Esther 8

And in that day king Artaxerxes gave to Esther all that belonged to Aman the slanderer: and Mardochæus was called by the king; for Esther had shewn that he was related to her.

Καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀρταξέρξης ἐδωρήσατο Ἐσθὴρ ὅσα ὑπῆρχεν Ἀμὰν τῷ διαβόλῳ· καὶ Μαρδοχαῖος προσεκλήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως· ὑπέδειξε γὰρ Ἐσθὴρ, ὅτι ἐνοικείωται αὐτῇ.

And the king took the ring which he had taken away from Aman, and gave it to Mardochæus: and Esther appointed Mardochæus over all that had been Aman's.

Ἔλαβε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν δακτύλιον ὃν ἀφείλατο Ἀμὰν, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν Μαρδοχαίῳ· καὶ κατέστησεν Ἐσθὴρ Μαρδοχαῖον ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν Ἀμάν.

And she spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and besought him to do away the mischief of Aman, and all that he had done against the Jews.

Καὶ προσθεῖσα ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ προσέπεσε πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἠξίου ἀφελεῖν τὴν Ἀμὰν κακίαν, καὶ ὅσα ἐποίησε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις.

Then the king stretched out to Esther the golden sceptre: and Esther arose to stand near the king.

Ἐξέτεινε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἐσθὴρ τὴν ῥάβδον τὴν χρυσῆν· ἐξηγέρθη δὲ Ἐσθὴρ παρεστηκέναι τῷ βασιλεῖ,

And Esther said, If it seem good to thee, and I have found favour in thy sight, let an order be sent that the letters sent by Aman may be reversed, that were written for the destruction of the Jews, who are in thy kingdom.

καὶ εἶπεν Ἐσθὴρ, εἰ δοκεῖ σοι, καὶ εὗρον χάριν, πεμφθήτω ἀποστραφῆναι τὰ γράμματα τὰ ἀπεσταλμένα ὑπὸ Ἀμὰν, τὰ γραφέντα ἀπολέσθαι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, οἵ εἰσιν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.

For how shall I be able to look upon the affliction of my people, and how shall I be able to survive the destruction of my kindred?

Πῶς γὰρ δυνήσομαι ἰδεῖν τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου, καὶ πῶς δυνήσομαι σωθῆναι ἐν τῇ ἀπωλείᾳ τῆς πατρίδος μου;

And the king said to Esther, If I have given and freely granted thee all that was Aman's, and hanged him on a gallows, because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what dost thou yet further seek?

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Ἐσθὴρ, εἰ πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα Ἀμὰν ἔδωκα καὶ ἐχαρισάμην σοι, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκρέμασα ἐπὶ ξύλου, ὅτι τὰς χεῖρας ἐπήνεγκε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, τί ἔτι ἐπιζητεῖς;

Write ye also in my name, as it seems good to you, and seal it with my ring: for whatever orders are written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, it is not lawful to gainsay them.

Γράψατε καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου, ὡς δοκεῖ ὑμῖν, καὶ σφραγίσατε τῷ δακτυλίῳ μου· ὅσα γὰρ γράφεται τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπιτάξαντος, καὶ σφραγισθῇ τῷ δακτυλίῳ μου, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἀντειπεῖν.

So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the three and twentieth day of the same year; and orders were written to the Jews, whatever the king had commanded to the local governors and chiefs of the satraps, from India even to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven satraps, according to the several provinces, according to their dialects.

Ἐκλήθησαν δὲ οἱ γραμματεῖς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ μηνὶ, ὅς ἐστι Νισὰν, τρίτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἔτους, καὶ ἐγράφη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο τοῖς οἰκονόμοις καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι τῶν σατραπῶν, ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἕως τῆς Αἰθιοπίας, ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιεπτὰ σατράπαις κατὰ χώραν καὶ χώραν, κατὰ τὴν αὐτῶν λέξιν.

And they were written by order of the king, and sealed with his ring, and they sent the letters by the posts:

Ἐγράφη δὲ διὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐσφραγίσθη τῷ δακτυλίῳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν τὰ γράμματα διὰ βιβλιοφόρων,

wherein he charged them to use their own laws in every city, and to help each other, and to treat their adversaries, and those who attacked them, as they pleased,

ὡς ἐπέταξεν αὐτοῖς χρῆσθαι τοῖς νόμοις αὐτῶν ἐν πάσῃ πόλει, βοηθῆσαί τε αὑτοῖς, καὶ χρῆσθαι τοῖς ἀντιδίκοις αὐτῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀντικειμένοις αὐτῶν, ὡς βούλονται,

on one day in all the kingdom of Artaxerxes, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar.

ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ Ἀρταξέρξου, τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ δωδεκάτου μηνὸς, ὅς ἐστιν Ἀδάρ.

