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Esther 16

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ὧν ἐστιν ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὰ ὑπογεγραμμένα

1 βασιλεὺς μέγας Ἀρταξέρξης τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἕως τῆς Αἰθιοπίας ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἑπτὰ σατραπείαις χωρῶν ἄρχουσι καὶ τοῖς τὰ ἡμέτερα φρονοῦσι χαίρειν 2 πολλοὶ τῇ πλείστῃ τῶν εὐεργετούντων χρηστότητι πυκνότερον τιμώμενοι μεῖζον ἐφρόνησαν 3 καὶ οὐ μόνον τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους ἡμῖν ζητοῦσι κακοποιεῖν τόν τε κόρον οὐ δυνάμενοι φέρειν καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν εὐεργέταις ἐπιχειροῦσι μηχανᾶσθαι 4 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 5 πολλάκις δὲ καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἐπ' ἐξουσίαις τεταγμένων τῶν πιστευθέντων χειρίζειν φίλων τὰ πράγματα παραμυθία μεταιτίους αἱμάτων ἀθῴων καταστήσασα περιέβαλε συμφοραῖς ἀνηκέστοις 6 τῷ τῆς κακοηθείας ψευδεῖ παραλογισμῷ παραλογισαμένων τὴν τῶν ἐπικρατούντων ἀκέραιον εὐγνωμοσύνην 7 σκοπεῖν δὲ ἔξεστιν οὐ τοσοῦτον ἐκ τῶν παλαιοτέρων ὧν παρεδώκαμεν ἱστοριῶν ὅσα ἐστὶν παρὰ πόδας ὑμᾶς ἐκζητοῦντας ἀνοσίως συντετελεσμένα τῇ τῶν ἀνάξια δυναστευόντων λοιμότητι 8 καὶ προσέχειν εἰς τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰς τὸ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀτάραχον τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις μετ' εἰρήνης παρεξόμεθα 9 χρώμενοι ταῖς μεταβολαῖς τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ τὴν ὄψιν ἐρχόμενα διακρίνοντες ἀεὶ μετ' ἐπιεικεστέρας ἀπαντήσεως

1 The great King Artaxerxes, from India to Ethiopia, to the governors and princes of a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, which obey our command, sends greeting. 2 Many have abused unto pride the goodness of princes, and the honour that has been bestowed upon them: 3 And not only endeavour to oppress the king's subjects, but not bearing the glory that is given them, take in hand, to practise also against them that gave it. 4 Neither are they content not to return thanks for benefits received, and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity, but they think they can also escape the justice of God who sees all things. 5 And they break out into so great madness, as to endeavour to undermine by lies such as observe diligently the offices committed to them, and do all things in such manner as to be worthy of all men's praise, 6 while with crafty fraud they deceive the ears of princes that are well meaning, and judge of others by their own nature. 7 Now this is proved both from ancient histories, and by the things which are done daily, how the good designs of kings are depraved by the evil suggestions of certain men. 8 Wherefore we must provide for the peace of all provinces. 9 Neither must you think, if we command different things, that it comes of the levity of our mind, but that we give sentence according to the quality and necessity of times, as the profit of the commonwealth requires.

1 Rex magnus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam, centum viginti septem provinciarum ducibus ac principibus qui nostræ jussioni obediunt, salutem dicit. 2 Multi bonitate principum et honore, qui in eos collatus est, abusi sunt in superbiam: 3 et non solum subjectos regibus nituntur opprimere, sed datam sibi gloriam non ferentes, in ipsos qui dederunt, moliuntur insidias. 4 Nec contenti sunt gratias non agere beneficiis, et humanitatis in se jura violare, sed Dei quoque cuncta cernentis arbitrantur se posse fugere sententiam. 5 Et in tantum vesaniæ proruperunt, ut eos qui credita sibi officia diligenter observant, et ita cuncta agunt ut omnium laude digni sint, mendaciorum cuniculis conentur subvertere, 6 dum aures principum simplices, et ex sua natura alios æstimantes, callida fraude decipiunt. 7 Quæ res et ex veteribus probatur historiis, et ex his quæ geruntur quotidie, quomodo malis quorumdam suggestionibus regum studia depraventur. 8 Unde providendum est paci omnium provinciarum. 9 Nec putare debetis, si diversa jubeamus, ex animi nostri venire levitate, sed pro qualitate et necessitate temporum, ut reipublicæ poscit utilitas, ferre sententiam.

