12
upon one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13
"The great King Artaxerxes, unto the princes and governors of a hundred and seven and twenty provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects, greeting.
14
"Many, the more often they are honored with the great bounty of their gracious princes, the more proud they have waxed,
15
and endeavor to hurt not our subjects only, but, not being able to bear abundance, do take in hand to practice also against those who do them good.
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And they take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also, lifted up with the exalted words of base persons who were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, who seeth all things and hateth evil.
17
Oftentimes also, fair speech of those who are put in trust to manage their friends' affairs hath caused many who are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath entangled them in irremediable calamities,
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beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their base disposition the innocency and goodness of princes.
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"Now ye may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient histories as ye may if ye search what hath been wickedly done of late through the pestilent behavior of those who are unworthily placed in authority.
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And we must take care for the time to come that our kingdom may be quiet and peaceable for all men,
21
both by changing our resolutions, and always judging things that are evident with more equitable proceeding.
22
For Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger received by us,