(In the Greek Esther, verses 1-24 below, follow verse 12 of Chapter 8; in the Hebrew Esther, these 24 verses would also follow verse 12 of Chapter 8.)
1' The sampler of the letter of king Ahasuerus, which he sent for the Jews to all the provinces of his realm; and this same sampler is not had in the book of Hebrew. [The sample of the epistle of king Ahasuerus, that for the Jews he sent to all the provinces of his realm; the which and it is not had in (the) Hebrew volume.]
CHAPTER 16
1 The great king Ahasuerus, from India unto Ethiopia, saith health to the dukes and princes of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, that obey to our commandment. [Ahasuerus, the great king, from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, to dukes and princes, that to our commanding obeish, saith greeting(s).]
2 Many men mis-use into pride the goodness and (the) honour of princes, which is given to them;
3 and not only they endeavor to oppress subjects to kings [or and not only endeavor to oppress the subjects to the king], but they bear not duly the glory given to them, and make ready treasons against them, that gave their glory to them.
4 And they be not appeased (or satisfied) to do not thankings for (these) benefices or goodnesses, and to defoul in themselves the laws of courtesy; but also they deem, that they may flee, or be able to flee, the sentence of God seeing all things.
5 And they break out into so much madness, that they endeavor them-(selves) with (the) ropes of leasings (or of lies) to destroy them, that keep diligently the offices betaken to them, and do so all things, (so) that they be worthy (of) the praising of all men; [And in so much to madness break out, that to them that busily keep the offices taken to them, and so all things do, that they be worthy (of) the praising of all men, with the privy and subtle flatterings, or little cords, of leasings they endeavour to turn upside-down,]
6 while by subtle fraud false men deceive the simple ears of kings, and guessing other men by (or to be of) their own kind./and while malicious men guessing other men by (or to be of) their own kind blameful by subtle fraud, they deceive the simple ears of kings.
7 Which thing is proved both by eld stories, and by these things that be done each day; how the studies of kings be made shrewd (or depraved) by evil suggestions of some men. [The which thing and of old stories is proved, and of these things that be done each day; how by evil suggestions of some men the studies of kings be depraved.]
8 Wherefore it is to purvey for the peace of all (the) provinces.
9 And though we command diverse things, ye owe (or ye ought) not to guess, that this cometh of (or from) the unstableness of our soul, or of our heart; but that we give sentence by our counsel for the manner and need of times, as the profit of the common thing asketh.
10 And that ye understand more openly that thing, that we say; Haman the son of Hammedatha, a man of Macedonia by soul and folk [or (by) will and kindred], and an alien from the blood of Persians, and defouling our piety with his cruelty, was a pilgrim, or a stranger, and was received of (or by) us;
11 and he feeled (or experienced) in himself so great courtesy of (or from) us, that he was called our father, and he was worshipped [or honoured] of (or by) all men as the second person after the king;
12 the which Haman was raised into so great swelling of pride, that he endeavoured to deprive us of the realm and of our life [or of (our) spirit].
13 For by some new and unheard (of) casts he asked into death Mordecai, by whose faith and benefices we live, and also the fellow of our realm, Esther, with all her folk;
14 and he thought these things, that when they were slain, he should set treason to our aloneness, that is, to us-self (or ourselves) alone, [or our only-hood], and that he should trans-late, (or transfer), [or over-bear, (or bear over)] the realm of (the) Persians into the realm of the Macedonians.
15 Forsooth we found not the Jews in any guilt utterly, that were ordained to death by him that is the worst of dead-ly (or mortal) men; but again-ward (or on the contrary) that they/the Jews, use just laws, [We forsooth utterly find in no blame the Jews, ordained to death of (or by) the worst man of deadly men; but again-ward, using right laws,]
16 and be the sons of the highest and most God, and ever-living,/and be the sons of the highest and most, and of everlasting God, by whose benefice, or goodness, the realm was given both to our fathers and to us, and is kept unto this day. [and (be) the sons of the highest, and the most, and evermore living God, through whose benefit and to our fathers and to us the realm is taken, and unto today is kept.]
17 Wherefore know ye, that those letters be void, which that Haman sent under our name. [Wherefore those letters, that under our name he gave forth, knoweth to be as none.]
18 For which great trespass both he that imagined it, and all his kindred, hangeth in gibbets before the gates of the city of Susa; for not we, but God yielded to him that, that he deserved. [For the which hideous guilt before the gates of this city, that is, Susa, and he that cast, and all his kindred, hangeth in gibbets; not us, but God to him yielding that (that) he deserved.]
19 Forsooth this commandment, which we send now, be (it) set forth in all (the) cities,/Therefore this behest, that we send forth now, be it set up in all (the) cities, (so) that it be leaveful to (or lawful for) the Jews to use their (own) laws.
20 Which Jews or Whom also ye owe (or ye ought) to help, (so) that they may slay them, that made them-selves ready to (or for) the death of (the) Jews, in the thirteenth day [or the fourteenth day] of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, or March;
21 for Almighty God hath turned this day of wailing and of mourning [or of sorrow and of wailing] into joy to (or for) them.
22 Wherefore and ye (shall) have this day among other feast days, and hallow it with all gladness;
23 (so) that it be known afterward, that all men, that obey faithfully to the kings of Persia, receive worthy meed (or reward) for their faith; and that they, that set treason to the realm of them, perish for the felony.
24 And each province and city, that will not be partner of this solemnity, perish by (the) sword and by fire; and be it so undone or destroyed, that not only it be without way to men, but also to beasts without end, for (an) ensample of despising and unobedience.