1. उसी दिन राजा क्षयर्ष ने यहूदियों के विरोधी हामान का घरबार एस्तेर रानी को दे दिया। और मोर्दकै राजा के साम्हने आया, क्योंकि एस्तेर ने राजा को बताया था, कि उस से उसका क्या नाता था

1. That same day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the persecutor of the Jews. Mordecai was presented to the king, Esther having revealed their mutual relationship.

2. तब राजा ने अपनी वह अंगूठी जो उस ने हामान से ले ली थी, उतार कर, मोर्दकै को दे दी। और एसतेर ने मोर्दकै को हामान के घरबार पर अधिकारी नियुक्त कर दिया।

2. The king, who had recovered his signet ring from Haman, took it off and gave it to Mordecai, while Esther gave Mordecai charge of Haman's house.

3. फिर एस्तेर दूसरी बार राजा से बोली; और उसके पांव पर गिर, आंसू बहा बहाकर उस से गिड़गिड़ाकर बिन्ती की, कि अगागी हामान की बुराई और यहूदियों की हानि की उसकी युक्ति निष्फल की जाए।

3. Esther again went to speak to the king. She fell at his feet, weeping and imploring his favour, to frustrate the malice that Haman the Agagite had been plotting against the Jews.

4. तब राजा ने एस्तेर की ओर सोने का राजदणड बढ़ाया।

4. The king held out the golden sceptre to her, whereupon Esther stood up and faced him.

5. तब एस्तेर उठकर राजा के साम्हने खड़ी हुई; और कहने लगी कि यदि राजा को स्वीकार हो और वह मुझ से प्रसन्न है और यह बात उसको ठीक जान पड़े, और मैं भी उसको अच्छी लगती हूँ, तो जो चिटि्ठयां हम्मदाता अगागी के पुत्रा हामान ने राजा के सब प्रान्तों के यहूदियों को नाश करने की युक्ति करके लिखाई थीं, उनको पलटने के लिये लिखा जाए।

5. 'If such is the king's good pleasure,' she said, 'and if I have found favour before him, if my petition seems proper to him and if I myself am pleasing to his eyes, may he be pleased to issue a written revocation of the letters which Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, has had written, ordering the destruction of the Jews throughout the royal provinces.

6. क्योंकि मैं अपने जाति के लोगों पर पड़नेवाली उस विपत्ति को किस रीति से देख सकूंगी? और मैं अपने भाइयों के विनाश को क्योंकर देख सकूंगी?

6. For how can I look on, while my people suffer what is proposed for them? How can I bear to witness the extermination of my relatives?'

7. तब राजा क्षयर्ष ने एस्तेर रानी से और मोर्दकै यहूदी से कहा, मैं हामान का घरबार तो एस्तेर को दे चुका हूँ, और वह फांसी के खम्भे पर लटका दिया गया है, इसलिये कि उस ने यहूदियों पर हाथ बढ़ाया था।

7. King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, 'I for my part have given Esther Haman's house, and have had him hanged on the gallows for planning to destroy the Jews.

8. सो तुम अपनी समझ के अनुसार राजा के नाम से यहूदियों के नाम पर लिखो, और राजा की अंगूठी की छाप भी लगाओ; क्योंकि जो चिट्ठी राजा के नाम से लिखी जाए, और उस पर उसकी अंगूठी की छाप लगाई जाए, उसको कोई भी पलट नहीं सकता।

8. You, for your part, write what you please as regards the Jews, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet; for any edict written in the king's name and sealed with his signet is irrevocable.'

9. सो उसी समय अर्थात् सीवान नाम तीसरे महीने के तेईसवें दिन को राजा के लेखक बुलवाए गए और जिस जिस बात की आज्ञा मोर्दकै ने उन्हें दी थी उसे यहूदियों और अधिपतियों और हिन्दुस्तान से लेकर कूश तक, जो एक सौ सत्ताईस प्रान्त हैं, उन सभों के अधिपतियों और हाकिमों को एक एक प्रान्त के अक्षरों में और एक एक देश के लोगों की भाषा में, और यहूदियों को उनके अक्षरों और भाषा में लिखी गई।

9. The royal scribes were summoned at once -- it was the third month, the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day -- and at Mordecai's dictation an order was written to the Jews, the satraps, governors and principal officials of the provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to each province in its own script, and to each people in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

10. मोर्दकै ने राजा क्षयर्ष के नाम से चिटि्ठयां लिखाकर, और उन पर राजा की अंगूठी की छाप लगाकर, वेग चलनेवाले सरकारी घोड़ों, खच्चरों और सांड़नियों की डाक लगाकर, हरकारों के हाथ भेज दीं।

10. These letters, written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet, were carried by couriers mounted on horses from the king's own stud-farms.

