Esther Chapter 14

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Esther quoque regina confugit ad Dominum, pavens periculum, quod imminebat.

2 Cumque deposuisset vestes regias, fletibus et luctui apta indumenta suscepit, et pro unguentis variis, cinere et stercore implevit caput, et corpus suum humiliavit ieiuniis: omniaque loca, in quibus antea lætari consueverat, crinium laceratione complevit.

3 Et deprecabatur Dominum Deum Israel, dicens: Domine mi, qui rex noster es solus, adiuva me solitariam, et cuius præter te nullus est auxiliator alius.

4 Periculum meum in manibus meis est.

5 Audivi a patre meo quod tu Domine tulisses Israel de cunctis Gentibus, et patres nostros ex omnibus retro maioribus suis, ut possideres hereditatem sempiternam, fecistique eis sicut locutus es.

6 Peccavimus in conspectu tuo, et idcirco tradidisti nos in manus inimicorum nostrorum:

7 coluimus enim deos eorum. Iustus es Domine:

8 et nunc non eis sufficit, quod durissima nos opprimunt servitute, sed robur manuum suarum, idolorum potentiæ deputantes,

9 volunt tua mutare promissa, et delere hereditatem tuam, et claudere ora laudantium te, atque extinguere gloriam templi et altaris tui,

10 ut aperiant ora Gentium, et laudent idolorum fortitudinem, et prædicent carnalem regem in sempiternum.

11 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.

12 Memento Domine, et ostende te nobis in tempore tribulationis nostræ, et da mihi fiduciam, Domine rex deorum, et universæ potestatis:

13 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.

14 Nos autem libera manu tua, et adiuva me, nullum aliud auxilium habentem, nisi te, Domine, qui habes omnium scientiam,

15 et nosti quia oderim gloriam iniquorum, et detester cubile incircumcisorum, et omnis alienigenæ.

16 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,

17 et quod non comederim in mensa Aman, nec mihi placuerit convivium regis, et non biberim vinum libaminum:

18 et numquam lætata sit ancilla tua, ex quo huc translata sum usque in præsentem diem, nisi in te Domine Deus Abraham.

19 Deus fortis super omnes, exaudi vocem eorum, qui nullam aliam spem habent, et libera nos de manu iniquorum, et erue me a timore meo.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).