1 Aconteceu no entanto que naquela mesma noite o rei teve insónias. E como não conseguia mesmo dormir, começou a pensar na história do seu reino. Mandou vir as crónicas do reino e foi cair sobre a passagem que relata como Mardoqueu denunciou a conspiração de Bigtã e de Teres, os dois eunucos do rei, que controlavam as entradas no palácio e que tinham tramado assassinar o soberano.
3 Digam-me lá, perguntou depois o rei aos conselheiros, que recompensa se deu afinal a Mardoqueu por esse acto? Nada!, responderam-lhe. E ouvindo passos:
4 Quem é que está no pátio exterior?, inquiriu o monarca. Era precisamente Hamã que vinha a entrar nesse pátio, para pedir ao rei que mandasse enforcar Mardoqueu na forca que fizera levantar.
5 Os pajens do rei disseram: Hamã está ali fora.Mandem-no entrar.
6 Assim que ele apareceu, o rei perguntou-lhe: Que achas tu que deve ser feito a um homem de quem o rei se agrade profundamente? O outro pensou: De quem poderá ele agradar-se mais do que de mim? E respondeu:
7 Tragam-se as vestes que o rei costuma pôr, mais o cavalo que tem por hábito montar, assim como a coroa real, e dê-se instruções a um dos nobres que vista esse homem e que o conduza pelas ruas montado no cavalo real, proclamando à sua frente: 'Eis a maneira como o rei dá honra e quem verdadeiramente caiu nas suas graças!'
10 Óptimo!, concluiu o soberano. Arranja depressa essa roupa real, mais o meu cavalo e faz exactamente como disseste com Mardoqueu, o judeu, que trabalha no controlo das entradas do palácio. Não alteres nada do que disseste.
11 Hamã teve então de mandar vir a roupagem, de a vestir em Mardoqueu, de pôr este sobre a montada real e de o levar pelas ruas proclamando: Eis a forma como o rei honra quem sinceramente lhe agrada!
12 Após isso Mardoqueu voltou para o seu trabalho, mas Hamã correu para casa profundamente humilhado.
13 Quando contou à mulher e aos amigos o que acontecera, disseram-lhe: Se Mardoqueu é judeu, nunca conseguirás nada contra ele. Continuar a lutar contra ele pode ser-te fatal.
14 Enquanto discutiam ainda o assunto, chegaram os enviados do rei para o levar ao banquete de Ester.
1 On that night the king could not sleep; and he commanded to bring the Book of Records of the Chronicles, and they were read before the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, of those who kept the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the king's attendants that ministered to him said, Nothing has been done for him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman came into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 And the king's attendants said to him, Look, Haman stands in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What will be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman said in his heart, Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?
7 And Haman said to the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor,
8 let royal apparel be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a royal crown is set:
9 and let the apparel and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man with them whom the king delights to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus it will be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Hurry, and take the apparel and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.
11 Then Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus it will be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
13 And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the seed of the Jews, you will not prevail against him, but will surely fall before him.
14 While they were yet talking with him, the king's chamberlains came, and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.