11. इन चिटि्ठयों में सब नगरों के यहूदियों को राजा की ओर से अनुमति दी गई, कि वे इकट्ठे हों और अपना अपना प्राण बचाने के लिये तैयार होकर, जिस जाति वा प्रान्त से लोग अन्याय करके उनको वा उनकी स्त्रियों और बालबच्चों को दु:ख देना चाहें, उनको विध्वंसघात और नाश करें, और उनकी धन सम्मत्ति लूट लें।

11. In them the king granted the Jews, in whatever city they lived, the right to assemble in self-defence, with permission to destroy, slaughter and annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, together with their women and children, and to plunder their possessions,

12. और यह राजा क्षयर्ष के सब प्रान्तों में एक ही दिन में किया जाए, अर्थात् अदार नाम बारहवें महीने के तेरहवें दिन को।

12. with effect from the same day throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus -- the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar. (a) The text of the letter was as follows: (b) 'The Great King, Ahasuerus, to the satraps of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces which stretch from India to Ethiopia, to the provincial governors and to all our loyal subjects, greeting: (c) 'Many people, repeatedly honoured by the extreme bounty of their benefactors, only grow the more arrogant. It is not enough for them to seek our subjects' injury, but unable as they are to support the weight of their own surfeit they turn to scheming against their benefactors themselves. (d) Not content with banishing gratitude from the human heart, but elated by the plaudits of people unacquainted with goodness, notwithstanding that all is for ever under the eye of God, they expect to escape his justice, so hostile to the wicked. (e) Thus it has often happened to those placed in authority that, having entrusted friends with the conduct of affairs and allowed themselves to be influenced by them, they find themselves sharing with these the guilt of innocent blood and involved in irremediable misfortunes, (f) the upright intentions of rulers having been misled by false arguments of the evilly disposed. (g) This may be seen without recourse to the history of earlier times to which we have referred; you have only to look at what is before you, at the crimes perpetrated by a plague of unworthy officials. (h) For the future, we shall exert our efforts to assure the tranquillity and peace of the realm for all, (i) by adopting new policies and by always judging matters that are brought to our notice in the most equitable spirit. (k) 'Thus Haman son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian, without a drop of Persian blood and far removed from our goodness, enjoyed our hospitality (l) and was treated by us with the benevolence which we show to every nation, even to the extent of being proclaimed our 'father' and being accorded universally the prostration of respect as second in dignity to the royal throne. (m) But he, unable to keep within his own high rank, schemed to deprive us of our realm and of our life. (n) Furthermore, by tortuous wiles and arguments, he would have had us destroy Mordecai, our saviour and constant benefactor, with Esther the blameless partner of our majesty, and their whole nation besides. (o) He thought by these means to leave us without support and so to transfer the Persian empire to the Macedonians. (p) 'But we find that the Jews, marked out for annihilation by this arch-scoundrel, are not criminals: they are in fact governed by the most just of laws. (q) They are children of the Most High, the great and living God to whom we and our ancestors owe the continuing prosperity of our realm. (r) You will therefore do well not to act on the letters sent by Haman son of Hammedatha, since their author has been hanged at the gates of Susa with his whole household: a fitting punishment, which God, Master of the Universe, has speedily inflicted on him. (s) Put up copies of this letter everywhere, allow the Jews to observe their own customs without fear, and come to their help against anyone who attacks them on the day originally chosen for their maltreatment, that is, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar. (t) For the all-powerful God has made this day a day of joy and not of ruin for the chosen people. (u) You, for your part, among your solemn festivals celebrate this as a special day with every kind of feasting, so that now and in the future, for you and for Persians of good will, it may commemorate your rescue, and for your enemies may stand as a reminder of their ruin. (v) 'Every city and, more generally, every country, which does not follow these instructions, will be mercilessly devastated with fire and sword, and made not only inaccessible to human beings but hateful to wild animals and even birds for ever.'

13. इस आज्ञा के लेख की नकलें, समस्त प्रान्तों में सब देशें के लोगों के पास खुली हुई भेजी गई; ताकि यहूदी उस दिन अपने शत्रुओं से पलटा लेने को तैयार रहें।

13. Copies of this edict, to be promulgated as law in each province, were published to the various peoples, so that the Jews could be ready on the day stated to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14. सो हरकारे वेग चलनेवाले सरकारी घोड़ों पर सवार होकर, राजा की आज्ञा से फुत करके जल्दी चले गए, और यह आज्ञा शूशन राजगढ़ में दी गई थी।

14. The couriers, mounted on the king's horses, set out in great haste and urgency at the king's command. The edict was also published in the citadel of Susa.

15. तब मोर्दकै नीले और श्वेत रंग के राजकीय वस्त्रा पहिने और सिर पर सोने का बड़ा मुमुट धरे हुए और सूक्ष्मसन और बैंजनी रंग का बागा पहिने हुए, राजा के सम्मुख से निकला, और शूशन नगर के लोग आनन्द के मारे ललकार उठे।

15. Mordecai left the royal presence in a princely gown of violet and white, with a great golden crown and a cloak of fine linen and purple. The city of Susa shouted for joy.

16. और यहूदियों को आनन्द और हर्ष हुआ और उनकी बड़ी प्रतिष्ठा हुई।

16. For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour.

17. और जिस जिस प्रान्त, और जिस जिस नगर में, जहां कहीं राजा की आज्ञा और नियम पहुंचे, वहां वहां यहूदियों को आनन्द और हर्ष हुआ, और उन्हों ने जेवनार करके उस दिन को खुशी का दिन माना। और उस देश के लोगों में से बहुत लोग यहूदी बन गए, क्योंकि उनके मन में यहूदियों का डर समा गया था।

17. In every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and decree arrived, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and holiday-making. Of the country's population many became Jews, since now the Jews were feared.