things for purification, and her portion, and the seven maidens appointed her out of the palace: and he treated her and her maidens well in the women’s apartment.

10 quae noluit indicare ei populum et patriam suam Mardocheus enim praeceperat ut de hac re omnino reticeret

But Esther discovered not her family nor her kindred: for Mardochæus had charged her not to tell.

11 qui deambulabat cotidie ante vestibulum domus in qua electae virgines servabantur curam agens salutis Hester et scire volens quid ei accideret

But Mardochæus used to walk every day by the women’s court, to see what would become of Esther.

12 cum autem venisset tempus singularum per ordinem puellarum ut intrarent ad regem expletis omnibus quae ad cultum muliebrem pertinebant mensis duodecimus vertebatur ita dumtaxat ut sex menses oleo unguerentur myrtino et aliis sex quibusdam pigmentis et aromatibus uterentur

Now this was the time for a virgin to go in to the king, when she should have fulfilled twelve months; for so are the days of purification fulfilled, six months while they are anointing themselves with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices and women’s purifications.

13 ingredientesque ad regem quicquid postulassent ad ornatum pertinens accipiebant et ut eis placuerat conpositae de triclinio feminarum ad regis cubiculum transiebant

And then [the damsel] goes in to the king; and [the officer] to whomsoever he shall give the command, will bring her to come in with him from the women’s apartment to the king’s chamber.

14 et quae intraverat vespere egrediebatur mane atque inde in secundas aedes deducebatur quae sub manu Sasagazi eunuchi erant qui concubinis regis praesidebat nec habebat potestatem ad regem ultra redeundi nisi voluisset rex et eam venire iussisset ex nomine

She enters in the evening, and in the morning she departs to the second women’s apartment, where Gai the king’s chamberlain [is] keeper of the women: and she goes not in to the king again, unless she should be called by name.

15 evoluto autem tempore per ordinem instabat dies quo Hester filia Abiahil fratris Mardochei quam sibi adoptaverat in filiam intrare deberet ad regem quae non quaesivit muliebrem cultum sed quaecumque voluit Aegaeus eunuchus custos virginum haec ei ad ornatum dedit erat enim formonsa valde et incredibili pulchritudine omnium oculis gratiosa et amabilis videbatur

And when the time was fulfilled for Esther the daughter of Aminadab the brother of Mardochæus’ father to go in to the king, she neglected nothing which the chamberlain, the women’s keeper, commanded; for Esther found grace in the sight of all that looked upon her.

16 ducta est itaque ad cubiculum regis Asueri mense decimo qui vocatur tebeth septimo anno regni eius

So Esther went in to king Artaxerxes in the twelfth month, which is Adar, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 et amavit eam rex plus quam omnes mulieres habuitque gratiam et misericordiam coram eo super omnes mulieres et posuit diadema regni in capite eius fecitque eam regnare in loco Vasthi

And the king loved Esther, and she found favour beyond all the [other] virgins: and he put on her the queen’s crown.

18 et iussit convivium praeparari permagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis pro coniunctione et nuptiis Hester et dedit requiem in universis provinciis ac dona largitus est iuxta magnificentiam principalem

And the king made a banquet for all his friends and great men for seven days, and he highly celebrated the marriage of Esther; and he made a release to those who were under his dominion.

19 cumque et secundo quaererentur virgines et congregarentur Mardocheus manebat ad regis ianuam

But Mardochæus served in the palace.

20 necdumque prodiderat Hester patriam et populum suum iuxta mandatum eius quicquid enim ille praecipiebat observabat Hester et ita cuncta faciebat ut eo tempore solita erat quo eam parvulam nutriebat

Now Esther had not discovered her kindred; for so Mardochæus commanded her, to fear God, and perform his commandments, as when she was with him: and Esther changed not her manner of life.

21 eo igitur tempore quo Mardocheus ad regis ianuam morabatur irati sunt Bagathan et Thares duo eunuchi regis qui ianitores erant et in primo palatii limine praesidebant volueruntque insurgere in regem et occidere eum

And two chamberlains of the king, the chiefs of the body-guard, were grieved, because Mardochæus was promoted; and they sought to kill king Artaxerxes.

22 quod Mardocheum non latuit statimque nuntiavit reginae Hester et illa regi ex nomine Mardochei qui ad se rem detulerat

And the matter was discovered to Mardochæus, and he made it known to Esther, and she declared to the king the matter of the conspiracy.

23 quaesitum est et inventum et adpensus uterque eorum in patibulo mandatumque historiis et annalibus traditum coram rege

And the king examined the two chamberlains, and hanged them: and the king gave orders to make a note for a memorial in the royal records of the good offices of Mardochæus, as a commendation.