Additions to Esther 16

Wycliffe Bible

(In the Greek Esther, verses 1-24 below follow verse 12 of Chapter 8; in the Hebrew Esther, these 24 verses would also follow verse 12 of Chapter 8.)

16 ^1″ The sampler of the letter of king Ahasuerus, which he sent for the Jews to all the provinces of his realm; and this same sampler is not had in the book of Hebrew. [The sample of the epistle of king Ahasuerus, that for the Jews he sent to all the provinces of his realm; the which and it is not had in (the) Hebrew volume.]

¹ The great king Ahasuerus, from India unto Ethiopia, saith health to the dukes and princes of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, that obey to our commandment. [Ahasuerus, the great king, from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, to dukes and princes, that to our commanding obeish, saith greeting(s).]

² Many men mis-use into pride the goodness and (the) honour of princes, which is given to them; [Many the goodness of princes and (the) worship, that into them is given, have mis-used into pride;]

³ and not only they enforce (or they endeavor) to oppress subjects to kings, but they bear not duly the glory given to them, and make ready treasons against them, that gave their glory to them. [and not only enforce (or endeavor) to oppress the subjects to the king, but the glory given to them not bearing, into them that give (or lay) wait (for) espies;]

⁴ And they be not appeased (or satisfied) to do not thankings for (these) benefices or goodnesses, and to defoul in themselves the laws of courtesy; but also they deem, that they may flee, or be able to flee, the sentence of God seeing all things. [nor be not satisfied to not do graces to benefits, and defoul the rights of humanity into them; but also deem themselves to be able to flee the sentence of God deeming all things.]

⁵ And they break out into so much madness, that they enforce (or endeavor) them(selves) with (the) ropes of leasings (or of lies) to destroy them, that keep diligently the offices betaken to them, and do so all things, (so) that they be worthy (of) the praising of all men; [And in so much to madness break out, that to them that busily keep the offices taken to them, and so all things do, that they be worthy (of) the praising of all men, with the privy and subtle flatterings, or little cords, of leasings they enforce to turn upside-down,]

⁶ while by subtle fraud false men deceive the simple ears of kings, and guessing other men by (or to be of) their own kind./and while malicious men guessing other men by (or to be of) their own kind blameful by subtle fraud, they deceive the simple ears of kings. [while the simple ears of princes and of their kind other men esteeming with fell guile deceive.]

⁷ Which thing is proved both by eld stories, and by these things that be done each day; how the studies of kings be made shrewd (or depraved) by evil suggestions of some men. [The which thing and of old stories is proved, and of these things that be done each day; how by evil suggestions of some men the studies of kings be depraved.]

⁸ Wherefore it is to purvey for the peace of all (the) provinces.

⁹ And though we command diverse things, ye owe (or ye ought) not to guess, that this cometh of (or from) the unstableness of our soul, or of our heart; but that we give sentence by our counsel for the manner and need of times, as the profit of the common thing asketh.

¹⁰ And that ye understand more openly that thing, that we say; Haman the son of Hammedatha, a man of Macedonia by soul and folk, and an alien from the blood of Persians, and defouling our piety with his cruelty, was a pilgrim, or a stranger, and was received of (or by) us; [And that ye more openly understand that we have said; Haman, the son of Hammedatha, will and kindred of Macedonia, and alien from the blood of Persians, and our piety with his cruelty defouling, a pilgrim is taken of us;]

¹¹ and he feeled (or experienced) in himself so great courtesy of (or from) us, that he was called our father, and he was worshipped of (or by) all men as the second person after the king; [and so much humanity expert (or experienced) in himself, that our father he were called, and honoured of all men the second after the king;]

¹² the which Haman was raised into so great swelling of pride, that he enforced (or he endeavoured) to deprive us of the realm and of our life. [the which in so much swelling of pride is borne, that he enforced to deprive us (of) the realm and spirit.]

¹³ For by some new and unheard (of) casts he asked into death Mordecai, by whose faith and benefices we live, and also the fellow of our realm, Esther, with all her folk; [For Mordecai, by whose faith and benefits we live, and the fellow of our realm Esther, with all her folk, with new manner and unheard (of) engines full out asked into death;]

¹⁴ and he thought these things, that when they were slain, he should set treason to our aloneness, that is, to us-self alone, [or our only-hood], and that he should translate, (or transfer), [or over-bear, (or bear over)] the realm of (the) Persians into the realm of the Macedonians.

¹⁵ Forsooth we found not the Jews in any guilt utterly, that were ordained to death by him that is the worst of deadly (or mortal) men; but again-ward (or on the contrary) that they/the Jews, use just laws, [We forsooth utterly find in no blame the Jews, ordained to death of (or by) the worst man of deadly men; but again-ward, using right laws,]

¹⁶ and be the sons of the highest and most God, and ever-living/and be the sons of the highest and most, and of everlasting God, by whose benefice, or goodness, the realm was given both to our fathers and to us, and is kept unto this day. [and (be) the sons of the highest, and the most, and (for)evermore living God, through whose benefit and to our fathers and to us the realm is taken, and unto today is kept.]

¹⁷ Wherefore know ye, that those letters be void, which that Haman sent under our name. [Wherefore those letters, that under our name he gave forth, knoweth to be as none.]

¹⁸ For which great trespass both he that imagined it, and all his kindred, hangeth in gibbets before the gates of the city of Susa; for not we, but God yielded to him that, that he deserved. [For the which hideous guilt before the gates of this city, that is, Susa, and he that cast, and all his kindred, hangeth in gibbets; not us, but God to him yielding that (that) he deserved.]

¹⁹ Forsooth this commandment, which we send now, be (it) set forth in all (the) cities/Therefore this behest, that we send forth now, be it set up in all (the) cities, that it be leaveful to (or lawful for) the Jews to use their (own) laws. [This forsooth commandment, that we now send, in all cities be purposed, that it be leaveful to (or lawful for) (the) Jews to use their laws.]

²⁰ Which Jews or Whom also ye owe (or ye ought) to help, (so) that they may slay them, that made themselves ready to (or for) the death of (the) Jews, in the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, or March; [To whom ye shall be to help, that those men, the which themselves to their death had made ready, they be able to slay, the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, that is called Adar;]

²¹ for Almighty God hath turned this day of wailing and of mourning into joy to (or for) them. [this forsooth day of sorrow and of wailing the Almighty God turned to them into joy.]

²² Wherefore and ye (shall) have this day among other feast days, and hallow it with all gladness;

²³ (so) that it be known afterward, that all men, that obey faithfully to the kings of Persia, receive worthy meed (or reward) for their faith; and that they, that set treason to the realm of them, perish for the felony. [and hereafter all men know, that faithful(ly) obeish to Persians, for faith to take worthy meed; they forsooth that (lay in) wait to the reign of them, to perish for the hideous guilt.]

²⁴ And each province and city, that will not be partner of this solemnity, perish by (the) sword and by fire; and be it so undone or destroyed, that not only it be without way to men, but also to beasts without end, for (an) ensample of despising and unobedience. [Each forsooth province and city, that will not of this solemnity be partner, by sword and fire perish he; and so be he done away, that not only to men but to beasts without way be into evermore, for example of despising and unobeisance.]