أَسْتِير 9

١ 1 وَفِي ٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلثَّانِي عَشَرَ، أَيْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ، فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنْهُ، حِينَ قَرُبَ كَلَامُ ٱلْمَلِكِ وَأَمْرُهُ مِنَ ٱلإِجْرَاءِ، فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلَّذِي ٱنْتَظَرَ فِيهِ أَعْدَاءُ ٱلْيَهُودِ أَنْ يَتَسَلَّطُوا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَتَحَوَّلَ ذَلِكَ، حَتَّى إِنَّ ٱلْيَهُودَ تَسَلَّطُوا عَلَى مُبْغِضِيهِمِ.

Therefore, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which as we have said before is called Adar, when all the Jews were prepared to be executed and their enemies were greedy for their blood, the situation turned around, and the Jews began to have the upper hand and to vindicate themselves of their adversaries.

٢ 2 ٱجْتَمَعَ ٱلْيَهُودُ فِي مُدُنِهِمْ فِي كُلِّ بِلَادِ ٱلْمَلِكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ لِيَمُدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى طَالِبِي أَذِيَّتِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَقِفْ أَحَدٌ قُدَّامَهُمْ لِأَنَّ رُعْبَهُمْ سَقَطَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ ٱلشُّعُوبِ.

And they gathered together throughout each city, and town, and place, so as to extend their hands against their enemies and their persecutors. And no one dared to resist them, because their great power had pierced all the peoples.

٣ 3 وكُلُّ رُؤَسَاءِ ٱلْبُلْدَانِ وَٱلْمَرَازِبَةُ وَٱلْوُلَاةُ وَعُمَّالُ ٱلْمَلِكِ سَاعَدُوا ٱلْيَهُودَ، لِأَنَّ رُعْبَ مُرْدَخَايَ سَقَطَ عَلَيْهِمْ.

For even the judges of the provinces, and the rulers, and the procurators, and everyone of dignity, who presided over every place and work, extolled the Jews for fear of Mordecai.

٤ 4 لِأَنَّ مُرْدَخَايَ كَانَ عَظِيمًا فِي بَيْتِ ٱلْمَلِكِ، وَسَارَ خَبَرُهُ فِي كُلِّ ٱلْبُلْدَانِ، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّجُلَ مُرْدَخَايَ كَانَ يَتَزَايَدُ عَظَمَةً.

For they knew him to be the leader of the palace and to have much power. Likewise, the fame of his name increased daily and flew everywhere through word of mouth.

٥ 5 فَضَرَبَ ٱلْيَهُودُ جَمِيعَ أَعْدَائِهِمْ ضَرْبَةَ سَيْفٍ وَقَتْلٍ وَهَلَاكٍ، وَعَمِلُوا بِمُبْغِضِيهِمْ مَا أَرَادُوا.

And so the Jews struck their enemies like a great plague and killed them, repaying according to what they had prepared to do to them,

٦ 6 وَقَتَلَ ٱلْيَهُودُ فِي شُوشَنَ ٱلْقَصْرِ وَأَهْلَكُوا خَمْسَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ.

so much so that even in Susa they executed five hundred men, besides the ten sons of Haman the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, and their names are these:

٧ 7 وَفَرْشَنْدَاثَا وَدَلْفُونَ وَأَسْفَاثَا،

Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha

٨ 8 وَفُورَاثَا وَأَدَلْيَا وَأَرِيدَاثَا،

and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

٩ 9 وَفَرْمَشْتَا وَأَرِيسَايَ وَأَرِيدَايَ وَيِزَاثَا،

and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha.

١٠ 10 عَشَرَةَ، بَنِي هَامَانَ بْنِ هَمَدَاثَا عَدُوِّ ٱلْيَهُودِ، قَتَلُوهُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَمُدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّهْبِ.

When they had slain them, they were unwilling to touch the spoils of their belongings.

١١ 11 فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ أُتِيَ بِعَدَدِ ٱلْقَتْلَى فِي شُوشَنَ ٱلْقَصْرِ إِلَى بَيْنِ يَدَيِ ٱلْمَلِكِ.

