7 “King Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) Filopator to the commanders throughout Mitsrayim (Egypt), and to all who are set over affairs, joy and strength. 2 We, too, and our children are well. God has directed our affairs as we wish. 3 Certain of our friends out of malice vehemently urged us to punish the Yehudim (Jews) of our realm in a body, with the infliction of a monstrous punishment. 4 They pretended that our affairs would never be in a good state till this took place. Such, they said, was the hatred borne by the Yehudim to all other people. 5 They brought them fettered in grievous chains as slaves, no, as traitors. Without enquiry or examination they endeavoured to annihilate them. They buckled themselves with a savage cruelty, worse than Skuthais custom. 6 Because this cause we severely threatened them; yet, with the clemency which we usually extend to all men, we at length permitted them to live. Finding that the god of heaven threw a shield of protection over the Yehudim so as to preserve them, and that he fought for them as a father always fights for his sons, 7 and taking into consideration their constancy and fidelity towards us and towards our ancestors, we have, as we ought, acquitted them of every sort of charge. 8 We’ve dismissed them to their several homes, telling all men everywhere to do them no wrong, or unrighteously revile them about the past. 9 Because know this, that should we conceive any evil design, or in any way aggrieve them, we’ll ever have as our adversary, not man, but the highest God, the ruler of all might. From Him there’ll be no escape, as the avenger of such actions. Farewell.”