Bilingual reading

On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer. The king called Mordecai, for Esther had told that he was related to her.

The king took the ring which he had taken away from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai over all that had been Haman’s.

She spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and implored him to undo Haman’s mischief and all that he had done against the Jews.

Then the king extended the golden sceptre to Esther; and Esther arose to stand near the king.

Esther said, “If it seems good to you, and I have found favor in your sight, let an order be sent that the letters sent by Haman may be reversed—letters that were written for the destruction of the Jews who are in your kingdom.

For how could I see the affliction of my people, and how could I survive the destruction of my kindred?”

Then the king said to Esther, “If I have given and freely granted you all that was Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what more do you seek?

Write in my name whatever seems good to you, and seal it with my ring; for whatever is written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, cannot be countermanded.

So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the twenty-third 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 local governors, from India even to Ethiopia—one hundred twenty-seven local governors, according to the several provinces, in their own languages.

They were written by order of the king, sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by the couriers.

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

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

The following is a copy of the letter containing orders: [The great King Ahasuerus sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in one hundred twenty-seven local governance regions, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by the most abundant kindness of theirbenefactors have conceived ambitious designs, and not only endeavor to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavor to plot against their own benefactors. 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 supposed that they would escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing God. And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends’ affairs; while men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple goodwill of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient traditional 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. It is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice with truly equitable decisions. For whereas Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, 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, 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; he however, overcome by pride, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and our life; having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction both Mordecai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the blameless consort of our kingdom, along with their whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenseless state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians. 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 most just laws, 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. You will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedatha, because he who 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 punishment. 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 attack them in a time of affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty God has granted them this time of gladness. Therefore you also, among your notable feasts, must keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction. 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 most hateful to wild beasts and birds forever.] Let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom. Let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies.

So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance was also published in Susa.

Mordecai went out robed in royal apparel, wearing a golden crown and a diadem of fine purple linen. The people in Susa saw it and rejoiced.

The Jews had light and gladness

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

في ذٰلك اليَومِ أَعْطى أَحْشورُشُ المَلِكُ أَسْتيرَ المَلِكَةَ بَيتَ هامان، مُضطَهِدِ اليَهود. وجاءَ مَردَكايُ إِلى أَمامِ المَلِك، لِأَنَّ أَسْتيرَ أَخبَرَته بِقَرابَتِه لَها

فنَزَعَ المَلِكُ خاتَمَه الَّذي كانَ نَزَعَه مِن هامان وأَعْطاه لِمَردَكاي. وأَقامَت أَسْتيرُ مَردَكايَ على بَيتِ هامان

وعادَت أَسْتيرُ فتَكَلَّمَت أَمامَ المَلِك، وٱرتَمَت عِندَ قَدَمَيه وبَكَت وتَضَرَّعَت إِلَيه في إِزالَةِ الشَّرِّ الَّذي أَعَدَّه هامانُ الأَجاجِيّ والتَّدبيرِ الَّذي دَبَّرَه على اليَهود

فمَدَّ المَلِكُ صَولَجانَ الذَّهَبِ نَحوَ أَسْتير، فقامَت أَسْتيرُ ووَقَفَت أَمامَ المَلِك

وقالَت: «إِن حَسُنَ عِندَ المَلِكِ وإِن نِلتُ حُظوَةً في عَينَيه وٱستَقامَ الأَمرُ لَدى المَلِك، وكَرُمتُ في عَينَيه، فلْيُكتَبْ بأَن يُرجَعَ عنِ الرَّسائِلِ الخاصَّةِ بِتَدْبيرِ هامانَ بنِ هَمْداتا الأَجاجِيِّ الَّتي كَتَبَها في إِهْلاكِ اليَهودِ الَّذينَ في جَميعِ أَقاليمِ المَلِك

فإِنِّي كَيفَ أَقدِرُ أَن أَرى الشَّرَّ الَّذي يَنالُ شَعْبي، وكَيفَ أَقدِرُ أَن أَرى هَلاكَ بَني قَومي؟»

