¹Rex magnus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam,“Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia,centum viginti septem provinciarum ducibus ac principibus qui nostræ jussioni obediunt,to the generals and leaders of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces that obey our command:salutem dicit.greetings, he says.

¹Rex magnus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam,“Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia,centum viginti septem provinciarum ducibus ac principibus qui nostræ jussioni obediunt,to the generals and leaders of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces that obey our command:salutem dicit.greetings, he says.

²Multi bonitate principum et honore,In arrogance,qui in eos collatus est,many have abused the goodness of leadersabusi sunt in superbiam:and the honor that has been bestowed on them,

²Multi bonitate principum et honore,In arrogance,qui in eos collatus est,many have abused the goodness of leadersabusi sunt in superbiam:and the honor that has been bestowed on them,

³et non solum subjectos regibus nituntur opprimere,and they strive, not only to oppress the king’s subjects, but,sed datam sibi gloriam non ferentes,not acting according to the glory given to them,in ipsos qui dederunt, moliuntur insidias.set in motion a plan to ambush those very ones who gave it.

³et non solum subjectos regibus nituntur opprimere,and they strive, not only to oppress the king’s subjects, but,sed datam sibi gloriam non ferentes,not acting according to the glory given to them,in ipsos qui dederunt, moliuntur insidias.set in motion a plan to ambush those very ones who gave it.

⁴Nec contenti sunt gratias non agere beneficiis,Neither are they content to withhold thanks for benefitset humanitatis in se jura violare,and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity,sed Dei quoque cuncta cernentis arbitrantur se posse fugere sententiam.but they also think they are able to escape from every sentence of the sifting judgment of God.

⁴Nec contenti sunt gratias non agere beneficiis,Neither are they content to withhold thanks for benefitset humanitatis in se jura violare,and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity,sed Dei quoque cuncta cernentis arbitrantur se posse fugere sententiam.but they also think they are able to escape from every sentence of the sifting judgment of God.

⁵Et in tantum vesaniæ proruperunt, ut eos qui credita sibi officia diligenter observant, et ita cuncta agunt ut omnium laude digni sint, mendaciorum cuniculis conentur subvertere,And they rush forth in such insanity that they attempt to subvert by filthy lies those who carefully fulfill the offices delegated to them and so perform everything that is deserving of the praise of all.

⁵Et in tantum vesaniæ proruperunt, ut eos qui credita sibi officia diligenter observant, et ita cuncta agunt ut omnium laude digni sint, mendaciorum cuniculis conentur subvertere,And they rush forth in such insanity that they attempt to subvert by filthy lies those who carefully fulfill the offices delegated to them and so perform everything that is deserving of the praise of all.

⁶dum aures principum simplices,Meanwhile,et ex sua natura alios æstimantes,they craftily deceive by fraud the ears of single-minded leaders,callida fraude decipiunt.and they judge others according to their own nature.

⁶dum aures principum simplices,Meanwhile,et ex sua natura alios æstimantes,they craftily deceive by fraud the ears of single-minded leaders,callida fraude decipiunt.and they judge others according to their own nature.

⁷Quæ res et ex veteribus probatur historiis,These things are proven both from the ancient historieset ex his quæ geruntur quotidie,and from those things which happen daily:quomodo malis quorumdam suggestionibus regum studia depraventur.how the zeal of kings can be corrupted by the evil suggestions of such persons.

⁷Quæ res et ex veteribus probatur historiis,These things are proven both from the ancient historieset ex his quæ geruntur quotidie,and from those things which happen daily:quomodo malis quorumdam suggestionibus regum studia depraventur.how the zeal of kings can be corrupted by the evil suggestions of such persons.

⁸Unde providendum est paci omnium provinciarum.Therefore, we will make provision for the peace of all the provinces.

⁸Unde providendum est paci omnium provinciarum.Therefore, we will make provision for the peace of all the provinces.

⁹Nec putare debetis,Neither should you think,si diversa jubeamus,if we change our orders,ex animi nostri venire levitate,that they come from a fickle mind,sed pro qualitate et necessitate temporum,but that we draw conclusions from the qualityut reipublicæ poscit utilitas,and necessity of the times,ferre sententiam.just as the expediency of the public good demands.

