The Latin Vulgate VUL
New International Version NIV
1 Igitur duodecimi mensis, quem Adar vocari ante iam diximus, tertiadecima die, quando cunctis Iudaeis interfectio parabatur, et hostes eorum inhiabant sanguini, versa vice Iudaei superiores esse coeperunt, et se de adversariis vindicare.
1
On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.
2 Congregatique sunt per singulas civitates, oppida, et loca ut extenderent manum contra inimicos, et persecutores suos. Nullusque ausus resistere, eo quod omnes populos magnitudinis eorum formido penetrarat.
2
The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.
3 Nam et provinciarum indices, et duces, et procuratores, omnisque dignitas, quae singulis locis ac operibus praeerat, extollebant Iudaeos timore Mardochaei:
3
And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them.
4 quem principem esse palatii, et plurimum posse cognoverant: fama quoque nominis eius crescebat quotidie, et per cunctorum ora volitabat.
4
Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.
5 Itaque percusserunt Iudaei inimicos suos plaga magna, et occiderunt eos, reddentes eis quod sibi paraverant facere:
5
The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.
6 in tantum ut etiam in Susan quingentos viros interficerent, extra decem filios Aman Agagitae hostis Iudaeorum: quorum ista sunt nomina:
6
In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
7 Pharsandatha, et Delphon, et Esphatha,
7
They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
8 et Phoratha, et Adalia, et Aridatha,
8
Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
9 et Phermesta et Arisai, et Aridai, et Iezatha.
9
Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha,
10 Quos cum occidissent, praedas de substantiis eorum tangere noluerunt.
10
the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
11 Statimque numerus eorum, qui occisi erant in Susan, ad regem relatus est.
11
The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day.
12 Qui dixit reginae: In urbe Susan interfecerunt Iudaei quingentos viros, et alios decem filios Aman: quantam putas eos exercere caedem in universis provinciis? Quid ultra postulas, et quid vis ut fieri iubeam?
12
The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”
13 Cui illa respondit: Si regi placet, detur potestas Iudaeis, ut sicut fecerunt hodie in Susan, sic et cras faciant, et decem filii Aman in patibulis suspendantur.
13
“If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”
14 Praecepitque rex ut ita fieret. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, et decem filii Aman suspensi sunt.
14
So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman.
15 Congregatis Iudaeis quartadecima die mensis Adar, interfecti sunt in Susan trecenti viri: nec eorum ab illis direpta substantia est.
15
The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16 Sed et per omnes provincias, quae ditioni regis subiacebant, pro animabus suis steterunt Iudaei, interfectis hostibus ac persecutoribus suis: in tantum ut septuagintaquinque millia occisorum implerentur, et nullus de substantiis eorum quidquam contingeret.
16
Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder.
17 Dies autem tertiusdecimus mensis Adar primus apud omnes interfectionis fuit, et quartadecima die caedere desierunt. Quem constituerunt esse sollemnem, ut in eo omni tempore deinceps vacarent epulis, gaudio atque conviviis.
17
This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
18 At hi, qui in urbe Susan caedem exercuerant, tertiodecimo et quartodecimo die eiusdem mensis in caede versati sunt: quintodecimo autem die percutere desierunt. Et idcirco eundem diem constituerunt sollemnem epularum atque laetitiae.
18
The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
19 Hi vero Iudaei, qui in oppidis non muratis ac villis morabantur, quartumdecimum diem mensis Adar conviviorum et gaudii decreverunt, ita ut exultent in eo, et mittant sibi mutuo partes epularum et ciborum.
19
That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.
20 Scripsit itaque Mardochaeus omnia haec, et litteris comprehensa misit ad Iudaeos, qui in omnibus regis provinciis morabantur, tam in vicino positis, quam procul,
20
Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far,
21 ut quartamdecimam et quintamdecimam diem mensis Adar pro festis susciperent, et revertente semper anno sollemni celebrarent honore:
21
to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar
22 quia in ipsis diebus se ulti sunt Iudaei de inimicis suis, et luctus atque tristitia in hilaritatem gaudiumque conversa sunt, essentque dies isti epularum atque laetitiae, et mitterent sibi invicem ciborum partes, et pauperibus munuscula largirentur.
22
as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 Susceperuntque Iudaei in sollemnem ritum cuncta quae eo tempore facere coeperant, et quae Mardochaeus litteris facienda mandaverat.
23
So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them.
24 Aman enim, filius Amadathi stirpis Agag, hostis et adversarius Iudaeorum, cogitavit contra eos malum, ut occideret illos, atque deleret: et misit phur, quod nostra lingua vertitur in sortem.
24
For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction.
25 Et postea ingressa Esther ad regem, obsecrans ut conatus eius, litteris regis irriti fierent: et malum, quod contra Iudaeos cogitaverat, reverteretur in caput eius. Denique et ipsum et filios eius affixerunt cruci,
25
But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles.
26 atque ex illo tempore dies isti appellati sunt phurim, id sortium: eo quod phur, id sors, in urnam missa fuerit. Et cuncta, quae gesta sunt, epistolae, id libri huius volumine continentur:
26
(Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them,
27 quaeque sustinuerunt, et quae deinceps immutata sunt, susceperunt Iudaei super se et semen suum, et super cunctos, qui religioni eorum voluerunt copulari, ut nulli liceat duos hos dies absque sollemnitate transigere: quos scriptura testatur, et certa expetunt tempora, annis sibi iugiter succedentibus.
27
the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed.
28 Isti sunt dies, quos nulla umquam delebit oblivio: et per singulas generationes cunctae in toto orbe provinciae celebrabunt: nec ulla civitas, in qua dies phurim, id sortium, non observentur a Iudaeis, et ab eorum progenie, quae his ceremoniis obligata est.
28
These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.
29 Scripseruntque Esther regina filia Abihail, et Mardochaeus Iudaeus etiam secundam epistolam, ut omni studio dies ista sollemnis sanciretur in posterum.
29
So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.
30 et miserunt ad omnes Iudaeos, qui in centum viginti septem provinciis regis Assueri versabantur, ut haberent pacem, et susciperent veritatem,
30
And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance—
31 observantes Dies sortium, et suo tempore cum gaudio celebrarent: sicut constituerant Mardochaeus et Esther, et illi observanda susceperunt a se, et a semine suo ieiunia, et clamores, et Sortium dies,
31
to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.
32 et omnia, quae libri huius, qui vocatur Esther, historia continentur.
32
Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.