Esther prayeth in humility of spirit, that God will deliver the people from the cruelty of Aman.Esther prayeth in humilitie of spirite, that God wil deliuer the people from the crueltie of Aman.✦
Esther also the queen fled to our Lord, fearing the peril that was at hand.ESTHER also the queene fled to our Lord, fearing the peril that was at hand.✦Esther quoque regina confugit ad Dominum, pavens periculum quod imminebat.
2And when she had laid off her royal garments, she took clothes apta: fit or suitable for weeping and mourning, and for divers ointments, filled her head with ashes and dung, and her body she humbled with fasts: and all the places, in which before she was accustomed to rejoice, she filled with tearing of her hairs.And when she had laid of her royal garmentes, she tooke clothes meete for weeping and mourning, and for diuers oyntmentes, filled her head with ashes and dung, and her bodie she humbled with fastes: and al the places, in which before she was accustomed to reioyse, she filled with tearing of her heares.✦Cumque deposuisset vestes regias, fletibus et luctui apta indumenta suscepit, et pro unguentis variis, cinere et stercore implevit caput, et corpus suum humiliavit jejuniis : omniaque loca, in quibus antea lætari consueverat, crinium laceratione complevit.
3And she besought our Lord the God of Israel, saying: My Lord, which only art our king, help me solitary woman, and which have no other helper beside thee.And she besought our Lord the God of Israel, saying: My Lord, which onlie art our king, helpe me solitarie woman, and which haue no other helper beside thee.✦Et deprecabatur Dominum Deum Israël, dicens : Domine mi, qui rex noster es solus, adjuva me solitariam, et cujus præter te nullus est auxiliator alius.
4My peril is in my hands.My peril is in my handes.✦Periculum meum in manibus meis est.
5I have heard of my father that thou Lord didst take Israel out from all Gentiles, and our fathers out of all their predecessors before, that thou mightst possess an everlasting inheritance, and thou hast done to them as thou hast spoken.I haue heard of my father that thou Lord didst take Israel out from al Gentiles, and our fathers out of al their predecessours before, that thou mightst possesse an euerlasting inheritance, and thou hast done to them as thou hast spoken.Audivi a patre meo quod tu, Domine, tulisses Israël de cunctis gentibus, et patres nostros ex omnibus retro majoribus suis, ut possideres hæreditatem sempiternam, fecistique eis sicut locutus es.
6We have sinned in thy sight, and therefore thou hast delivered us into the hands of our enemies:We haue sinned in thy sight, and therfore thou hast deliuered vs into the handes of our enemies:Peccavimus in conspectu tuo, et idcirco tradidisti nos in manus inimicorum nostrorum :
7for we have worshipped their gods. Thou art just O Lord.for we haue worshiped their goddes. Thou art iust ô Lord.✦coluimus enim deos eorum. Justus es Domine :
8And now it sufficeth them not, that they oppress us with most hard servitude, but deputantes: charging with blame; ascribing or attributing the force of their hands to the might of their idols,And now it suffiseth them not, that they oppresse vs with most hard seruitude, but imputing the force of their handes to the might of their idols,✦et nunc non eis sufficit, quod durissima nos opprimunt servitute, sed robur manuum suarum, idolorum potentiæ deputantes,
9they will change thy promises, and destroy thine inheritance. and shut the mouths of them that praise thee, and extinguish the glory of thy temple and altar,they wil change thy promisses, and destroy thine inheritance. and shut the mouthes of them that prayse thee, and extinguish the glorie of thy temple and altar,✦volunt tua mutare promissa, et delere hæreditatem tuam, et claudere ora laudantium te, atque extinguere gloriam templi et altaris tui,
10that they may open the mouths of Gentiles, and praise the strength of idols, and magnify a carnal king for ever.that they may open the mouthes of Gentiles, and prayse the strength of idols, and magnifie a carnal king for euer.✦ut aperiant ora gentium, et laudent idolorum fortitudinem, et prædicent carnalem regem in sempiternum.