⁹Nec putare debetis,Neither should you think,si diversa jubeamus,if we change our orders,ex animi nostri venire levitate,that they come from a fickle mind,sed pro qualitate et necessitate temporum,but that we draw conclusions from the qualityut reipublicæ poscit utilitas,and necessity of the times,ferre sententiam.just as the expediency of the public good demands.

¹⁰Et ut manifestius quod dicimus intelligatis,And,Aman filius Amadathi,so that you may more clearly understand what we are saying:et animoHaman the son of Hammedatha,et gente Macedo,a Macedonian both in mind and ancestry,alienusque a Persarum sanguine,and foreign to Persian blood,et pietatem nostram sua crudelitate commaculans,and with his cruelty contaminating our piety,peregrinus a nobis susceptus est:was accepted by us as a sojourner.

¹⁰Et ut manifestius quod dicimus intelligatis,And,Aman filius Amadathi,so that you may more clearly understand what we are saying:et animoHaman the son of Hammedatha,et gente Macedo,a Macedonian both in mind and ancestry,alienusque a Persarum sanguine,and foreign to Persian blood,et pietatem nostram sua crudelitate commaculans,and with his cruelty contaminating our piety,peregrinus a nobis susceptus est:was accepted by us as a sojourner.

¹¹et tantam in se expertus humanitatem, ut pater noster vocaretur, et adoraretur ab omnibus post regem secundus:And our humanity proved to be so great towards him that he was called our father and was adored by all as second only to the king.

¹¹et tantam in se expertus humanitatem, ut pater noster vocaretur, et adoraretur ab omnibus post regem secundus:And our humanity proved to be so great towards him that he was called our father and was adored by all as second only to the king.

¹²qui in tantum arrogantiæ tumorem sublatus est,But he was so filled with arrogance as to strive to deprive us of our kingdomut regno privare nos niteretur et spiritu.and our life.

¹²qui in tantum arrogantiæ tumorem sublatus est,But he was so filled with arrogance as to strive to deprive us of our kingdomut regno privare nos niteretur et spiritu.and our life.

¹³Nam Mardochæum, cujus fide et beneficiis vivimus,For example, with certain strange and unheard of machinations,et consortem regni nostri Esther cum omni gente sua,he sought the death of Mordecai, whose faith and kindness kept us alive,novis quibusdam atque inauditis machinis expetivit in mortem:and Esther, the partner of our kingdom, and all their people.

¹³Nam Mardochæum, cujus fide et beneficiis vivimus,For example, with certain strange and unheard of machinations,et consortem regni nostri Esther cum omni gente sua,he sought the death of Mordecai, whose faith and kindness kept us alive,novis quibusdam atque inauditis machinis expetivit in mortem:and Esther, the partner of our kingdom, and all their people.

¹⁴hoc cogitans ut illis interfectis,This he planned so that,insidiaretur nostræ solitudini,after they were executed,et regnum Persarum transferret in Macedonas.he might work treason against us in our solitude and transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁴hoc cogitans ut illis interfectis,This he planned so that,insidiaretur nostræ solitudini,after they were executed,et regnum Persarum transferret in Macedonas.he might work treason against us in our solitude and transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁵Nos autem a pessimo mortalium Judæos neci destinatos,But we, having been resolved to ruin in death the mortal Jews,in nulla penitus culpa reperimus,discovered no fault within them,sed e contrario justis utentes legibus,but on the contrary, they use just laws

¹⁵Nos autem a pessimo mortalium Judæos neci destinatos,But we, having been resolved to ruin in death the mortal Jews,in nulla penitus culpa reperimus,discovered no fault within them,sed e contrario justis utentes legibus,but on the contrary, they use just laws

¹⁶et filios altissimi et maximi semperque viventis Dei,and are sons of the highest and greatest and ever-living God,cujus beneficio et patribus nostris et nobis regnum est traditum,by whose kindness the kingdom was handed down both to our fathers and to us,et usque hodie custoditur.and is cared for even unto this day.

¹⁶et filios altissimi et maximi semperque viventis Dei,and are sons of the highest and greatest and ever-living God,cujus beneficio et patribus nostris et nobis regnum est traditum,by whose kindness the kingdom was handed down both to our fathers and to us,et usque hodie custoditur.and is cared for even unto this day.

¹⁷Unde eas litteras,Therefore,quas sub nomine nostro ille direxerat,you should understand to be nullsciatis esse irritas.and void those letters that he administered under our name.