فقالَ المَلِكُ أَحْشورُشُ لِأَسْتيرَ المَلِكَةِ ولِمَردَكايَ اليَهودِيّ: «هاءَنَذا قد أَعطَيتُ أَسْتيرَ بَيتَ هامان. وأَمَّا هو فقَد عَلَّقوه على الخَشَبَة، لِأَنَّه مَدَّ يَدَه على اليَهود

فٱكتُبا أَنتُما في أَمرِ اليَهودِ كما يَحسُنُ في أَعيُنِكما بٱسمِ المَلِك، وٱختِما بِخاتَمِ المَلِك، لِأَنَّ الكِتابَةَ المَكْتوبَةَ بِٱسمِ المَلِكِ والمَخْتومَةَ بِٱسمِ المَلِكِ لا رُجوعَ عنها»

فٱستُدعِيَ كُتَّابُ المَلِكِ في ذٰلك الوَقْت، في الشَّهرِ الثَّالِثِ الَّذي هو شَهرُ سيوان، في الثَّالِثِ والعِشْرينَ مِنه، وكُتِبَ كُلُّ ما أَمَرَ بِه مَردَكايُ إِلى اليَهودِ وإِلى الأَقْطابِ والوُلاةِ ورُؤَساءِ الأَقاليم، مِنَ الهِندِ إِلى الحَبَشَة، إِلى المِئَةِ والسَّبعَةِ والعِشْرينَ إِقْليمًا، إِلى إِقْليمٍ فإِقْليمٍ بِكِتابَتِه، وإِلى شَعْبٍ فشَعْبٍ بلِسانِهِم، وإِلى اليَهودِ بِكِتابَتِهم ولِسانِهم

فكُتِبَ بِٱسمِ أَحْشورُشَ المَلِك، وخُتِمَ بِخاتَمِ المَلِك، ووُجِّهَتِ الرَّسائِلُ مع السُّعاةِ على الخَيل، الرَّاكِبينَ على جِيادِ المَلِك، صِغارِ الفُحول

وفيها أَنعَمَ المَلِكُ على اليَهودِ الَّذينَ في كُلِّ مَدينةٍ بِأَن يَجتَمِعوا ويُدافِعوا عن أَنفُسِهم ويُبيدوا ويَقتُلوا ويُهلِكوا قُوَّةَ كُلِّ شَعْبٍ وإِقْليمٍ مِمَّن يُضايِقونَهم، حَتَّى الأَطفالَ والنِّساء، ويَسلُبوا أَمْوالَهم

في يَومٍ واحِد، في جَميعِ أقاليمِ المَلِكِ أَحْشورُش، في الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الثَّاني عَشَرَ الَّذي هو شهرُ آذار

فيما يَلي نُسخَةٌ مِنَ الرِّسالة: «مِن أَحْشورُشَ المَلِكِ العَظيمِ إِلى حُكَّامِ الأَقاليمِ المِئَةِ والسَّبعَةِ والعِشْرينَ مِن الهِنْدِ إِلى الحَبَشَة وإِلى جَميعِ رَعايانا السَّلام

هُناكَ أُناسٌ كَثيرون كُلَّما زادَهم لُطفُ المُحسِنينَ تَكْريمًا، اِزْدادوا كِبرِياءً

ولا يَكتَفونَ بِمُحاوَلَةِ الإِساءَةِ إِلى رَعايانا، بل عَجِزوا عنِ ٱحتِمالِ شِبَعِهم، فأَخَذوا يَتآمَرونَ على المُحسِنينَ إِلَيهم. ولا يَقتَصِرونَ على إِزالةِ الشُّكرِ مِن بَينِ النَّاس، بل تُثيرُهم تَبَجُّحاتُ الَّذينَ لا خِبرَةَ لَهم في الخَير، فيتَوَهَّمونَ أَنَّهم يُفلِتونَ مِن عَدلٍ يُبغِضُ الشَّرّ، أَي مِن عَدلِ اللهِ الَّذي يُراقِبُ كُلَّ شَيء

