Chapter 8

1That very day King Ahasuerus gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Yehudim, to Queen Esther. Mordechai presented himself to the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her.

ba-YOM ha-HU na-TAN ha-ME-lekh a-khash-VE-rosh l'-es-TEIR ha-MAL-kah et-BEIT ha-MAN tzo-RAYR (ha-YE-hu-DEE-yim) [ha-ye-HU-deem] u-mor-do-KHAI ba LA-fi-NEI ha-ME-lekh kee-hi-GEE-da es-TEIR mah HU-la.

אבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא נָתַ֞ן הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ֙ לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית הָמָ֖ן צֹרֵ֣ר (היהודיים) [הַיְּהוּדִ֑ים] וּמׇרְדֳּכַ֗י בָּ֚א לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥ידָה אֶסְתֵּ֖ר מַ֥ה הוּא־לָֽהּ׃

2The king slipped off his ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordechai; and Esther put Mordechai in charge of Haman's property.

vai-YA-sar ha-ME-lekh et ta-BA-to a-SHER he-e-VIR me-ha-MAN va-yi-t'-NAH l'-mor-da-KHAI va-TA-sem es-TAYR et mor-da-KHAI al-BAYT ha-MAN.

בוַיָּ֨סַר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־טַבַּעְתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱבִיר֙ מֵֽהָמָ֔ן וַֽיִּתְּנָ֖הּ לְמׇרְדֳּכָ֑י וַתָּ֧שֶׂם אֶסְתֵּ֛ר אֶֽת־מׇרְדֳּכַ֖י עַל־בֵּ֥ית הָמָֽן׃

3Esther spoke to the king again, falling at his feet and weeping, and beseeching him to avert the evil plotted by Haman the Agagite against the Yehudim.

va-tos-SEF es-TER va-t'-da-BAYR li-f'-NAY ha-ME-lekh va-ti-POL li-f'-NAY rag-LAV va-TAY-k'-kh'-NEN lo l'-ha-a-VEER et ra-AT ha-MAN ha-a-GA-gi v'-AYT ma-kha-SHAV-to a-SHER kha-SHAV al ha-y'-hu-DEEM

גוַתּ֣וֹסֶף אֶסְתֵּ֗ר וַתְּדַבֵּר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַתִּפֹּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י רַגְלָ֑יו וַתֵּ֣בְךְּ וַתִּתְחַנֶּן־ל֗וֹ לְהַֽעֲבִיר֙ אֶת־רָעַת֙ הָמָ֣ן הָֽאֲגָגִ֔י וְאֵת֙ מַֽחֲשַׁבְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖ב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

4The king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther arose and stood before the king.

vai-YO-shet ha-ME-lekh l'-es-TER AYT shar-VIT ha-za-HAV va-TA-kom es-TER va-ta-a-MOD lif-NEY ha-ME-lekh

דוַיּ֤וֹשֶׁט הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת שַׁרְבִ֣ט הַזָּהָ֑ב וַתָּ֣קׇם אֶסְתֵּ֔ר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

5“If it please Your Majesty,” she said, “and if I have won your favor and the proposal seems right to Your Majesty, and if I am pleasing to you—let dispatches be written countermanding those which were written by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, embodying his plot to annihilate the Yehudim throughout the king's provinces.

va-to-MER im-al ha-ME-lekh TOV v'-im-ma-TZA-tee KHEYN l'-fa-NAV v'-ka-SHER ha-DA-var lif-NEI ha-ME-lekh v'-to-VAH a-NEE b'-ay-NAV yi-ka-TAYV l'-ha-SHEEV et ha-s'-fa-REEM ma-kha-SHE-vet ha-MAN ben ha-m'-da-TA ha-a-ga-GEE a-SHER ka-TAV l'-a-BAYD et ha-y'-hu-DEEM a-SHER b'-KOL m'-dee-NOT ha-ME-lekh

הוַ֠תֹּ֠אמֶר אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ ט֜וֹב וְאִם־מָצָ֧אתִי חֵ֣ן לְפָנָ֗יו וְכָשֵׁ֤ר הַדָּבָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְטוֹבָ֥ה אֲנִ֖י בְּעֵינָ֑יו יִכָּתֵ֞ב לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֗ים מַחֲשֶׁ֜בֶת הָמָ֤ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֙תָא֙ הָאֲגָגִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֗ב לְאַבֵּד֙ אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּכׇל־מְדִינ֥וֹת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

6For how can I bear to see the disaster which will befall my people! And how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred!”

