Esther 6

1That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,

1On that night hath the sleep of the king fled away, and he saith to bring in the book of memorials of the Chronicles, and they are read before the king,

1That night the king was unable to get any sleep; and he sent for the books of the records; and while some one was reading them to the king,

2They came to that place where it was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.

2and it is found written that Mordecai had declared concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king, of the keepers of the threshold, who sought to put forth a hand on king Ahasuerus.

2It came out that it was recorded in the book how Mordecai had given word of the designs of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's servants, keepers of the door, by whom an attack on the king had been designed.

3And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward at all.

3And the king saith, `What honour and greatness hath been done to Mordecai for this?' And the servants of the king, his ministers, say, `Nothing hath been done with him.'

3And the king said, What honour and reward have been given to Mordecai for this? Then the servants who were waiting on the king said, Nothing has been done for him.

4And the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king's house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet, which was prepared for him.

4And the king saith, `Who <FI>is<Fi> in the court?' --and Haman hath come in to the outer court of the house of the king, to say to the king to hang Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared for him--

4Then the king said, Who is in the outer room? Now Haman had come into the outer room to get the king's authority for the hanging of Mordecai on the pillar which he had made ready for him.

5The servants answered: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.

5and the servants of the king say unto him, `Lo, Haman is standing in the court;' and the king saith, `Let him come in.'

5And the king's servants said to him, See, Haman is waiting in the outer room. And the king said, Let him come in.

6And when he was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,

6And Haman cometh in, and the king saith to him, `What--to do with the man in whose honour the king hath delighted?' And Haman saith in his heart, `To whom doth the king delight to do honour more than myself?'

6So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring? Then the thought came into Haman's mind, Whom, more than myself, would the king have pleasure in honouring?

7Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,

7And Haman saith unto the king, `The man in whose honour the king hath delighted,

7And Haman, answering the king, said, For the man whom the king has delight in honouring,

8Ought to be clothed with the king's apparel, and to be set upon the horse that the king rideth upon, and to have the royal crown upon his head,

8let them bring in royal clothing that the king hath put on himself, and a horse on which the king hath ridden, and that the royal crown be put on his head,

8Let them take the robes which the king generally puts on, and the horse on which the king goes, and the crown which is on his head:

9And let the first of the king's princes and nobles hold his horse, and going through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say: Thus shall he be honoured, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

9and to give the clothing and the horse into the hand of a man of the heads of the king, the chiefs, and they have clothed the man in whose honour the king hath delighted, and caused him to ride on the horse in a broad place of the city, and called before him: Thus it is done to the man in whose honour the king hath delighted.'

9And let the robes and the horse be given to one of the king's most noble captains, so that they may put them on the man whom the king has delight in honouring, and let him go on horseback through the streets of the town, with men crying out before him, So let it be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring.

10And the king said to him: Make haste and take the robe and the horse, and do as thou hast spoken to Mardochai the Jew, who sitteth before the gates of the palace. Beware thou pass over any of those things which thou hast spoken.

10And the king saith to Haman, `Haste, take the clothing and the horse, as thou hast spoken, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting in the gate of the king; there doth not fall a thing of all that thou hast spoken.'

10Then the king said to Haman, Go quickly, and take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who is seated at the king's doorway: see that you do everything as you have said.

11So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mardochai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, went before him, and proclaimed: This honour is he worthy of, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

11And Haman taketh the clothing, and the horse, and clothed Mordecai, and causeth him to ride in a broad place of the city, and calleth before him, `Thus it is done to the man in whose honour the king hath delighted.'

11Then Haman took the robes and the horse, and dressing Mordecai in the robes, he made him go on horseback through the streets of the town, crying out before him, So let it be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring.

12But Mardochai returned to the palace gate: and Aman made haste to go to his house, mourning and having his head covered:

12And Mordecai turneth back unto the gate of the king, and Haman hath been hastened unto his house mourning, and with covered head,

12And Mordecai came back to the king's doorway. But Haman went quickly back to his house, sad and with his head covered.

13And he told Zares his wife, and his friends, all that had befallen him. And the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife answered him: If Mardochai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst not resist him, but thou shalt fall in his sight.

13and Haman recounteth to Zeresh his wife, and to all his friends, all that hath met him, and his wise men say to him, and Zeresh his wife, `If Mordecai <FI>is<Fi> of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou art not able for him, but dost certainly fall before him.'

13And Haman gave his wife Zeresh and all his friends an account of what had taken place. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, If Mordecai, who is starting to get the better of you, is of the seed of the Jews, you will not be able to do anything against him, but you will certainly go down before him.

14As they were yet speaking, the king's eunuchs came, and compelled him to go quickly to the banquet which the queen had prepared.

14They are yet speaking with him, and eunuchs of the king have come, and haste to bring in Haman unto the banquet that Esther hath made.

14While they were still talking, the king's servants came to take Haman to the feast which Esther had made ready.