Esther, Greek 13

¹ "The great king Ahasuerus to the princes and governors of the one hundred twenty seven provinces from India to Ethiopia and to all our faithful subjects, greeting.

² "Many, the more often they are honored with the great bounty of their gracious princes, the more proud they become,

³ and they endeavor to hurt, not only our subjects, but also, being unable to bear abundance, take it in hand to practice against those that do them good.

⁴ And they take, not only thankfulness away from among men, but also, lifted up with the glorious words of lewd persons who were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, who sees all things and hates evil.

⁵ "Oftentimes also, the pleasing words of those who are trusted to manage their friends' affairs, have caused many who are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood and have enwrapped them in remediless calamities--

⁶ thus beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition, the innocence and goodness of princes.

⁷ "Now you may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient histories, but also if you search what has been wickedly done of late, through the pestilent behavior of those who are unworthily placed in authority.

⁸ And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdom may be quiet and peaceable for all men,

⁹ both by changing our purposes and by always judging things which are evident with more equal proceeding.

¹⁰ "For Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness and as a stranger received of us,

¹¹ had obtained so much of the favor that we show toward every nation, that he was called our father and was continually honored above all as the person next to the king.

¹² But he, not bearing his great dignity, went about to deprive us of our kingdom and life,

¹³ and, by manifold and cunning deceits, sought of us the destruction also of Mordecai, who saved our life and continually procured our good, as also of blameless Esther, partaker of our kingdom, with their whole nation.

¹⁴ For by these means he thought, finding us destitute of friends, to have transferred the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁵ "But we find that the Jews, whom this wicked wretch had delivered to utter destruction, are no evildoers, but live by most just laws,

¹⁶ and that they be children of the most high and most mighty living God, who has ordered the kingdom both unto us and unto our progenitors, in the most excellent way.

¹⁷ Wherefore, you shall do well not to put in execution the letters sent to you by Haman the son of Hammedatha,

¹⁸ for he, who was the worker of these things, is hanged at the gates of Susa with all his family: God, who rules all things, speedily rendering vengeance to him according to his deserts.

¹⁹ "Therefore you shall publish the copy of this letter in all places that the Jews may freely live after their own laws.

²⁰ And you shall aid them, so that even on the same day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month Adar, they may be avenged on them, who in the time of their affliction would have set upon them.

²¹ For Almighty God has turned to joy for them the day wherein the chosen people would have perished.

²² You shall therefore among your solemn feasts keep it a high day with all feasting:

²³ that both now and hereafter there may be safety to us and the well-meaning Persians; but to those who conspire against us, a memorial of destruction.

²⁴ Therefore, every city and country whatsoever, which does not do according to these things, shall be destroyed without mercy with fire and sword and shall be made not only unacceptable for men, but also most hateful to wild beasts and fowl for ever."

²⁵ A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

²⁶ So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. The decree was given out in Susa, the palatial city.

²⁷ Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.

²⁸ The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor.

²⁹ In every province and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.