And the following is the copy of the letter of the orders.

Ὧν ἐστιν ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὰ ὑπογεγραμμένα·

[The great king Artaxerxes sends greeting to the rulers of provinces in a hundred and twenty-seven satrapies, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests.

“Βασιλεὺς μέγας Ἀρταξέρξης τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἕως τῆς Αἰθιοπίας ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιεπτὰ σατραπείαις χωρῶν ἄρχουσι, καὶ τοῖς τὰ ἡμέτερα φρονοῦσι, χαίρειν.

Many who have been frequently honoured by the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavour to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavour to plot against their own benefactors.

Πολλοὶ τῇ πλείστῃ τῶν εὐεργετούντων χρηστότητι πυκνότερον τιμώμενοι, μεῖζον ἐφρόνησαν, καὶ οὐ μόνον τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους ἡμῖν ζητοῦσι κακοποιεῖν, τόν τε κόρον οὐ δυνάμενοι φέρειν, καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν εὐεργέταις ἐπιχειροῦσι μηχανᾶσθαι·

And they not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that is good, they suppose that they shall escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God.

καὶ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνταναιροῦντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀπειραγάθων κόμποις ἐπαρθέντες, τοῦ τὰ πάντα κατοπτεύοντος ἀεὶ Θεοῦ μισοπόνηρον ὑπολαμβάνουσιν ἐκφεύξεσθαι δίκην.

And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities, many of those who were appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends' affairs;

Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἐπʼ ἐξουσίαις τεταγμένεν τῶν πιστευθέντων χειρίζειν φίλων τὰ πράγματα, παραμυθία μετόχους αἱμάτων ἀθώων καταστήσασα περιέβαλε συμφοραῖς ἀνηκέστοις,

while men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple candour of the ruling powers.

τῷ τῆς κακοηθείας ψευδεῖ παραλογισμῷ παραλογισαμένων τὴν τῶν ἐπικρατούντων ἀκέραιον εὐγνωμοσύνην.

And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient traditionary accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power.

Σκοπεῖν δὲ ἔξεστιν, οὐ τοσοῦτον ἐκ τῶν παλαιοτέρων ὡς παρεδώκαμεν ἱστοριῶν, ὅσα ἐστὶ παρὰ πόδας ὑμᾶς ἐκζητοῦντας ἀνοσίως συντετελεσμένα τῇ τῶν ἀναξίᾳ δυναστευόντων λοιμότητι·

And it is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men,

καὶ προσέχειν εἰς τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα, εἰς τὸ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀτάραχον τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις μετʼ εἰρήνης παρεξόμεθα

adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice, with truly equitable decision.

χρώμενοι ταῖς μεταβολαῖς, τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν ἐρχόμενα διακρίνοντες ἀεὶ μετʼ ἐπιεικεστέρας ἀπαντήσεως.

For whereas Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadathes, in reality an alien from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild course of government, having been hospitably entertained by us,

“Ὡς γὰρ Ἀμὰν Ἀμαδαθοῦ Μακεδὼν ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἀλλότριος τοῦ τῶν Περσῶν αἵματος, καὶ πολὺ διεστηκὼς τῆς ἡμετέρας χρηστότητος ἐπιξενωθεὶς ἡμῖν,

obtained so large a share of our universal kindness, as to be called our father, and to continue the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all;

ἔτυχεν ἧς ἔχομεν πρὸς πᾶν ἔθνος φιλανθρωπίας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον, ὥστε ἀναγορεύεσθαι ἡμῶν πατερα, καὶ προσκυνούμενον ὑπὸ πάντων τὸ δεύτερον τοῦ βασιλικοῦ θρόνου πρόσωπον διατελεῖν.

he, however, overcome by the pride of his station, endeavoured to deprive us of our dominion, and our life;

Οὐκ ἐνέγκας δὲ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν, ἐπετήδευσε τῆς ἀρχῆς στερῆσαι ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος,

having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction both Mardochæus our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, with their whole nation.

τόν τε ἡμέτερον σωτῆρα καὶ διαπαντὸς εὐεργέτην Μαρδοχαῖον, καὶ τὴν ἄμεμπτον τῆς βασιλείας κοινωνὸν Ἐσθὴρ σὺν παντὶ τῷ τούτων ἔθνει, πολυπλόκοις μεθόδων παραλογισμοῖς αἰτησάμενος εἰς ἀπώλειαν.

For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenceless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians.

Διὰ γὰρ τῶν τρόπων τούτων ᾠήθη λαβὼν ἡμᾶς ἐρήμους, τὴν τῶν Περσῶν ἐπικράτησιν εἰς τοὺς Μακεδόνας μετάξαι.

