Additions to Esther 13

Wycliffe Bible

(In the Greek Esther, verses 1-7 below follow verse 13 of Chapter 3; in the Hebrew Esther, these 7 verses would also follow verse 13 of Chapter 3.)

13 Soothly this was the sampler of the epistle. The greatest king Ahasuerus, from India unto Ethiopia, saith health to the princes and dukes of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, which princes and dukes be subject/s to his empire. [Of the epistle forsooth this was the sampler. The most king Ahasuerus, from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, to princes and dukes, that to his empire be subject, greeting saith.]

² When I was lord of full many folks, and I had made subject all the world to my lordship, I would not mis-use the greatness of (my) power, but govern my subjects by (or with) mercy and softness, (so) that they, leading their life in silence without any dread, should use peace coveted of (or by) all deadly (or mortal) men. [When to many folks I should command, and all the world had subjected to my commanding, I would not the muchliness of my power mis-use, but with mercy and softness govern the subjects, that, without any dread over-passing the life in silence, they should use the peace desired to all deadly men.]

³ And when I asked of my counsellors, how this might be (ful)filled, one, Haman by name, that (sur)passed other men in wisdom and faithfulness, and was the second after the king, [Me forsooth seeking of my counsellors, how that might be fulfilled, one, that in wisdom and faith other men passed, and was after the king the second, Haman by name,]

⁴ showed to me, that a people was scattered in all the roundness of lands, the which people used new laws, and did against the custom of all folks, and despised the commandments of kings, and defouled by his dissention the according of all nations. [told to me in all the world of lands to be a people scattered, that new should use laws, and, against the custom of all Gentiles doing, the behests of the kings despise, and the one accord or the concord of diverse nations with their dissentions defoul.]

⁵ And when we had learned this thing, and saw, that one folk rebel against all the kind of men, and that it used wayward laws, and was contrary to our commandments, and disturbed, or troubled, the peace and according of provinces subject to us, [The which thing when we had learned, seeing one folk rebel against all kind of men to use shrewd (or depraved) laws, and to our behests to go against, and to disturb the peace and the accord of the provinces subject to us,]

⁶ we commanded, that whichever Haman showed, which (or who) is sovereign of all (the) provinces, and is the second from the king, and whom we honour in the place of (a) father, (that) they with their wives and children, be done away of (or by) their enemies, and no man have mercy upon them, in the fourteen day of the twelfth month (of) Adar, or March, of the present year; [we commanded, that whosoever Haman, that is provost to all provinces, and second from the king, and whom instead of a father we worship, shall show, with wives and free children be they done away of their enemies, and no man have mercy on them, the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar, of the year present;]

⁷ (so) that (the) cursed men go down to hell (or into the grave) in one day, and yield peace to our empire, which they had troubled. Hitherto is the sampler of the epistle; these things, that (pur)sue, I found written after that place, where it is read, And Mordecai went, and did all things, which Esther had commanded to him; nevertheless those things be not had in Hebrew, and utterly those be not said at any of the translators. [that wicked men, one day to hell going down, yield to our empire the peace, that they have disturbed. Hitherto the sample of the epistle; those things, that follow, after that place written I found, where is read, And going Mordecai did all things, that Esther had commanded to him; and neverthelater they be not had in Hebrew, and with no man of the interpreters they be utterly told.]

(In the Greek Esther, verses 8-19 below follow verse 17 of Chapter 4; in the Hebrew Esther, these 11 verses would also follow verse 17 of Chapter 4.)

⁸ Forsooth Mordecai besought the Lord, and was mindful of all his works/and he was mindful of all the works of the Lord, [Mordecai forsooth prayed the Lord, mindful of all his works,]

⁹ and said, Lord God, King Almighty, all things be set in thy lordship, either power, and there is none, that may against-stand thy will; if thou deemest for to save Israel, we shall be delivered anon (or at once). [and said, Lord, Lord, king almighty, in thy power all things be set, and there is not, that may withstand to thy will; if thou deem to save Israel anon we shall be delivered.]

¹⁰ Thou madest heaven and earth, and whatever thing is contained in the compass of heaven. [Thou madest heaven and earth, and all thing that is contained in the compass of heaven.]

¹¹ Thou art Lord of all things, and there is none that against-standeth thy majesty. [Lord of all things thou art, nor there is that withstand to thy majesty.]

¹² Thou knowest all things, and knowest, that not for pride and spite, neither for any covetousness of vain glory I did this thing, that I worshipped not Haman the most proud man; [All things thou knew, and knewest, that not for pride and strife and any covetousness of glory I do this, that I honour not the most proud Haman;]

¹³ for I was ready willfully (or willingly) to kiss/for I was ready to have kissed willfully (or willingly), yea, the steps of his feet for the health (or the deliverance) of Israel, [forsooth gladly for the health of Israel also the steps of his feet I were ready to kiss,]

¹⁴ but I dreaded, lest I should bear over to man, or to a man, the honour of my God, and lest I should worship any man except my God. [but I dreaded, lest the worship of my God I should bear over to man, and lest any man I should honour besides my God.]

¹⁵ And now, Lord King, God of Abraham, have thou mercy on thy people, for our enemies will lose us (or they desire to destroy us), and do away thine heritage; [And now, Lord king, God of Abraham, have thou mercy of thy people, for our enemies will lose us, and thine heritage do away;]

¹⁶ despise not thy part, which thou again-boughtest (or redeemedest) from Egypt. [not despise thou thy part, that thou hast again-bought from Egypt.]

¹⁷ Hear thou my prayer, and be thou merciful to the lot, and the part of thine heritage; and turn thou our mourning into joy, (so) that we living praise thy name, Lord; and close thou not the mouths of men praising thee. [Hear my prayer, and merciful be thou to the lot, and the little cord of thine heritage; and turn our wailing into joy, that living we praise thy name, Lord; and not close thou the mouths of men praising thee.]

¹⁸ And all Israel with like mind and beseeching cried to the Lord, for cause that certain death nighed to them (or because that certain death approached to them). [And all Israel (with) like mind and beseeching cried to the Lord, for thy that to them should hang in certain death.]