16:1The great king Artaxerxes, from India as far as Ethiopia, to the leaders and princes of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces who obey our command, says greeting. 16:2Many have abused the goodness of princes and the honour which has been conferred on them, to the point of pride: and not only do they strive to oppress those subject to kings, but, not bearing the glory given to them, they contrive plots against the very ones who gave it. 16:4Nor are they content not to give thanks for benefits, and to violate in themselves the rights of humanity, but they think that they can escape even the sentence of God, who sees all things.
16:5And they have burst forth into such madness, that those who diligently observe the offices entrusted to them, and do all things so as to be worthy of the praise of all, they try to overthrow with the tunnels of lies, while they deceive with crafty fraud the ears of princes, which are simple and judge others from their own nature. 16:7Which thing is proved both from the old histories, and from those things which are done daily, how the pursuits of kings are corrupted by the evil suggestions of certain men. 16:8Hence provision must be made for the peace of all the provinces. 16:9Nor ought you to think, if we order different things, that it comes from the fickleness of our mind, but that we give sentence according to the nature and necessity of the times, as the advantage of the state demands.
16:10And that you may understand more clearly what we say, Haman son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian both in mind and in race, and alien from the blood of the Persians, and staining our kindness with his cruelty, was received by us as a stranger: and experienced such great humanity towards himself, that he was called our father, and was worshipped by all as second after the king: who was lifted up into such a swelling of arrogance, that he strove to deprive us of our kingdom and of our life. 16:13For Mordecai, by whose faithfulness and good services we live, and Esther, the partner of our kingdom, with all her nation, he sought out for death by certain new and unheard-of machinations: thinking this, that, they having been killed, he might lay a trap for us in our solitude, and transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.
16:15But we have found the Jews, destined for slaughter by the worst of mortals, in no fault at all, but on the contrary using just laws, and the sons of the most high and greatest and ever-living God, by whose kindness the kingdom was handed over both to our fathers and to us, and is guarded until today. 16:17Hence know that those letters, which he had sent under our name, are void. 16:18For which crime, before the gates of this city, that is, Susa, both he himself who devised it, and all his kindred, hang on gibbets: not we, but God, repaying him what he deserved. 16:19But let this edict, which we now send, be set up in all cities, so that it may be lawful for the Jews to use their own laws.
16:20To them you ought to be a support, so that those who had prepared themselves for their slaughter they may be able to kill on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar. 16:21For this day, a day of grief and mourning, God almighty has turned for them into joy. 16:22Hence you too, among the other festal days, keep this day, and celebrate it with all gladness, so that in future too it may be known that all who faithfully obey the Persians receive a worthy reward for their faithfulness; 16:23but that those who plot against their kingdom perish for their crime. 16:24But every province and city which will not be a partaker of this solemnity, let it perish by sword and fire, and be so destroyed, that it be impassable not only to men, but also to beasts, for ever, as an example of contempt and disobedience.