¹⁷Unde eas litteras,Therefore,quas sub nomine nostro ille direxerat,you should understand to be nullsciatis esse irritas.and void those letters that he administered under our name.

¹⁸Pro quo scelere ante portas hujus urbis,For this crime, before the gates of this city,id est,that is,Susan,Susa,et ipse qui machinatus est,both he who devised it,et omnis cognatio ejus pendet in patibulis:and all his associates, hang on gallows:non nobis, sed Deo reddente ei quod meruit.not we, but God repaying him as he deserved.

¹⁸Pro quo scelere ante portas hujus urbis,For this crime, before the gates of this city,id est,that is,Susan,Susa,et ipse qui machinatus est,both he who devised it,et omnis cognatio ejus pendet in patibulis:and all his associates, hang on gallows:non nobis, sed Deo reddente ei quod meruit.not we, but God repaying him as he deserved.

¹⁹Hoc autem edictum,But this edict,quod nunc mittimus,which we now send,in cunctis urbibus proponatur, ut liceat Judæis uti legibus suis.shall be displayed in all cities so that the Jews may be allowed to use their own laws.

¹⁹Hoc autem edictum,But this edict,quod nunc mittimus,which we now send,in cunctis urbibus proponatur, ut liceat Judæis uti legibus suis.shall be displayed in all cities so that the Jews may be allowed to use their own laws.

²⁰Quibus debetis esse adminiculo,You must be a support to them,ut eos qui se ad necem eorum paraverant,so that they may be able to execute those,possint interficere tertiadecima die mensis duodecimi,who themselves had prepared to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,qui vocatur Adar.which is called Adar.

²⁰Quibus debetis esse adminiculo,You must be a support to them,ut eos qui se ad necem eorum paraverant,so that they may be able to execute those,possint interficere tertiadecima die mensis duodecimi,who themselves had prepared to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,qui vocatur Adar.which is called Adar.

²¹Hanc enim diem, Deus omnipotens, mœroris et luctus, eis vertit in gaudium.For the almighty God has turned this day of grief and sorrow into joy for them.

²¹Hanc enim diem, Deus omnipotens, mœroris et luctus, eis vertit in gaudium.For the almighty God has turned this day of grief and sorrow into joy for them.

²²Unde et vos inter ceteros festos dies,Therefore, you too will keep this day,hanc habetote diem, et celebrate eam cum omni lætitia,along with the other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy,ut et in posterum cognoscatur,so that it may be known even by future generations.

²²Unde et vos inter ceteros festos dies,Therefore, you too will keep this day,hanc habetote diem, et celebrate eam cum omni lætitia,along with the other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy,ut et in posterum cognoscatur,so that it may be known even by future generations.

²³omnes qui fideliter Persis obediunt,All those who faithfully obey the Persians deserve,dignam pro fide recipere mercedem;for their fidelity,qui autem insidiantur regno eorum,to receive a reward,perire pro scelere.but those who are traitors to their kingdom deserve to be destroyed for their crime.

²³omnes qui fideliter Persis obediunt,All those who faithfully obey the Persians deserve,dignam pro fide recipere mercedem;for their fidelity,qui autem insidiantur regno eorum,to receive a reward,perire pro scelere.but those who are traitors to their kingdom deserve to be destroyed for their crime.

²⁴Omnis autem provincia et civitas quæ noluerit solemnitatis hujus esse particeps,But every province and city,gladio et igne pereat,which is not willing to participate in this solemnity,et sic deleatur,must perish by the sword and by fire,ut non solum hominibus,and be destroyed in this way so that they will be forever an indisputable example of contempt and disobedience,sed etiam bestiis invia sit in sempiternum,not only to humans,pro exemplo contemptus et inobedientiæ.but even to wild animals.”

²⁴Omnis autem provincia et civitas quæ noluerit solemnitatis hujus esse particeps,But every province and city,gladio et igne pereat,which is not willing to participate in this solemnity,et sic deleatur,must perish by the sword and by fire,ut non solum hominibus,and be destroyed in this way so that they will be forever an indisputable example of contempt and disobedience,sed etiam bestiis invia sit in sempiternum,not only to humans,pro exemplo contemptus et inobedientiæ.but even to wild animals.”