وكَثيرًا ما نرى أَنَّ كَثيرينَ مِنَ الَّذينَ وُلُّوا السُّلْطةَ بِحَثٍّ مِن أَصدِقاءَ وَثِقوا بِهِم لإِدارةِ الأَعْمال قد أَصبحوا شُرَكاءَهم في دَمٍ بَريء، فأَدَّى الأَمرُ إِلى كَوارِثَ لا تُعَوَّض

ذٰلك بِأَنَّ ما في مَكرِهِم مِن مُغالطاتٍ كاذِبة قد خَدَع ما عِندَ ذَوي السُّلطَةِ مِن حُسنِ نِيَّةٍ لا غُبارَ علَيها

وفي الإِمكانِ أَن يَرَوا، مِن غَيرِ الرُّجوعِ إِلى القِصَصِ القَديمةِ الَّتي ذَكَرْناها، إِذا ما تَقَصَّيتُم ما يَجْري تَحتَ أَرجُلِكم، ما أَكثَرَ أَعْمالَ الكُفْرِ الَّتي يَرتَكِبُها أُناسٌ كالطَّاعون يُمارِسونَ السُّلطَةَ مِن غَيرِ ٱستِحْقاق. ١٢دسنَجتَهِدُ بَعدَ اليَومِ أَن نُؤَمِّنَ لِجَميعِ النَّاسِ هُدوءَ المَملَكَةِ وسَلامَها، ١٢ذفنُجرِيَ التَّبْديلاتِ المُناسِبَة ونَقضِيَ دائمًا في ما يُرفَعُ إِلى رَأينا مِنَ الأُمور، مُتَقَبِّلينَ إِيَّاها بِالعَدْل. ١٢روهٰكذا فإِنَّ هامانَ بنَ هَمْداتا، وهو مَقْدونيٌّ وغَريبٌ في الحَقيقةِ عن دَمِ الفُرْس وبَعيدٌ جِدًّا عن لُطْفنا، كانَ قد تَمَتَّعَ بِضِيافَتِنا، ١٢زفٱستَفادَ مِنَ الصَّداقَةِ الَّتي نوليها كُلَّ شَعْب، حتَّى إِنَّه نودِيَ بِه أَبًا لَنا وأَصبَحَ لِمَدى الحَياةِ الرَّجُلَ الثَّانِيَ في العَرشِ المَلَكيّ والَّذي يَسجُدُ لَه جَميعُ النَّاس

ولَكِنَّه لم يَضَعْ حَدًّا لِكِبْرِيائِه، بلِ ٱجتَهَدَ أَن يَنزِعَ مِنَّا السُّلطَةَ والحَياة

وطَلَبَ، بِما في طُرُقِه مِن مُغالَطاتٍ مُلْتَوِية، هَلاكَ مَرْدَكايَ مُخَلِّصِنا والمُحسِنِ إِلَينا كُلَّ حين، وأَستيرَ شَريكَتِنا في المُلْك والَّتي لا غُبارَ علَيها، وهَلاكَ سائِرِ أُمَّتِها

فقَد تَوَهَّمَ أَنَّه، بِهٰذِهِ الوَسائِل، يُوقِعُنا في العُزْلة فيُحَوِّلُ سُلْطانَ الفُرْسِ إِلى المَقْدونِيِّين

أَمَّا نَحنُ، فنَجِدُ أَنَّ اليَهودَ الَّذينَ يُسلِمُهمُ المُثَلَّثُ الآثامِ إِلى الزَّوالِ لَيسوا بِمُجرِمين، بل أَنَّ حُكمَهم مَبنِيٌّ على سُنَنٍ عادِلة

وهُم بَنو اللهِ العَلِيِّ العَظيمِ الحَيِّ الَّذي يَهْدي المَملَكةَ على أَحسَنِ حالٍ في سَبيلِنا وسَبيلِ أَجْدادِنا

