Esther · Chapter 13

[ edit] Of þe epiſtil forſoþe þis was þe ſaumpler. Þe moſte king Artaxerſes, fro Ynde vnto Eþiope, of an hundrid and ſeuene and twenti prouyncis, to princis and dukis, þat to his empire ben ſoget, greting ſeiþ. Whan to manye folkis I ſhulde comaunden, and al þe world hadde ſogetid to my comaunding, I wolde not þe mykilneſſe of my power myſuſen, but wiþ mercy and ſofteneſſe gouerne þe ſogetis, þat, wiþ oute any drede ouerpaſſende þe lif in ſilence, þei ſhulden vſe þe pes deſirid to alle deadli men.

Me forſoþe ſechende of my counſeileris, hou þat myȝte be fulfild, oon, þat in wiſdam and feiþ oþere men paſſide, and was after þe king þe ſeconde, Aaman bi name, tolde to me in al þe world of londis to ben a puple ſcaterid, þat newe ſhulde vſen lawis, and, aȝen þe cuſtum of alle Jentilis doende, þe heſtis of þe kingis diſpiſe, and þe oon acord of diuerſe naciouns wiþ þer deſcencioun defoule.

Þe whiche þing whan we hadden lerned, ſeande o folc rebel aȝen alle kinde of men to vſe ſhreude lawis, and to oure heſtis to gon aȝen, and to diſturbe þe pes and þe acord of þe prouyncis ſoget to vs, wee comaundeden, þat who ſo euere Aman, þat is prouoſt to alle prouyncis, and ſecounde fro þe king, and whom in ſtede of a fader wee wrſhipen, ſhal ſhewyn, wiþ wiues and fre childer be þei don awei of þer enemys, and no man haue mercy of þem, þe fourtenþe dai of þe twelfþe moneþ Adar, of þe ȝer preſent; þat wicke men, o dai to helle goende doun, ȝelde to oure empire þe pes, þat þei han diſturbid.

Hider to þe ſaumple of þe epiſtil; þoo þingus, þat folewen, after þat place writen I fond, wher is rad, And goende Mardoche dide alle þingus, þat Eſter hadde comaundid to hym; and ner þe latere þei ben not had in Ebru, and anent no man of þe remenoures þei ben vtterli told. Mardoche forſoþe preȝede þe Lord, myndeful of alle his werkis, and ſeide, Lord, Lord, king almyȝti, in þi power alle þingis ben ſet, and þer is not, þat mai wiþſtonde to þy wil; if þou deme to ſauen Irael, anoon wee ſhul be delyuered. Þou madiſt heuene and erþe, and alle þing þat is contened in þe cumpas of heuene. Lord of alle þingus þou art, ne þer is þat wiþſtonde to þi mageſte.

Alle þingus þou knewe, and woſt, þat not for pride and ſtrif and any coueitiſe of glorie I do þis, þat I honoure not þe moſt proud Aman; forſoþe gladli for þe helþe of Irael alſo þe ſteppis of his feet I were redi to kiſſe, but I dradde, leſt þe wrſhipe of my God I ſhulde bern ouer to man, and leſt any man I ſhulde honoure out take my God. And now, Lord king, God of Abraham, haue mercy of þi puple, for oure enemys wiln leeſen vs, and þin eritage don awei; ne diſpiſe þou þi part, þat þou haſt aȝeen boȝt fro Egipt.

Heere my preȝeere, and merciful be þou to þe lot, and þe litle corde of þin eritage; and turne oure weiling in to ioȝe, þat liuende we preiſe þi name, Lord; and ne cloſe þou þe mouþis of men preiſende þee. And al Irael lic mynde and beſeching criede to þe Lord, for þi þat to hem ſhulde hange in certeyn deþ.