In them the kinggrantedthe Jewswhowere in eachand everycity[the right] to assembleand to defendtheir lives,to destroy,to killand to annihilatethe entirearmyof any peopleor provincewhich might attackthem, includingchildrenand women,and to plundertheir spoil,
Letterswere sentby couriersto allthe king'sprovincesto destroy,to killand to annihilateallthe Jews,bothyoungand old,womenand children,in oneday,the thirteenth[day] of the twelfthmonth,whichis the monthAdar,and to seizetheir possessionsas plunder.
But the Jewswhowere in Susaassembledon the thirteenthand the fourteenthof the same month, and they restedon the fifteenthday and madeit a dayof feastingand rejoicing.
O daughterof Babylon,you devastatedone, How blessedwill be the one whorepaysyou With the recompensewith whichyou have repaidus.
But let the righteousbe glad;let them exultbeforeGod;Yes, let them rejoicewith gladness.
I sendit against a godlessnationAnd commissionit againstthe peopleof My furyTo capturebootyand to seizeplunder,And to tramplethem downlike mudin the streets.
"They will not takewoodfrom the fieldor gatherfirewoodfrom the forests,for they will makefireswith the weapons;and they will takethe spoilof those who despoiledthem and seizethe plunderof those who plunderedthem," declaresthe LordGOD.