KI e-KHA-kha a-UKHAL v'-ra-I-ti ba-ra-AH a-SHER-yim-TZA et-a-MI, v'-e-KHA-kha a-UKHAL v'-ra-I-ti b'-a-VDAN mo-LAD-ti.

וכִּ֠י אֵיכָכָ֤ה אוּכַל֙ וְֽרָאִ֔יתִי בָּרָעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־יִמְצָ֣א אֶת־עַמִּ֑י וְאֵֽיכָכָ֤ה אוּכַל֙ וְֽרָאִ֔יתִי בְּאׇבְדַ֖ן מוֹלַדְתִּֽי׃

7Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordechai the Yehudi, “I have given Haman's property to Esther, and he has been impaled on the stake for scheming against the Yehudim.

vai-YO-mer ha-ME-lekh a-khash-VE-rosh l'-es-TER ha-mal-KAH u-l'-mor-DOKHAI ha-y'-hu-DEE, hi-NEH vayt ha-MAN na-ta-TEE l'-es-TER v'-o-TO ta-LOO al ha-ETZ al a-SHER sha-LAKH ya-DO (ba-y'-hu-DEE-eem) [ba-y'-hu-DEEM]

זוַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר הַמַּלְכָּ֔ה וּֽלְמׇרְדֳּכַ֖י הַיְּהוּדִ֑י הִנֵּ֨ה בֵית־הָמָ֜ן נָתַ֣תִּי לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר וְאֹתוֹ֙ תָּל֣וּ עַל־הָעֵ֔ץ עַ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ (ביהודיים) [בַּיְּהוּדִֽים]׃

8And you may further write with regard to the Yehudim as you see fit. [Write it] in the king's name and seal it with the king's signet, for an edict that has been written in the king's name and sealed with the king's signet may not be revoked.”

v'-a-TEM kit-VU al ha-y'-hu-DEEM ka-TOV b'-ay-NAY-khem b'-SHEM ha-ME-lekh v'-khit-MU b'-ta-BA-at ha-ME-lekh, kee-kh'-TAV a-SHER ni-K'-TAV b'-SHEM-ha-ME-lekh v'-na-KH'-tom b'-ta-BA-at ha-ME-lekh, AYN l'-ha-SHEEV

חוְ֠אַתֶּ֠ם כִּתְב֨וּ עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים כַּטּ֤וֹב בְּעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְחִתְמ֖וּ בְּטַבַּ֣עַת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־כְתָ֞ב אֲשֶׁר־נִכְתָּ֣ב בְּשֵׁם־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְנַחְתּ֛וֹם בְּטַבַּ֥עַת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֵ֥ין לְהָשִֽׁיב׃

9So the king's scribes were summoned at that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, that is, the month of Sivan; and letters were written, at Mordechai's dictation, to the Yehudim and to the satraps, the governors and the officials of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia: to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and to the Yehudim in their own script and language.

va-yi-ka-r'-U so-f'-RAY ha-ME-lekh ba-ayt ha-HEE ba-KHO-desh ha-sh'-lee-SHEE hu KHO-desh see-VAN bish-lo-SHAH v'-es-REEM BO va-yi-ka-TAYV k'-khol a-sher tzi-VAH mor-d'-KHAI el ha-y'-hu-DEEM v'-EL ha-a-khash-dar-p'-NEEM v'-ha-pa-KHOT v'-sa-RAY ha-m'-dee-NOT a-SHER may-HO-du v'-ad KUSH SHE-va v'-es-REEM u-may-AH m'-dee-NAH m'-dee-NAH um-dee-NAH kikh-ta-VAH v'-AM va-AM kil-sho-NO v'-EL ha-y'-hu-DEEM kikh-ta-VAM v'-khil-sho-NAM

טוַיִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בָּֽעֵת־הַ֠הִ֠יא בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ סִיוָ֗ן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה מׇרְדֳּכַ֣י אֶל־הַיְּהוּדִ֡ים וְאֶ֣ל הָאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים־וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ וְשָׂרֵ֨י הַמְּדִינ֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֗וּשׁ שֶׁ֣בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּמֵאָה֙ מְדִינָ֔ה מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ וְאֶ֨ל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים כִּכְתָבָ֖ם וְכִלְשׁוֹנָֽם׃

10He had them written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet. Letters were dispatched by mounted couriers, riding steeds used in the king's service, bred of the royal stud,

vai-YIKH-tov b'-SHEM ha-ME-lekh a-KHASH-ve-ROSH vai-YAKH-tom b'-ta-BA-at ha-ME-lekh vai-YISH-lakh s'-fa-REEM b'-YAD ha-RA-tzeem ba-SU-seem ro-kh'-VEI ha-RE-khesh ha-a-KHASH-te-RA-neem b'-NAY ha-ra-MA-khee-MEEM

יוַיִּכְתֹּ֗ב בְּשֵׁם֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֔שׁ וַיַּחְתֹּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֣עַת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח סְפָרִ֡ים בְּיַד֩ הָרָצִ֨ים בַּסּוּסִ֜ים רֹכְבֵ֤י הָרֶ֙כֶשׁ֙ הָֽאֲחַשְׁתְּרָנִ֔ים בְּנֵ֖י הָֽרַמָּכִֽים׃

11to this effect: The king has permitted the Yehudim of every city to assemble and fight for their lives; if any people or province attacks them, they may destroy, massacre, and exterminate its armed force together with women and children, and plunder their possessions—

a-SHER na-TAN ha-ME-lekh la-y'-hu-DEEM a-SHER b'-kol-IR-va-IR l'-hi-ka-HEL v'-la-a-MOD al-NAF-sham, l'-hash-MEED v'-la-ha-ROG u-l'-a-BAYD et-KOL-khayl am u-m'-dee-NAH ha-TZA-reem o-TAM taf v'-na-SHEEM u-sh'-LA-lam la-VOZ

יאאֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַיְּהוּדִ֣ים ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּכׇל־עִיר־וָעִ֗יר לְהִקָּהֵל֮ וְלַעֲמֹ֣ד עַל־נַפְשָׁם֒ לְהַשְׁמִיד֩ וְלַהֲרֹ֨ג*(במגילות אשכנז לַהֲרֹ֨ג) וּלְאַבֵּ֜ד אֶת־כׇּל־חֵ֨יל עַ֧ם וּמְדִינָ֛ה הַצָּרִ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם טַ֣ף וְנָשִׁ֑ים וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃

12on a single day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.

b'-YOM e-KHAD b'-KOL m'-DEE-NOT ha-ME-lekh a-KHASH-ve-ROSH b'-sh'-LO-sha a-SAHR l'-KHO-desh sh'-NAY-im a-SAHR hu-KHO-desh a-DAHR

יבבְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בְּכׇל־מְדִינ֖וֹת הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר׃

13The text of the document was to be issued as a law in every single province: it was to be publicly displayed to all the peoples, so that the Yehudim should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

pat-SHE-gen ha-KE-tav l'-hi-NA-ten DAT b'-kol me-di-NA u-me-di-NA ga-LO-ee l'-kol ha-a-MEEM v'-li-HYOT ha-YE-hu-DEEM a-TU-deem la-YOM ha-ZEH l'-hi-NA-kem me-o-y'-VE-hem

יגפַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙ בְּכׇל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֔ה גָּל֖וּי לְכׇל־הָעַמִּ֑ים וְלִהְי֨וֹת (היהודיים) [הַיְּהוּדִ֤ים] (עתודים) [עֲתִידִים֙] לַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה לְהִנָּקֵ֖ם מֵאֹיְבֵיהֶֽם׃

14The couriers, mounted on royal steeds, went out in urgent haste at the king's command; and the decree was proclaimed in the fortress Shushan.

ha-ra-TZEEM ro-kh'-VAY ha-RE-khesh ha-a-khash-t'-ra-NEEM ya-TZE-u m'-vo-ha-LEEM u-d'-khu-FEEM bi-d'-VAR ha-ME-lekh v'-ha-DAHT ni-t'-NAH b'-shu-SHAN ha-bi-RAH. (S)

ידהָרָצִ֞ים רֹכְבֵ֤י הָרֶ֙כֶשׁ֙ הָֽאֲחַשְׁתְּרָנִ֔ים יָ֥צְא֛וּ מְבֹהָלִ֥ים וּדְחוּפִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְהַדָּ֥ת נִתְּנָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַבִּירָֽה׃

15Mordechai left the king's presence in royal robes of blue and white, with a magnificent crown of gold and a mantle of fine linen and purple wool. And the city of Shushan rang with joyous cries.

u-mor-do-KHAI ya-TZA mi-lif-NEI ha-ME-lekh bil-VUSH mal-KHUT te-KHE-let va-KHUR va-a-TE-ret za-HAV ge-do-LAH v'-takh-REEKH BUTZ v'-ar-ga-MAN v'-ha-IR shu-SHAN tza-ha-LAH v'-sa-ME-khah

טווּמׇרְדֳּכַ֞י יָצָ֣א ׀ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ בִּלְב֤וּשׁ מַלְכוּת֙ תְּכֵ֣לֶת וָח֔וּר וַעֲטֶ֤רֶת זָהָב֙ גְּדוֹלָ֔ה וְתַכְרִ֥יךְ בּ֖וּץ וְאַרְגָּמָ֑ן וְהָעִ֣יר שׁוּשָׁ֔ן צָהֲלָ֖ה וְשָׂמֵֽחָה׃

16The Yehudim enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor.

la-y'-hu-DEEM ha-Y'-ta o-RAH v'-sim-KHAH v'-sa-SHON v'-ya-KAR

טזלַיְּהוּדִ֕ים הָֽיְתָ֥ה אוֹרָ֖ה וְשִׂמְחָ֑ה וְשָׂשֹׂ֖ן וִיקָֽר׃

17And in every province and in every city, when the king's command and decree arrived, there was gladness and joy among the Yehudim, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land professed to be Yehudim, for the fear of the Yehudim had fallen upon them.

u-v'-KOL m'-di-NAH u-m'-di-NAH u-v'-KOL iR va-iR m'-KOM a-SHER d'-VAR ha-ME-lekh v'-da-TO ma-gi-AH sim-KHAH v'-sa-SOHN la-y'-hu-DEEM mish-TEH v'-YOM TOV v'-ra-BEEM may-a-MAY ha-A-retz mit-ya-ha-DEEM kee-NA-fal pa-KHAD ha-y'-hu-DEEM a-l'-HEM

יזוּבְכׇל־מְדִינָ֨ה וּמְדִינָ֜ה וּבְכׇל־עִ֣יר וָעִ֗יר מְקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְדָתוֹ֙ מַגִּ֔יעַ שִׂמְחָ֤ה וְשָׂשׂוֹן֙ לַיְּהוּדִ֔ים מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה וְי֣וֹם ט֑וֹב וְרַבִּ֞ים מֵֽעַמֵּ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִֽתְיַהֲדִ֔ים כִּֽי־נָפַ֥ל פַּֽחַד־הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