And immediately the number of those who had been killed in Susa was reported to the king.

١٢ 12 فَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ لِأَسْتِيرَ ٱلْمَلِكَةِ فِي شُوشَنَ ٱلْقَصْرِ: «قَدْ قَتَلَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَأَهْلَكُوا خَمْسَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَبَنِي هَامَانَ ٱلْعَشَرَةَ، فَمَاذَا عَمِلُوا فِي بَاقِي بُلْدَانِ ٱلْمَلِكِ؟ فَمَا هُوَ سُؤْلُكِ فَيُعْطَى لَكِ؟ وَمَا هِيَ طِلْبَتُكِ بَعْدُ فَتُقْضَى؟».

He said to the queen, “In the city of Susa, the Jews have executed five hundred men, and also the ten sons of Haman. How many executions do you think that they have carried out in all the provinces? What more do you ask, and what do you wish, so that I may order it to be done?”

١٣ 13 فَقَالَتْ أَسْتِيرُ: «إِنْ حَسُنَ عِنْدَ ٱلْمَلِكِ فَلْيُعْطَ غَدًا أَيْضًا لِلْيَهُودِ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي شُوشَنَ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا كَمَا فِي هَذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ، وَيَصْلِبُوا بَنِي هَامَانَ ٱلْعَشَرَةَ عَلَى ٱلْخَشَبَةِ».

And she answered, “If it pleases the king, may power be granted to the Jews, so as to do tomorrow in Susa just as they have done today, and that the ten sons of Haman may be hung up the gallows.”

١٤ 14 فَأَمَرَ ٱلْمَلِكُ أَنْ يَعْمَلُوا هَكَذَا، وَأُعْطِيَ ٱلْأَمْرُ فِي شُوشَنَ. فَصَلَبُوا بَنِي هَامَانَ ٱلْعَشَرَةَ.

And the king instructed that it should be so done. And immediately the edict was hung up in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hung up.

١٥ 15 ثُمَّ ٱجْتَمَعَ ٱلْيَهُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي شُوشَنَ، فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلرَّابِعِ عَشَرَ أَيْضًا مِنْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ، وَقَتَلُوا فِي شُوشَنَ ثَلَاثَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَمُدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّهْبِ.

On the fourteenth day of the month Adar, the Jews gathered themselves together, and they executed in Susa three hundred men, but they did not seize their belongings from them.

١٦ 16 وَبَاقِي ٱلْيَهُودِ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي بُلْدَانِ ٱلْمَلِكِ ٱجْتَمَعُوا وَوَقَفُوا لِأَجْلِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَٱسْتَرَاحُوا مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْ مُبْغِضِيهِمْ خَمْسَةً وَسَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَمُدُّوا أَيْدِيَهُمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّهْبِ.

Moreover, throughout all the provinces which were subject to the king’s dominion, the Jews made a stand for their lives, and they executed their enemies and their persecutors, so much so that the number of those who were killed amounted to seventy-five thousand, and yet no one touched any of their belongings.

١٧ 17 فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلثَّالِثِ عَشَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ. وَٱسْتَرَاحُوا فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلرَّابِعِ عَشَرَ مِنْهُ وَجَعَلُوهُ يَوْمَ شُرْبٍ وَفَرَحٍ.

Now the thirteenth day of the month Adar was the first day with all of the executions, and on the fourteenth day they ceased the killing. This day they established to be sacred, so that in all times hereafter they would be free for feasting, joyfulness, and celebration.

١٨ 18 وَٱلْيَهُودُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي شُوشَنَ ٱجْتَمَعُوا فِي ٱلثَّالِثِ عَشَرَ وَٱلرَّابِعِ عَشَرَ مِنْهُ، وَٱسْتَرَاحُوا فِي ٱلْخَامِسِ عَشَرَ وَجَعَلُوهُ يَوْمَ شُرْبٍ وَفَرَحٍ.

But, as for those who were carrying out the killings in the city of Susa, they turned to killing on the thirteenth and fourteenth day of the same month. But on the fifteenth day they ceased to attack. And for that reason they established that day as sacred, with feasting and with gladness.

