From Artaxerxes the Great King, from India even unto Ethiopia, unto the princes and governors of the one hundred and seven and twenty provinces which are under our dominion, greetings.

Many there be that misuse the glory vouchsafed unto them, and so grow arrogant.

And they strive not only to oppress the subjects of kings, but, being unable to bear the glory grant to them, they conspire against those who bestowed it upon them.

And they are not satisfied with being ungrateful for the benefits received, nor with assailing human rights; nay, they imagine they can escape the judgment of God, which seeth all things.

And their folly hath reached such a pitch that they attempt by their false devices to overthrow even those entrusted with positions, who administer them with diligence and do all that deserveth the thanks of all.

And they deceive by their cunning fraud the sound ears of princes, who judge their characters by their own.

And this hath been proven by ancient histories and by daily occurrences, that the schemes of some do corrupt the good intentions of kings.

Therefore, it is expedient to have regard unto the peace of all provinces.

Let it not therefore be thought that we command things differing through lightness of mind, but that it ariseth from the diversity of times and their necessities, which have led us to bring forth judgment according to what is expedient for the good of all.

And that ye may understand Our words with clearer declaration, Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who is Macedonian in race and spirit, and a stranger to the Persians, hath by his cruelty exposed our mercy, after we had taken him in as a stranger.

And after we had shown him kindness, so that he was called our father, and all paid homage to him as to the second person of the King.

Hath reached such a pitch of insolence that he hath striven to divest us of our kingdom and our life.

For he hath sought by new and unheard-of devices to destroy Mordecai, by whose faithfulness and goodness we live, and to destroy our royal consort Esther, and her people, and all other peoples.

And his thought was that after their slaughter, he would lie in wait for us in our privacy and transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

And we found no fault at all in the Jews, upon whom judgment of death was passed by the decree of the most wicked of men; but on the contrary, we found their laws to be righteous.

And they are the children of the Most High God, the Great, who liveth for ever, by whose goodness the kingdom was delivered to our fathers and to us, and hath been preserved until this day.

And whereas this is so, know ye that the letters which he sent in our name are void.

And because of this crime, he who concocted that conspiracy, even Haman, and all his kinsmen, have been hanged before the gates of this city of Shushan upon gallows, and thereby received what they deserved from God, not from our hand.

Let this command, which we now execute, be published in all cities, that the Jews may be permitted to observe their customs.

And ye ought to assist them, that they may be able to slay those who were prepared to slay them, on the thirteenth day of the second month, which is called Adar.

For that day, which was for them a day of sorrow and wailing, the Almighty God hath converted for them into a day of joy.

And ye also, reckon this day among the other feast days, and observe it with all joy, so that it may be known hereafter.

That whosoever faithfully obeyeth the Persians shall be fully rewarded for his fidelity, and whosoever lieth in wait for their kingdom shall perish by his transgression.

And every province or city that refuseth to participate in this feast shall be utterly destroyed by sword and fire, not only the people, but also the beasts, that it may be an everlasting example of contempt and rebellion.