Follow Along in Hebrew to the Scroll of Esther

וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הוּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד־כּוּשׁ שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה מְדִינָה׃

vai-Y’-hee b’-Y’-may a-khash-VE-rosh, HU a-khash-VE-rosh ha-m’-LEKH may-HO-du v’-ad-KUSH, SHE-va v’-e-s’-reem u-m’-a, m’-dee-NAH

It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.

אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ זָכַר אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂתָה וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־נִגְזַר עָלֶיהָ׃

a-KHAR ha-d’-va-REEM ha-E-leh k’-SHOKH kha-MAT ha-ME-lekh a-kha-sh’-VE-rosh za-KHAR et va-SHE-tee v’-et a-SHER a-SA-ta v’-et a-SHER n’-G’-zar a-LE-ha

Some time afterward, when the anger of King Ahasuerus subsided, he thought of Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.

וּמָרְדֳּכַי יָדַע אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה וַיִּקְרַע מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר וַיֵּצֵא בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וַיִּזְעַק זְעָקָה גְדֹלָה וּמָרָה׃

u-mor-DO-khai ya-DA ayt kol a-SHER na-a-SA, va-yik-RA mor-DO-khai et b’-ga-DAV, va-yil-BASH sak va-E-fer, va-YAY-tse b’-TOCH ha-iR, va-YIZ-aK ze-A-kah g’-DO-lah u-ma-RAH.

When Mordechai learned all that had happened, Mordechai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went through the city, crying out loudly and bitterly,

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת וַתַּעֲמֹד בַּחֲצַר בֵּית־הַמֶּלֶךְ הַפְּנִימִית נֹכַח בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַמֶּלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא מַלְכוּתוֹ בְּבֵית הַמַּלְכוּת נֹכַח פֶּתַח הַבָּיִת׃

vai-HI ba-YOM ha-sh’-li-SHI va-TIL-bash es-TAYR mal-KHUT va-ta-a-MOD ba-cha-TZAR bayt-ha-ME-lekh ha-pe-NI-mit no-KHAKH bayt ha-ME-lekh v’-ha-ME-lekh yo-SHEV al-ki-SAY mal-KHU-to b’-bayt ha-MAL-khut no-KHAKH pe-TAKH ha-ba-YIT

On the third day, Esther put on royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace.

וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן לִשְׁתּוֹת עִם־אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה׃

va-ya-VO ha-ME-lekh v’-ha-MAN lish-TOT im es-TAYR ha-mal-KAH

So the king and Haman came to feast with Queen Esther.

וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם בּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת בַּיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר שִׂבְּרוּ אֹיְבֵי הַיְּהוּדִים לִשְׁלוֹט בָּהֶם וְנַהֲפוֹךְ הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁלְטוּ הַיְּהוּדִים הֵמָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם׃

u-vi-sh’-NEEM a-SAR kho-DESH hoo-kho-DESH a-daR bi-sh’-lo-SHA a-SAR yoM bo a-SHER hi-GEE-a d’-var ha-ME-lekh v’-da-TO l’-he-a-SOT ba-YOM a-SHER si-b’-RU oy-VAY ha-y’-hu-DEEM li-sh’-LOT ba-HEM v’-na-ha-FOKH hu a-SHER yish-l’-TU ha-y’-hu-DEEM hay-MAH b’-so-n’-AY-hem

And so, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—that is, the month of Adar—when the king’s command and decree were to be executed, the very day on which the enemies of the Yehudim had expected to get them in their power, the opposite happened, and the Yehudim got their enemies in their power.

וַיָּשֶׂם הַמֶּלֶךְ אחשרש [אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ ] מַס עַל־הָאָרֶץ וְאִיֵּי הַיָּם׃

vai-YA-sem ha-ME-lekh (a-KHA-sher-ASH) [a-khash-VE-vosh] mas al ha-A-retz v’-i-YAY ha-YAM

King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the mainland and the islands.