Esther (Greek) 15 — WBMS

15Forsooth in the third day she putted off the clothes of her adorning, or of her mourning, and was encom-passed with her glory.²And when she shined in the king’s clothing, and had inwardly called the Governor of all things and the Saviour God, she took two servantesses,³and soothly she leaned on one, as not sustaining to bear her [own] body, for delights and full great tenderness;⁴but the other servantess [or damsel] pursued [or followed] the lady, and bare up her clothes trailing [or flowing] down upon the earth.⁵Soothly she was beshed with colour of roses in the cheer/And Esther in her face was coloured with rose colours, and with her pleasant and shining [or bright] eyes she covered her sorrowful soul, that was drawn together with full much dread.⁶Therefore she entered [or gone in] through all the doors by order, and she stood against the king, where he sat upon the seat [or the see] of his realm, and was clothed in the king’s clothes, and shined in [or shining with] gold and precious stones, and he was dreadful [or fearful] in sight.⁷And when he had raised up his face, and had showed the madness, or austereness, of his heart with burning eyes, the queen felled [or fell] down before him; and when her colour was changed into paleness, she rested her head bowed down upon her handmaid.⁸And God turned the spirit of the king into mildness, and he hasted, and dreaded, and skipped [or started] out of the seat/and the king hasting, and dreading, rose up anon of his seat; and he sustained her/he held up the queen with his arms, till she came again to herself; and he spake fair to her by these words,⁹Esther, what grief hast thou? I am thy brother; do not thou dread,¹⁰thou shalt not die, for this coming to me without calling; for this law is not made for thee, but for all men. Therefore nigh thou hither [or Come hither then],¹¹and touch the sceptre, that is, the king’s rod. And when she was still [or held her peace], he took the golden rod, and putted [or put] [up] on her neck;¹²and he kissed her, and said, Why speakest thou not to me?¹³And she answered, Lord, I saw thee as an angel of God, and mine heart was troubled [or disturbed] for the dread of thy glory;¹⁴for, lord, thou art full wonderful, and thy face is full of graces.¹⁵And when she spake, again she felled down in a swoon, and was almost dead [or utterly swooned].¹⁶Soothly the king was troubled, and all his servants comforted her.