Esther 7

KING JAMES BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The great king Artexerxes unto the princes and governors of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects, greeting.	1 When Mordecai had heard this, he tore his garments and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head, and he cried out with a loud voice in the main street of the city, revealing the anguish of his soul.
2 Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bounty of their gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,	2 And he continued with this lamenting, even up to the gate of the palace, for no one clothed with sackcloth is permitted to enter the king’s court.
3 And endeavour to hurt not our subjects only, but not being able to bear abundance, do take in hand to practise also against those that do them good:	3 Likewise, in all provinces, towns, and places where the king’s cruel decision arrived, there was extraordinary mourning among the Jews with fasting, wailing, and weeping, with many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.
4 And take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also lifted up with the glorious words of lewd persons, that were never good, they think to escape the justice of God, that seeth all things and hateth evil.	4 Then Esther’s maids and eunuchs went in and informed her. When she heard it, she was shocked, and she sent a garment to clothe him and to take away the sackcloth, but he would not accept it.
5 Oftentimes also fair speech of those, that are put in trust to manage their friends' affairs, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remediless calamities:	5 And she sent for Hathach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to minister to her, and she instructed him to go to Mordecai and to discern from him why he was doing this.
6 Beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition the innocency and goodness of princes.	6 And departing, Hathach went to Mordecai, who was standing in the street of the city, in front of the palace entrance.
7 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 behaviour of them that are unworthily placed in authority.	7 He told him everything that had happened, how Haman had promised to transfer silver into the king’s treasury for the death of the Jews.
8 And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdom may be quiet and peaceable for all men,	8 Also, he gave him a copy of the edict that was hanging up in Susa, so that he would show it to the queen and advise her to go in to the king and beg him on behalf of her people.
9 Both by changing our purposes, and always judging things that are evident with more equal proceeding.	9 And Hathach returned and informed Esther of all that Mordecai had said.
10 For Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger received of us,	10 Likewise, all Israel cried out to the Lord with the same intention and supplication because certain death was hanging over them.