13The great king Artaxerxes unto the princes and governors of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects, greeting.
14Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bounty of their gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,
15and endeavour to hurt not our subjects only, but not being able to bear abundance, do take in hand to practise also against those that do them good:
16and take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also lifted up with the glorious words of lewd persons, that were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, that seeth all things, and hateth evil.
17Oftentimes also fair speech of those, that are put in trust to manage their friends’ affairs, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remediless calamities:
18beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition the innocency and goodness of princes.
19Now ye may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient histories, as ye may, if ye search what hath been wickedly done of late through the pestilent behaviour of them that are unworthily placed in authority.
20And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdom may be quiet and peaceable for all men,
21both by changing our purposes, and always judging things that are evident with more equal proceeding.
22For Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger received of us,
23had so far forth obtained the favour that we shew toward every nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all men, as the next person unto the king.
24But he, not bearing his great dignity, went about to deprive us of our kingdom and life:
25having by manifold and cunning deceits sought of us the destruction, as well of Mardocheus, who saved our life, and continually procured our good, as also of blameless Esther, partaker of our kingdom, with their whole nation.
26For by these means he thought, finding us destitute of friends, to have translated the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.
27But we find that the Jews, whom this wicked wretch hath delivered to utter destruction, are no evildoers, but live by most just laws:
28and that they be children of the most high and most mighty living God, who hath ordered the kingdom both unto us and to our progenitors in the most excellent manner.
29Wherefore ye shall do well not to put in execution the letters sent unto you by Aman the son of Amadatha.
30For he, that was the worker of these things, is hanged at the gates of Susa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, speedily rendering vengeance to him according to his deserts.
31Therefore ye shall publish the copy of this letter in all places, that the Jews may freely live after their own laws.
32And ye shall aid them, that even the same day, being the thirteenth day of the twelfth month Adar, they may be avenged on them, who in the time of their affliction shall set upon them.
33For Almighty God hath turned to joy unto them the day, wherein the chosen people should have perished.
34You shall therefore among your solemn feasts keep it a high day with all feasting:
35that both now and hereafter there may be safety to us, and the well affected Persians; but to those which do conspire against us a memorial of destruction.
36Therefore every city and country whatsoever, which shall not do according to these things, shall be destroyed without mercy with fire and sword, and shall be made not only unpassable for men, but also most hateful to wild beasts and fowls for ever.