11Deliver not O Lord thy sceptre to them that are not, lest they laugh at our ruin: but turn their counsel upon them, and destroy him, that hath begun to do cruelly against us.Deliuer not ô Lord thy scepter to them that are not, lest they laugh at our ruine: but turne their counsel vpon them, and destroy him, that hath begune to do cruelly against vs.✦Ne tradas, Domine, sceptrum tuum his, qui non sunt, ne rideant ad ruinam nostram : sed converte consilium eorum super eos, et eum qui in nos cœpit sævire, disperde.
12Remember O Lord: and shew thyself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me confidence Lord king of gods, and of all power:Remember ô Lord: and shew thy self to vs in the time of our tribulation, and geue me confidence Lord king of goddes, and of al power:Memento, Domine, et ostende te nobis in tempore tribulationis nostræ, et da mihi fiduciam, Domine rex deorum, et universæ potestatis :
13give me speech well framed in my mouth in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart into the hatred of our enemy, that both himself may perish, and the rest that consent unto him.geue me speach wel framed in my mouth in the presence of the lion, and turne his hart into the hatred of our enemie, that both him self may perish, and the rest that consent vnto him.✦tribue sermonem compositum in ore meo in conspectu leonis, et transfer cor illius in odium hostis nostri, ut et ipse pereat, et ceteri qui ei consentiunt.
14But deliver us in thy hand, and help me, having no other help, but thee O Lord which hast the knowledge of all things,But deliuer vs in thy hand, and helpe me, hauing no other helpe, but thee ô Lord which hast the knowlege of al things,Nos autem libera manu tua, et adjuva me, nullum aliud auxilium habentem nisi te, Domine, qui habes omnium scientiam,
15and knowest that I hate the glory of the wicked, and detest the bed of the uncircumcised, and of every stranger.and knowest that I hate the glorie of the wicked, and detest the bed of the vncircumcised, and of euerie stranger.✦et nosti quia oderim gloriam iniquorum, et detester cubile incircumcisorum, et omnis alienigenæ.
16Thou knowest my necessity, that I abhor the sign of my pride and glory, which is upon my head in the days of my ostentationis: vainglorious boasting; ceremonial display, showing forth, and detest it as the cloth of a woman in her monthly flowers, and wear it not in the days of my silence,Thou knowest my necessitie, that I abhorre the signe of my pride and glorie, which is vpon my head in the daies of my ostentation, and detest it as the cloth of a woman in her monthlie floores, and weare it not in the daies of my silence,✦Tu scis necessitatem meam, quod abominer signum superbiæ et gloriæ meæ, quod est super caput meum in diebus ostentationis meæ, et detester illud quasi pannum menstruatæ, et non portem in diebus silentii mei,
17and that I have not eaten at Aman's table, neither the king's banquet hath pleased me, and that I have not drunk the wine of libaminum: drink offerings, libations of wine:and that I haue not eaten at Amans table, neither the kings banket hath pleased me, and that I haue not drunke the wine of libamentes:✦et quod non comederim in mensa Aman, nec mihi placuerit convivium regis, et non biberim vinum libaminum :
18and that thy handmaid did never rejoice, since I was transported hither unto this day, but in thee O Lord the God of Abraham.and that thy handmayde did neuer reioyse, since I was transported hither vnto this day, but in thee ô Lord the God of Abraham.✦et numquam lætata sit ancilla tua, ex quo huc translata sum usque in præsentem diem, nisi in te, Domine Deus Abraham.
19O God strong above all, hear the voice of them, that have no other hope, and deliver us from the hand of the wicked, and deliver me from my fear.O God strong aboue al, heare the voyce of them, that haue no other hope, and deliuer vs from the hand of the wicked, and deliuer me from my feare.Deus fortis super omnes, exaudi vocem eorum qui nullam aliam spem habent, et libera nos de manu iniquorum, et erue me a timore meo.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.