But we find that the Jews, who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are not malefactors, but living according to the justest laws,

Ἡμεῖς δὲ τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ τρισαλιτηρίου παραδεδομένους εἰς ἀφανισμὸν Ἰουδαίους, εὑρίσκομεν οὐ κακούργους ὄντας δικαιοτάτοις δὲ πολιτευομένους νόμοις,

and being the sons of the living God, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom, to us as well as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order.

ὄντας δὲ υἱοὺς τοῦ ὑψίστου μεγίστου ζῶντος Θεοῦ, τοῦ κατευθύνοντος ἡμῖν τε καὶ τοῖς προγόνοις ἡμῶν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν τῇ καλλίστῃ διαθέσει.

Ye will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letters sent by Aman the son of Amadathes, because he that has done these things, has been hanged with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God having swiftly returned to him a worthy recompence.

“Καλῶς οὖν ποιήσετε μὴ προσχρησάμενοι τοῖς ὑπὸ Ἀμὰν Ἀμαδαθοῦ ἀποσταλεῖσι γράμμασι, διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν τὸν ταῦτα ἐξεργασάμενον πρὸς ταῖς Σούσων πύλαις ἐσταυρῶσθαι σὺν τῇ πανοικίᾳ, τὴν καταξίαν τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐπικρατοῦντος Θεοῦ διατάχους ἀποδόντος αὐτῷ κρίσιν.

We enjoin you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission to use their own lawful customs, and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they may defend themselves against those who attacked them in a time of affliction.

Τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ταύτης ἐκθέντες ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ μετὰ παῤῥησίας, ἐᾷν τοὺς Ἰουδαίους χρῆσθαι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν νομίμοις, καὶ συνεπισχύειν αὐτοῖς, ὅπως τοὺς ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ἐπιθεμένους αὐτοῖς, ἀμύνωνται τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ δωδεκάτου μηνὸς Ἀδὰρ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ·

For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness.

Ταύτην γὰρ ὁ τὰ πάντα δυναστεύων Θεὸς ἀντʼ ὀλεθρίας τοῦ ἐκλεκτοῦ γένους, ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς εὐφροσύνην.

Do ye therefore also, among your notable feasts, keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and those who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction.

“Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἐν ταῖς ἐπωνύμοις ὑμῶν ἑορταῖς, ἐπίσημον ἡμέραν μετὰ πάσης εὐωχίας ἄγετε, ὅπως καὶ νῦν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα σωτήρια ᾖ ἡμῖν, καὶ τοῖς εὐνοοῦσι Πέρσαις, τοῖς δὲ ἡμῖν ἐπιβουλεύουσι, μνημόσυνον τῆς ἀπωλείας.

And every city and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with vengeance by spear and fire: it shall be made not only inaccessible to men, but also most hateful to wild beasts and birds for ever.]

Πᾶσα δὲ πόλις ἢ χώρα τὸ σύνολον, ἥτις κατὰ ταῦτα μὴ ποιήσῃ, δόρατι καὶ πυρὶ καταναλωθήσεται μετʼ ὀργῆς· οὐ μόνον ἀνθρώποις ἄβατος, ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίοις καὶ πετεινοῖς εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἔχθιστος κατασταθήσεται.”

And let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom, and let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies.

Τὰ δὲ ἀντίγραφα ἐκτιθέσθωσαν ὀφθαλμοφανῶς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ, ἑτοίμους τε εἶναι πάντας τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰς ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν, πολεμῆσαι αὐτῶν τοὺς ὑπεναντίους.

So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king's commands; and the ordinance was also published in Susa.

Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἱππεῖς ἐξῆλθον σπεύδοντες τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως λεγόμενα ἐπιτελεῖν· ἐξετέθη δὲ τὸ πρόσταγμα καὶ ἐν Σούσοις.

And Mardochæus went forth robed in the royal apparel, and wearing a golden crown, and a diadem of fine purple linen: and the people in Susa saw it and rejoiced.

Ὁ δὲ Μαρδοχαῖος ἐξῆλθεγ ἐστολισμένος τὴν βασιλικὴν στολὴν, καὶ στέφανον ἔχων χρυσοῦν, καὶ διάδημα βύσσινον πορφυροῦν· ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἐν Σούσοις ἐχάρησαν.

And the Jews had light and gladness,

Τοῖς δὲ Ἰουδαίοις ἐγένετο φῶς καὶ εὐφροσύνη

in every city and province wherever the ordinance was published: wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness, feasting and mirth: and many of the Gentiles were circumcised, and became Jews, for fear of the Jews.

κατὰ πόλιν καὶ χώραν, οὗ ἂν ἐξετέθη τὸ πρόσταγμα· οὗ ἂν ἐξετέθη τὸ ἔκθεμα, χαρὰ καὶ εὐφροσύνη τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, κώθων καὶ εὐφροσύνη· καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν περιετέμοντο, καὶ Ἰουδάϊζον διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων.