And this was the copy of the letter: Artaxerxes the great king who reigneth from India to Ethiopia, to the princes and governors of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, that are subject to his empire, greeting.

Rex maximus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam, centum viginti septem provinciarum principibus et ducibus qui ejus imperio subjecti sunt, salutem.

The great king Artaxerxes, to the governors of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces between India and Ethiopia, and to all his vassal chiefs, sends greeting.

Whereas I reigned over many nations, and had brought all the world under my dominion, I was not willing to abuse the greatness of my power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and lenity, that they might live quietly without any terror, and might enjoy peace, which is desired by all men.

Cum plurimis gentibus imperarem, et universum orbem meæ ditioni subjugassem, volui nequaquam abuti potentiæ magnitudine, sed clementia et lenitate gubernare subjectos, ut absque ullo terrore vitam silentio transigentes, optata cunctis mortalibus pace fruerentur.

Wide as I rule, the world’s conqueror, I would not abuse this great power of mine; mild and indulgent my sway should be, and my subjects live in undisturbed tranquillity; peace is man’s greatest boon.

But when I asked my counsellors how this might be accomplished, one that excelled the rest in wisdom and fidelity, and was second after the king, Aman by name,

Quærente autem me a consiliariis meis quomodo posset hoc impleri, unus qui sapientia et fide ceteros præcellebat, et erat post regem secundus, Aman nomine,

So I asked my counsellors how this end might best be achieved; and among them Aman, who ranks next to my person; no counsellor so wise or so trusty as he.

Told me that there was a people scattered through the whole world, which used new laws, and acted against the customs of all nations, despised the commandments of kings, and violated by their opposition the concord of all nations.

indicavit mihi in toto orbe terrarum populum esse dispersum, qui novis uteretur legibus, et, contra omnium gentium consuetudinem faciens, regum jussa contemneret, et universarum concordiam nationum sua dissensione violaret.

He it was told me of a race scattered about the world that lives by strange laws, and usages unknown to the rest of mankind; thinks lightly of the royal decrees, and by dissenting from them mars the concord of nations.

Wherefore having learned this, and seeing one nation in opposition to all mankind using perverse laws, and going against our commandments, and disturbing the peace and concord of the provinces subject to us,

Quod cum didicissemus, videntes unam gentem rebellem adversus omne hominum genus perversis uti legibus, nostrisque jussionibus contraire, et turbare subjectarum nobis provinciarum pacem atque concordiam,

Strange news, that one people should revolt against the whole of mankind; should follow misguided customs, slight our edicts, and disturb the peaceful order of our empire!

We have commanded that all whom Aman shall mark out, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honour as a father, shall be utterly destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that none shall have pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year:

jussimus ut quoscumque Aman, qui omnibus provinciis præpositus est et secundus a rege, et quem patris loco colimus, monstraverit, cum conjugibus ac liberis deleantur ab inimicis suis, nullusque eorum misereatur, quartadecima die duodecimi mensis Adar anni præsentis:

This Aman, next to the king in dignity, is one we reverence like a father; in all our provinces, he is supreme. He will name the malefactors, who must be put to death with their wives and children, and no mercy shewn, on the fourteenth of Adar in this present year.

That these wicked men going down to hell in one day, may restore to our empire the peace which they had disturbed.

ut nefarii homines uno die ad inferos descendentes, reddant imperio nostro pacem, quam turbaverant. Pergensque Mardochæus, fecit omnia quæ ei mandaverat Esther.

In one day let them all be hurried to the grave, so that our realm may recover the peace they have denied it.

But Mardochai besought the Lord, remembering all his works,

Mardochæus autem deprecatus est Dominum, memor omnium operum ejus,

So Mardochaeus bethought him of all the Lord’s great deeds in time past,

And said: O Lord, Lord, almighty king, for all things are in thy power, and there is none that can resist thy will, if thou determine to save Israel.

et dixit: Domine, Domine rex omnipotens, in ditione enim tua cuncta sunt posita, et non est qui possit tuæ resistere voluntati, si decreveris salvare Israël.

and thus he prayed: O Lord, thou art the sovereign Lord and King of all things; nothing but is subject to thy power; who then can withstand thy will, if thou art minded to deliver Israel?

Thou hast made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven.

Tu fecisti cælum et terram, et quidquid cæli ambitu continetur.

Heaven and earth and all that heaven’s vault contains is thy creation;

Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist thy majesty.

Dominus omnium es, nec est qui resistat majestati tuæ.

thy dominion is universal, thy royalty unchallengeable.

Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest that it was not out of pride and contempt, or any desire of glory, that I refused to worship the proud Aman,

Cuncta nosti, et scis quia non pro superbia et contumelia, et aliqua gloriæ cupiditate, fecerim hoc, ut non adorarem Aman superbissimum

Thou knowest, who knowest all things, that if I refused proud Aman yonder my greeting, it was no pride of mine, no scorn, no ambition of mine that moved me.

(For I would willingly and readily for the salvation of Israel have kissed even the steps of his feet,)

(libenter enim pro salute Israël etiam vestigia pedum ejus deosculari paratus essem),

For Israel’s sake, willingly enough would I kiss the dust his feet have trodden,

But I feared lest I should transfer the honour of my God to a man, and lest I should adore any one except my God.

sed timui ne honorem Dei mei transferrem ad hominem, et ne quemquam adorarem, excepto Deo meo.

did not fear withhold me from giving man that reverence which is God’s due, from worshipping aught else than thee, my God.

And now, O Lord, O king, O God of Abraham, have mercy on thy people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish thy inheritance.

Et nunc, Domine rex, Deus Abraham, miserere populi tui, quia volunt nos inimici nostri perdere, et hæreditatem tuam delere.

God of Abraham, our Lord and King, now as ever have mercy on thy people, now when our enemies threaten to destroy us, and put an end to thy ancient right.

Despise not thy portion, which thou hast redeemed for thyself out of Egypt.

Ne despicias partem tuam, quam redemisti tibi de Ægypto.

Wilt thou make so little of the possession thou didst win for thyself in Egypt?

Hear my supplication, and be merciful to thy lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise thy name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to thee.

Exaudi deprecationem meam, et propitius esto sorti et funiculo tuo, et converte luctum nostrum in gaudium, ut viventes laudemus nomen tuum, Domine: et ne claudas ora te canentium.

Nay, listen to my prayer, have mercy on the people thou claimest for thy own; turn our sadness, Lord, into rejoicing, and let us live to bless thy name; do not silence the lips that sing thy praise.

And all Israel with like mind and supplication cried to the Lord, because they saw certain death hanging over their heads.

Omnis quoque Israël pari mente et obsecratione clamavit ad Dominum, eo quod eis certa mors impenderet.

Such was the mind, such was the prayer of all Israel, as they cried out to the Lord that day, with doom hanging over their heads.