1 In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son, brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said was the same, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, that was in Jerusalem, had interpreted it.

1 Anno quarto regnantibus Ptolemæo et Cleopatra, attulerunt Dosithæus, qui se sacerdotem et Levitici generis ferebat, et Ptolemæus filius ejus, hanc epistolam phurim, quam dixerunt interpretatum esse Lysimachum Ptolemæi filium in Jerusalem.

2 In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the great, in the first day of the month Nisan, Mardocheus the son of Jairus, the son of Semei, the son of Cisai, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream;

2 Anno secundo, regnante Artaxerxe maximo, prima die mensis Nisan, vidit somnium Mardochæus filius Jairi, filii Semei, filii Cis, de tribu Benjamin:

3 Who was a Jew, and dwelt in the city of Susa, a great man, being a servitor in the king's court.

3 homo Judæus, qui habitabat in urbe Susis, vir magnus, et inter primos aulæ regiæ.

4 He was also one of the captives, which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon carried from Jerusalem with Jechonias king of Judea; and this was his dream:

4 Erat autem de eo numero captivorum, quos transtulerat Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis de Jerusalem cum Jechonia rege Juda.

5 Behold a noise of a tumult, with thunder, and earthquakes, and uproar in the land:

5 Et hoc ejus somnium fuit: apparuerunt voces, et tumultus, et tonitrua, et terræmotus, et conturbatio super terram:

6 And, behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their cry was great.

6 et ecce duo dracones magni, paratique contra se in prælium.

7 And at their cry all nations were prepared to battle, that they might fight against the righteous people.

7 Ad quorum clamorem cunctæ concitatæ sunt nationes, ut pugnarent contra gentem justorum.

8 And lo a day of darkness and obscurity, tribulation and anguish, affliction and great uproar, upon the earth.

8 Fuitque dies illa tenebrarum et discriminis, tribulationis et angustiæ, et ingens formido super terram.

9 And the whole righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own evils, and were ready to perish.

9 Conturbataque est gens justorum timentium mala sua, et præparata ad mortem.

10 Then they cried unto God, and upon their cry, as it were from a little fountain, was made a great flood, even much water.

10 Clamaveruntque ad Deum: et illis vociferantibus, fons parvus crevit in fluvium maximum, et in aquas plurimas redundavit.

11 The light and the sun rose up, and the lowly were exalted, and devoured the glorious.

11 Lux et sol ortus est, et humiles exaltati sunt, et devoraverunt inclytos.

12 Now when Mardocheus, who had seen this dream, and what God had determined to do, was awake, he bare this dream in mind, and until night by all means was desirous to know it.

12 Quod cum vidisset Mardochæus, et surrexisset de strato, cogitabat quid Deus facere vellet: et fixum habebat in animo, scire cupiens quid significaret somnium.