فتُحسِنونَ عَمَلًا بالإِمساكِ عنِ ٱستِخْدامِ الرَّسائِلِ الَّتي بَعَثَ بِها هامانُ بنُ هَمْداتا، لِأَنَّ صاحِبَها عُلِّقَ على خَشَبَةٍ عِندَ أَبْوابِ شُوشَن، هو وجَميعُ أَهلِ بَيتِه. ذٰلك هو الحُكمُ الَّذي ٱستَوجَبَه والَّذي أَصدَرَه فيه على الفَورِ اللهُ القادِرُ على كُلِّ شَيء

وبَعدَ إِعْلانِ نُسخَةِ هٰذه الرِّسالةِ في كُلِّ مَكان، دَعوا اليَهودَ أَحْرارًا في ٱتِّباعِ سُنَنِهِم ومُدُّوا لَهم يَدَ المَعونة، حتَّى إِذا حَمَلَ عليهم أُناسٌ في ساعةِ الشِّدَّة رَدُّوهم في الثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ مِنَ الشَّهرِ الثَّاني عَشَر، شَهرِ آذار

في ذٰلك اليَومِ نَفْسِه، فإِنَّ اللهَ الَّذي له السُّلْطانُ على كُلِّ شَيء قد حَوَّلَ لَهم ذٰلك اليَومَ إِلى ٱبتِهاجٍ بَدَلَ إِبادةِ الشَّعبِ المُختار

فٱحتَفِلوا أَنتُم أَيضًا، في أَعيادِكمُ التَّذكارِيَّة، بذٰلك اليَومِ المَشْهود، بِجَميعِ ٱحتِفالاتِ الٱبتِهاج، لِيَكونَ، مِنَ الآنَ فصاعِدًا، خَلاصًا لَنا ولِلمُوالينَ للفُرْس وذِكْرى هَلاكٍ لِلَّذينَ يَتآمَرونَ علَينا

وكُلُّ مَدينةٍ أَو إِقْليمٍ بِوَجهٍ عامٍّ لا يَعمَلُ بِذٰلك يُدَمَّرُ تَدميرًا عَنيفًا بِالسَّيفِ والنَّار ويُمْسي لا حَرامًا لِلنَّاسِ فقَط، بل تَكرَهُه أَيضًا الوُحوشُ والطُّيورُ لِلأَبَد»

وأُرسِلَت نُسخَةٌ مِن هٰذِه الرِّسالَةِ لِتُصبِحَ سُنَّةً في كُلِّ إِقْليم، ونُشِرت في جَميعِ الشُّعوب، حتَّى يَكونَ اليَهودُ مُتَأَهِّبينَ لِذٰلك اليَوم، فيَنتَقِموا مِن أَعْدائِهم

فخَرَجَ السُّعاةُ الرَّاكِبونَ على جِيادِ المَلِكِ مُسرِعينَ مُعَجَّلينَ بِأَمرِ المَلِك، ونُشِرَ الحُكمُ في قَلعَةِ شوشَن

وخَرَجَ مَردَكايُ مِن حَضرَةِ المَلِكِ بِثَوبِ المُلْكِ البَنَفسَجِيِّ الأُرجُوانِ والأَبيَض، وبِتاجٍ كَبيرٍ مِن ذَهَب، وثِيابِ كَتَّانٍ ناعِمٍ وأُرجُوان، وفَرِحَت مَدينَةُ شوشَنَ وٱبتَهَجَت

وكانَ لِليَهودِ نورٌ وفَرَحٌ وسُرورٌ وإِكْرام

وفي كُلِّ إِقْليمٍ فإِقْليم، وكُلِّ مَدينَةٍ فمَدينَة، حَيثُ وَرَدَ أَمرُ المَلِكِ وحُكمُه، كانَ لِليَهودِ فَرَحٌ وسُرورٌ ومَأدُبَةٌ ويَومُ هَناء، وصارَ كَثيرٌ مِن شُعوبِ تِلكَ الأَرضِ يَهودًا، لِأَنَّ خَوفَ اليَهودِ وَقَعَ علَيهم