From India to Ethiopia... That is, who reigns from India to Ethiopia. Commentary on the Old Testament (1752)

10 ὡς γὰρ Αμαν Αμαδαθου Μακεδών ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἀλλότριος τοῦ τῶν Περσῶν αἵματος καὶ πολὺ διεστηκὼς τῆς ἡμετέρας χρηστότητος ἐπιξενωθεὶς ἡμῖν 11 ἔτυχεν ἧς ἔχομεν πρὸς πᾶν ἔθνος φιλανθρωπίας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ὥστε ἀναγορεύεσθαι ἡμῶν πατέρα καὶ προσκυνούμενον ὑπὸ πάντων τὸ δεύτερον τοῦ βασιλικοῦ θρόνου πρόσωπον διατελεῖν 12 οὐκ ἐνέγκας δὲ τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν ἐπετήδευσεν τῆς ἀρχῆς στερῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος 13 τόν τε ἡμέτερον σωτῆρα καὶ διὰ παντὸς εὐεργέτην Μαρδοχαῖον καὶ τὴν ἄμεμπτον τῆς βασιλείας κοινωνὸν Εσθηρ σὺν παντὶ τῷ τούτων ἔθνει πολυπλόκοις μεθόδων παραλογισμοῖς αἰτησάμενος εἰς ἀπώλειαν 14 διὰ γὰρ τῶν τρόπων τούτων ᾠήθη λαβὼν ἡμᾶς ἐρήμους τὴν τῶν Περσῶν ἐπικράτησιν εἰς τοὺς Μακεδόνας μετάξαι 15 ἡμεῖς δὲ τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ τρισαλιτηρίου παραδεδομένους εἰς ἀφανισμὸν Ιουδαίους εὑρίσκομεν οὐ κακούργους ὄντας δικαιοτάτοις δὲ πολιτευομένους νόμοις 16 ὄντας δὲ υἱοὺς τοῦ ὑψίστου μεγίστου ζῶντος θεοῦ τοῦ κατευθύνοντος ἡμῖν τε καὶ τοῖς προγόνοις ἡμῶν τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν τῇ καλλίστῃ διαθέσει 17 καλῶς οὖν ποιήσετε μὴ προσχρησάμενοι τοῖς ὑπὸ Αμαν Αμαδαθου ἀποσταλεῖσι γράμμασιν 18 διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν τὸν ταῦτα ἐξεργασάμενον πρὸς ταῖς Σούσων πύλαις ἐσταυρῶσθαι σὺν τῇ πανοικίᾳ τὴν καταξίαν τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐπικρατοῦντος θεοῦ διὰ τάχους ἀποδόντος αὐτῷ κρίσιν 19 τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ταύτης ἐκθέντες ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐᾶν τοὺς Ιουδαίους χρῆσθαι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν νομίμοις 20 καὶ συνεπισχύειν αὐτοῖς ὅπως τοὺς ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως ἐπιθεμένους αὐτοῖς ἀμύνωνται τῇ τρισκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ δωδεκάτου μηνὸς Αδαρ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ 21 ταύτην γὰρ ὁ πάντα δυναστεύων θεὸς ἀντ' ὀλεθρίας τοῦ ἐκλεκτοῦ γένους ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς εὐφροσύνην 22 καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἐν ταῖς ἐπωνύμοις ὑμῶν ἑορταῖς ἐπίσημον ἡμέραν μετὰ πάσης εὐωχίας ἄγετε 23 ὅπως καὶ νῦν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα σωτηρία ᾖ ἡμῖν καὶ τοῖς εὐνοοῦσιν Πέρσαις τοῖς δὲ ἡμῖν ἐπιβουλεύουσιν μνημόσυνον τῆς ἀπωλείας 24 πᾶσα δὲ πόλις ἢ χώρα τὸ σύνολον ἥτις κατὰ ταῦτα μὴ ποιήσῃ δόρατι καὶ πυρὶ καταναλωθήσεται μετ' ὀργῆς οὐ μόνον ἀνθρώποις ἄβατος ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίοις καὶ πετεινοῖς εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἔχθιστος κατασταθήσεται

10 Now that you may more plainly understand what we say, Aman the son of Amadathi, a Macedonian both in mind and country, and having nothing of the Persian blood, but with his cruelty staining our goodness, was received being a stranger by us: 11 And found our humanity so great towards him, that he was called our father, and was worshipped by all as the next man after the king: 12 But he was so far puffed up with arrogancy, as to go about to deprive us of our kingdom and life. 13 For with certain new and unheard of devices he has sought the destruction of Mardochai, by whose fidelity and good services our life was saved, and of Esther the partner of our kingdom with all their nation: 14 Thinking that after they were slain, he might work treason against us left alone without friends, and might transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians. 15 But we have found that the Jews, who were by that most wicked man appointed to be slain, are in no fault at all, but contrariwise, use just laws, 16 and are the children of the highest and the greatest, and the ever living God, by whose benefit the kingdom was given both to our fathers and to us, and is kept unto this day. 17 Wherefore know that those letters which he sent in our name, are void and of no effect. 18 For which crime both he himself that devised it, and all his kindred hang on gibbets, before the gates of this city Susan: not we, but God repaying him as he deserved. 19 But this edict, which we now send, shall be published in all cities, that the Jews may freely follow their own laws. 20 And you shall aid them that they may kill those who had prepared themselves to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar. 21 For the almighty God has turned this day of sadness and mourning into joy to them. 22 Wherefore you shall also count this day among other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy, that it may be known also in times to come, 23 that all they who faithfully obey the Persians, receive a worthy reward for their fidelity: but they that are traitors to their kingdom, are destroyed for their wickedness. 24 And let every province and city, that will not be partaker of this solemnity, perish by the sword and by fire, and be destroyed in such manner as to be made unpassable, both to men and beasts, for an example of contempt, and disobedience.

10 Et ut manifestius quod dicimus intelligatis, Aman filius Amadathi, et animo et gente Macedo, alienusque a Persarum sanguine, et pietatem nostram sua crudelitate commaculans, peregrinus a nobis susceptus est: 11 et tantam in se expertus humanitatem, ut pater noster vocaretur, et adoraretur ab omnibus post regem secundus: 12 qui in tantum arrogantiæ tumorem sublatus est, ut regno privare nos niteretur et spiritu. 13 Nam Mardochæum, cujus fide et beneficiis vivimus, et consortem regni nostri Esther cum omni gente sua, novis quibusdam atque inauditis machinis expetivit in mortem: 14 hoc cogitans ut illis interfectis, insidiaretur nostræ solitudini, et regnum Persarum transferret in Macedonas. 15 Nos autem a pessimo mortalium Judæos neci destinatos, in nulla penitus culpa reperimus, sed e contrario justis utentes legibus, 16 et filios altissimi et maximi semperque viventis Dei, cujus beneficio et patribus nostris et nobis regnum est traditum, et usque hodie custoditur. 17 Unde eas litteras, quas sub nomine nostro ille direxerat, sciatis esse irritas. 18 Pro quo scelere ante portas hujus urbis, id est, Susan, et ipse qui machinatus est, et omnis cognatio ejus pendet in patibulis : non nobis, sed Deo reddente ei quod meruit. 19 Hoc autem edictum, quod nunc mittimus, in cunctis urbibus proponatur, ut liceat Judæis uti legibus suis. 20 Quibus debetis esse adminiculo, ut eos qui se ad necem eorum paraverant, possint interficere tertiadecima die mensis duodecimi, qui vocatur Adar. 21 Hanc enim diem, Deus omnipotens, mœroris et luctus, eis vertit in gaudium. 22 Unde et vos inter ceteros festos dies, hanc habetote diem, et celebrate eam cum omni lætitia, ut et in posterum cognoscatur, 23 omnes qui fideliter Persis obediunt, dignam pro fide recipere mercedem; qui autem insidiantur regno eorum, perire pro scelere. 24 Omnis autem provincia et civitas quæ noluerit solemnitatis hujus esse particeps, gladio et igne pereat, et sic deleatur, ut non solum hominibus, sed etiam bestiis invia sit in sempiternum, pro exemplo contemptus et inobedientiæ.