1
And now we have sinned before you, and you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies, The Lord removed sleep from the king that night; so he told his servant to bring in the(a) books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.
2
because we honored their gods. You are righteous, O Lord. And he found the(b) records written concerning Mordecai, how he had told the king about the king’s two chamberlains, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Ahasuerus.
3
But now they have not been content with the bitterness of our slavery, but have laid their hands on the hands of their idols The king said, “What honor or favor have we done for Mordecai?” The king’s servants said, “You haven’t done anything for him.”
4
to abolish the decree of your mouth, and utterly to destroy your inheritance, and to stop the mouth of those who praise you, and to extinguish the glory of your house and your altar, And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mordecai, behold, Haman was in the court. The king said, “Who is in the court? Now Haman had come in to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared.
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and to open the mouth of the Gentiles to speak the(c) praises of vanities, and that a mortal king should be admired forever. The king’s servants said, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” And the king said, “Call him!”
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O Lord, don’t surrender your sceptre to those who don’t exist, and don’t let them laugh at our fall, but turn their counsel against themselves, and make an example of him who has begun to injure us. The king said to Haman, “What should I do for the man whom I wish to honor?” Haman said within himself, “Whom would the king honor but myself?”
7
Remember us, O Lord! Manifest yourself in the time of our affliction. Encourage me, O King of gods, and ruler of all dominion! He said to the king, “As for the man whom the king wishes to honor,
8
Put harmonious speech into my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate him who fights against us, to the utter destruction of those who agree with him. let the king’s servants bring the robe of fine linen which the king puts on, and the horse on which the king rides,
9
But deliver us by your hand, and help me who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord. and let him give it to one of the king’s noble friends, and let him dress the man whom the king loves. Let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the(d) streets of the city, saying, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king honors!”
10
You know all things, and know that I hate the glory of transgressors,(e) and that I abhor the bed of the uncircumcised and of every stranger. Then the king said to Haman, “You have spoken well. Do so for Mordecai the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what you have spoken be neglected!”
11
You know my necessity, for I abhor the symbol of my proud station, which is upon my head in the days of my(f) splendor. I abhor it as a menstruous cloth, and I don’t wear it in the days of my tranquility. So Haman took the robe and the horse, dressed Mordecai, mounted him on the horse, and went through the streets of the city, proclaiming, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king wishes to honor.”
12
Your handmaid has not eaten at Haman’s table, and I have not honored the banquet of the king, neither have I drunk wine of libations. Then Mordecai returned to the palace; but Haman went home mourning, with his head covered.
13
Neither has your handmaid rejoiced since the day of my promotion until now, except in you, O Lord God of Abraham. Haman related the events that had happened to him to Zeresh his wife and to his friends. His friends and his wife said to him, “If Mordecai is of the race of the Jews, and you have begun to be humbled before him, you will assuredly fall; and you will not be able to withstand him, for the living God is with him.”
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O god, who has power over all, listen to the voice of the desperate, and deliver us from the hand of those who devise mischief. Deliver me from my fear.] While they were still speaking, the chamberlains arrived to rush Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
Footnotes