١٩ 19 لِذَلِكَ يَهُودُ ٱلْأَعْرَاءِ ٱلسَّاكِنُونَ فِي مُدُنِ ٱلْأَعْرَاءِ جَعَلُوا ٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ لِلْفَرَحِ وَٱلشُّرْبِ، وَيَوْمًا طَيِّبًا وَلِإِرْسَالِ أَنْصِبَةٍ مِنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ.

But in truth, those Jews who were staying in unwalled towns and villages, appointed the fourteenth day of the month Adar for celebration and gladness, so as to rejoice on that day and send one another portions of their feasts and their meals.

٢٠ 20 وَكَتَبَ مُرْدَخَايُ هَذِهِ ٱلْأُمُورَ وَأَرْسَلَ رَسَائِلَ إِلَى جَمِيعِ ٱلْيَهُودِ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي كُلِّ بُلْدَانِ ٱلْمَلِكِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ ٱلْقَرِيبِينَ وَٱلْبَعِيدِينَ،

And so Mordecai wrote down all these things and sent them, composed in letters, to the Jews who were staying in all the king’s provinces, as much to those in nearby places as to those far away,

٢١ 21 لِيُوجِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يُعَيِّدُوا فِي ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلرَّابِعِ عَشَرَ مِنْ شَهْرِ أَذَارَ، وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْخَامِسِ عَشَرَ مِنْهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ،

so that they would accept the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar for holy days, and always, at the return of the year, would celebrate them with sacred esteem.

٢٢ 22 حَسَبَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ ٱلَّتِي ٱسْتَرَاحَ فِيهَا ٱلْيَهُودُ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِمْ وَٱلشَّهْرِ ٱلَّذِي تَحَوَّلَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ حُزْنٍ إِلَى فَرَحٍ وَمِنْ نَوْحٍ إِلَى يَوْمٍ طَيِّبٍ، لِيَجْعَلُوهَا أَيَّامَ شُرْبٍ وَفَرَحٍ وَإِرْسَالِ أَنْصِبَةٍ مِنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ وَعَطَايَا لِلْفُقَرَاءِ.

For on those days, the Jews vindicated themselves of their enemies, and their mourning and sorrow were turned into mirth and joy, so that these would be days of feasting and gladness, in which they would send one another portions of their feasts, and would grant gifts to the poor.

٢٣ 23 فَقَبِلَ ٱلْيَهُودُ مَا ٱبْتَدَأُوا يَعْمَلُونَهُ وَمَا كَتَبَهُ مُرْدَخَايُ إِلَيْهِمْ.

And the Jews accepted as a solemn ritual all the things which they had begun to do at that time, which Mordecai had commanded with letters to be done.

٢٤ 24 وَلِأَنَّ هَامَانَ بْنَ هَمَدَاثَا ٱلْأَجَاجِيَّ عَدُوَّ ٱلْيَهُودِ جَمِيعًا تَفَكَّرَ عَلَى ٱلْيَهُودِ لِيُبِيدَهُمْ وَأَلْقَى فُورًا، أَيْ قُرْعَةً، لِإِفْنَائِهِمْ وَإِبَادَتِهِمْ.

For Haman, the son of Hammedatha of Agag lineage, the enemy and adversary of the Jews, had devised evil against them, to kill them and to destroy them. And he had cast Pur, which in our language means the lot.

٢٥ 25 وَعِنْدَ دُخُولِهَا إِلَى أَمَامِ ٱلْمَلِكِ أَمَرَ بِكِتَابَةٍ أَنْ يُرَدَّ تَدْبِيرُهُ ٱلرَّدِيءُ ٱلَّذِي دَبَّرَهُ ضِدَّ ٱلْيَهُودِ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ، وَأَنْ يَصْلِبُوهُ هُوَ وَبَنِيهِ عَلَى ٱلْخَشَبَةِ.

And after this, Esther had entered before the king, begging him that his efforts might be made ineffective by the king’s letters, and that the evil he intended against the Jews might return upon his own head. Finally, both he and his sons were fastened to a cross.

٢٦ 26 لِذَلِكَ دَعُوا تِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامِ «فُورِيمَ» عَلَى ٱسْمِ ٱلْفُورِ. لِذَلِكَ مِنْ أَجْلِ جَمِيعِ كَلِمَاتِ هَذِهِ ٱلرِّسَالَةِ وَمَا رَأَوْهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَمَا أَصَابَهُمْ،

And so, from that time, these days are called Purim, that is, of the lots, because Pur, that is, the lot, was cast into the urn. And all things that had been carried out are contained in the volume of this epistle, that is, of this book.

٢٧ 27 أَوْجَبَ ٱلْيَهُودُ وَقَبِلُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَعَلَى نَسْلِهِمْ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَلْتَصِقُونَ بِهِمْ حَتَّى لَا يَزُولَ، أَنْ يُعَيِّدُوا هَذَيْنِ ٱلْيَوْمَيْنِ حَسَبَ كِتَابَتِهِمَا وَحَسَبَ أَوْقَاتِهِمَا كُلَّ سَنَةٍ،

And whatever they suffered, and whatever was altered afterwards, the Jews received for themselves and their offspring and for all who were willing to be joined to their religion, so that none would be permitted to transgress the solemnity of these two days, to which the writing testifies, and which certain times require, as the years continually succeed one another.

٢٨ 28 وَأَنْ يُذْكَرَ هَذَانِ ٱلْيَوْمَانِ وَيُحْفَظَا فِي دَوْرٍ فَدَوْرٍ وَعَشِيرَةٍ فَعَشِيرَةٍ وَبِلَادٍ فَبِلَادٍ وَمَدِينَةٍ فَمَدِينَةٍ. وَيَوْمَا ٱلْفُورِ هَذَانِ لَا يَزُولَانِ مِنْ وَسَطِ ٱلْيَهُودِ، وَذِكْرُهُمَا لَا يَفْنَى مِنْ نَسْلِهِمْ.

These are the days which no one ever will erase into oblivion, and which every province in the whole world, throughout each generation, shall celebrate. Neither is there any city wherein the days of Purim, that is, of lots, may not be observed by the Jews, and by their posterity, which has been obligated to these ceremonies.

٢٩ 29 وَكَتَبَتْ أَسْتِيرُ ٱلْمَلِكَةُ بِنْتُ أَبِيحَائِلَ وَمُرْدَخَايُ ٱلْيَهُودِيُّ بِكُلِّ سُلْطَانٍ بِإِيجَابِ رِسَالَةِ ٱلْفُورِيمِ هَذِهِ ثَانِيَةً،

And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, also wrote a second letter, so that with all zealousness this day would be confirmed as customary for future generations.

٣٠ 30 وَأَرْسَلَ ٱلْكِتَابَاتِ إِلَى جَمِيعِ ٱلْيَهُودِ، إِلَى كُوَرِ مَمْلَكَةِ أَحَشْوِيرُوشَ ٱلْمِئَةِ وَٱلسَّبْعِ وَٱلْعِشْرِينَ بِكَلَامِ سَلَامٍ وَأَمَانَةٍ،

And they sent to all the Jews, who had been stirred up in the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of king Artaxerxes, that they should have peace and receive truth,

٣١ 31 لِإِيجَابِ يَوْمَيِ ٱلْفُورِيمِ هَذَيْنِ فِي أَوْقَاتِهِمَا، كَمَا أَوْجَبَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُرْدَخَايُ ٱلْيَهُودِيُّ وَأَسْتِيرُ ٱلْمَلِكَةُ، وَكَمَا أَوْجَبُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَعَلَى نَسْلِهِمْ أُمُورَ ٱلْأَصْوَامِ وَصُرَاخِهِمْ.

and observe the days of lots, and celebrate them with joy at their proper time, just as Mordecai and Esther had established. And they accepted these to be observed by themselves and by their offspring: fasting, and crying out, and the days of lots,

٣٢ 32 وَأَمْرُ أَسْتِيرَ أَوْجَبَ أُمُورَ ٱلْفُورِيمِ هَذِهِ، فَكُتِبَتْ فِي ٱلسِّفْرِ.

and all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther.