艾斯德尔传 13

1And 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.

2Whereas 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.

3But 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,

4Told 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.

5Wherefore 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,

6We 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:

7That these wicked men going down to hell in one day, may restore to our empire the peace which they had disturbed.

8But Mardochai besought the Lord, remembering all his works,

9And 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.

10Thou hast made heaven and earth, and all things that are under the cope of heaven.

11Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist thy majesty.

12Thou 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,

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

14But I feared lest I should transfer the honour of my God to a man, and lest I should adore any one except my God.

15And 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.

16Despise not thy portion, which thou hast redeemed for thyself out of Egypt.

17Hear 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.

18And all Israel with like mind and supplication cried to the Lord, because they saw certain death hanging over their heads.

1Rex maximus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam, centum viginti septem provinciarum principibus et ducibus qui ejus imperio subjecti sunt, salutem.

2Cum 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.

3Quærente autem me a consiliariis meis quomodo posset hoc impleri, unus qui sapientia et fide ceteros præcellebat, et erat post regem secundus, Aman nomine,

4indicavit 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.

5Quod cum didicissemus, videntes unam gentem rebellem adversus omne hominum genus perversis uti legibus, nostrisque jussionibus contraire, et turbare subjectarum nobis provinciarum pacem atque concordiam,

6jussimus 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:

7ut nefarii homines uno die ad inferos descendentes, reddant imperio nostro pacem, quam turbaverant. Pergensque Mardochæus, fecit omnia quæ ei mandaverat Esther.

8Mardochæus autem deprecatus est Dominum, memor omnium operum ejus,

9et dixit: Domine, Domine rex omnipotens, in ditione enim tua cuncta sunt posita, et non est qui possit tuæ resistere voluntati, si decreveris salvare Israël.

10Tu fecisti cælum et terram, et quidquid cæli ambitu continetur.

11Dominus omnium es, nec est qui resistat majestati tuæ.

12Cuncta nosti, et scis quia non pro superbia et contumelia, et aliqua gloriæ cupiditate, fecerim hoc, ut non adorarem Aman superbissimum

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

14sed timui ne honorem Dei mei transferrem ad hominem, et ne quemquam adorarem, excepto Deo meo.

15Et nunc, Domine rex, Deus Abraham, miserere populi tui, quia volunt nos inimici nostri perdere, et hæreditatem tuam delere.

16Ne despicias partem tuam, quam redemisti tibi de Ægypto.

17Exaudi 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.

18Omnis quoque Israël pari mente et obsecratione clamavit ad Dominum, eo quod eis certa mors impenderet.

1And this was the text of the letter: “Artaxerxes, the great king from India all the way to Ethiopia, to the leaders and generals of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, which are subject to his authority, greetings.

2Although I have reigned over many nations and subjugated the whole world under my realm, I was by no means willing to abuse the greatness of this power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and leniency, so that they would settle into a quiet life, apart from any terror, and delight in peace, as all mortals would choose to do.

3Yet, in asking my counselors how this might be able to be accomplished, one who excelled the others in wisdom and fidelity, and who was second after the king, named Haman,

4explained to me that there was a people, scattered throughout the whole world, that used strange laws, and, acting against the customs of all peoples, despised the commandments of kings and violated the harmony of all nations with their dissension.

5When we had learned this, seeing one nation rebellious against all mankind, having overthrown the usefulness of laws, and going against our orders, and disturbing the peace and harmony of the provinces subject to us,

6we commanded that whomever Haman, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honor in the place of a father, whomever he would point out should be destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that no one may take pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year,

7so that these guilty men, all on one day, may go down to the underworld, restoring to our empire the peace that they had disturbed.”

8Now Mordecai beseeched the Lord, remembering all his works,

9and he said, “O Lord, Lord, almighty King, truly all things are possible for you, and there is no one who is able to resist your will, if you would determine to save Israel.

10You have created heaven and earth, and everything that is contained under the cycle of heaven.

11You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist your majesty.

12You know everything, and you know that it was not out of arrogance or indignation or some desire for glory that I did this, so that I refused to adore the very proud Haman.

13(For I was freely prepared, for the sake of the salvation of Israel, to have willingly kissed even the footsteps of his feet.)

14But I feared, lest I should transfer the honor of my God to a man, and lest I should adore anyone except my God.

15And now Lord, King, God of Abraham, may you have mercy on your people because our enemies want to destroy us and to erase your inheritance.

16Do not despise your portion, which you have redeemed for yourself out of Egypt.

17Listen to my supplication, and be gracious to your lot and your token, and change our sorrow into gladness, so that, in living, we may praise your name, Lord; and do not close the mouths of those who sing to you.”

18Likewise, all Israel cried out to the Lord with the same intention and supplication because certain death was hanging over them.