Liber Esther

Esther, chapter 3, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 3 Vulgate

   1 Post haec rex Asuerus exaltavit Aman filium Amadathi, qui erat de stirpe Agag, et posuit solium eius super omnes principes, quos habebat.
   2 Cunctique servi regis, qui in foribus palatii versabantur, flectebant genua et adorabant Aman; sic enim praeceperat rex pro illo. Solus Mardochaeus non flectebat genu neque adorabat eum.
   3 Cui dixerunt pueri regis, qui ad fores palatii praesidebant: "Cur non observas mandatum regis?".
   4 Cumque hoc crebrius dicerent, et ille nollet audire, nuntiaverunt Aman scire cupientes utrum perseveraret in sententia; dixerat enim eis se esse Iudaeum.
   5 Cumque Aman experimento probasset quod Mardochaeus non sibi flecteret genu nec se adoraret, iratus est valde
   6 et pro nihilo duxit in unum Mardochaeum mittere manus suas - audierat enim quod esset gentis Iudaeae - magisque voluit omnem Iudaeorum, qui erant in regno Asueri, perdere nationem.
   7 Mense primo, cuius vocabulum est Nisan, anno duodecimo regni Asueri, missa est in urnam sors, quae dicitur Phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Iudaeorum deberet interfici; et exivit dies tertia decima mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar.
   8 Dixitque Aman regi Asuero: "Est populus per omnes provincias regni tui dispersus, segregatus inter populos alienisque utens legibus, quas ceteri non cognoscunt, insuper et regis scita contemnens; non expedit regi, ut det illis requiem.
   9 Si tibi placet, scriptis decerne, ut pereat, et decem milia talentorum argenti appendam arcariis gazae tuae".
   10 Tulit ergo rex anulum, quo utebatur, de manu sua et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag, hosti Iudaeorum.
   11 Dixitque ad eum: "Argentum, quod polliceris, tuum sit; de populo age, quod tibi placet".
   12 Vocatique sunt scribae regis mense primo, tertia decima die eius, et scriptum est, ut iusserat Aman, ad omnes satrapas regis et duces provinciarum et principes diversarum gentium, ut quaeque gens legere poterat et audire pro varietate linguarum, ex nomine regis Asueri; et litterae ipsius signatae anulo.
   13 Missae sunt epistulae per cursores ad universas provincias regis, ut perderent, occiderent atque delerent omnes Iudaeos, a puero usque ad senem, parvulos et mulieres uno die, hoc est tertio decimo mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar, et bona eorum diriperent.
   13a Epistulae autem hoc exemplar fuit: "Rex magnus Artaxerxes centum viginti septem ab India usque Aethiopiam provinciarum satrapis et ducibus, qui eius imperio subiecti sunt, haec scribit:
   13b Cum plurimis gentibus imperarem et universum orbem meae dicioni subiugassem, volui nequaquam abuti potentiae magnitudine, sed semper clementer et leniter agens gubernare subiectorum vitam absque ullo terrore, regnumque quietum et usque ad fines pervium praestans, optatam cunctis mortalibus pacem renovare.
   13c Quaerente autem me a consiliariis meis, quomodo hoc posset impleri, unus qui prudentia, bona voluntate et fide stabili ceteros praecellit et est post regem secundus, Aman nomine,
   13d indicavit mihi in totius orbis terrarum tribubus populum hostilem esse dispersum, qui, legibus suis contra omnium gentium faciens consuetudinem, regum iussa in perpetuum contemnat, ne consistat concordia nationum a nobis consolidata.
   13e Quod cum didicissemus, videntes unam hanc gentem rebellem adversus omne hominum genus perversis uti legibus nostrisque negotiis contraire, pessima conficere et regni impedire pacem,
   13f iussimus, ut quoscumque Aman, qui negotiis publicis praepositus est et quem patris loco colimus, per litteras monstraverit, cum coniugibus ac liberis radicitus deleantur inimicorum gladiis, nullusque eorum misereatur, quarta decima die duodecimi mensis Adar anni praesentis;
   13g ut, qui iam olim sunt nefarii homines, uno die violenter ad inferos descendentes stabiles in posterum et quietas reddant nobis plene res publicas.
   13h Qui autem celaverit genus eorum, inhabitabilis erit non solum inter homines, sed nec inter aves, et igne sancto comburetur; et substantia eorum in regnum conferetur. Valete".
   14 Exemplar autem epistularum ut lex in omnibus provinciis promulgandum erat, ut scirent omnes populi et pararent se ad praedictam diem.
   15 Festinabant cursores, qui missi erant, regis imperium explere; statimque in Susan pependit edictum, rege et Aman celebrante convivium, dum civitas ipsa esset conturbata.
   15a Et convivium fecerunt omnes gentes; rex autem et Aman, cum introisset regiam, cum amicis luxuriabatur.
   15b Ubicumque igitur proponebatur exemplum epistulae, ploratio et luctus ingens fiebat apud omnes Iudaeos.
   15c Et invocabant Iudaei Deum patrum suorum et dicebant:
   15d" Domine Deus, tu solus Deus in caelo sursum, et non est alius Deus praeter te.
   15e Si enim fecissemus legem tuam et praecepta, habitassemus cum securitate et pace per omne tempus vitae nostrae.
   15f Nunc autem, quoniam non fecimus praecepta tua, venit super nos omnis tribulatio ista.
   15g Iustus es et clemens et excelsus et magnus, Domine, et omnes viae tuae iudicia.
   15h Et nunc, Domine, non des filios tuos in captivitatem neque uxores nostras in violationem neque in perditionem, qui factus es nobis propitius ab Aegypto usque nunc.
   15i Miserere principali tuae parti et non tradas in infamiam hereditatem tuam, ut hostes dominentur nostri".

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
   2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
   3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
   4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
   5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
   6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
   7 ¶ In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
   8 ¶ And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
   9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
   10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
   11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
   12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
   13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.
   14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
   15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.