30 The king then departed to the city, and called his financier to himself, and asked him provide a seven days’ quantity of wine and other materials for feasting for the Yehudim (Jews). He decided that they should keep a cheerful festival of deliverance in the very place in which they expected to meet with their destruction. 31 Then they who were before despised and near to hades, yes, rather advanced into it, partook of the cup of salvation, instead of a grievous and lamentable death. Full of exultation, they apportioned the place intended for their fall and burial into banqueting booths. 32 Ceasing their miserable strain of woe, they took up the subject of their fatherland, singing in praise to God their wonder-working Saviour. All groans and all wailing were laid aside. They formed dances as a sign of peaceful joy. 33 So the king also collected a number of guests for the occasion, and returned unceasing thanks with much magnificence for the unexpected deliverance afforded him. 34 Those who’d marked them out as for death and for carrion, and had registered them with joy, howled aloud, and were clothed with shame, and had the fire of their rage ingloriously put out. 35 But the Yehudim, as we just said, instituted a dance, and then gave themselves up to feasting, glad thanksgiving, and psalms. 36 They made a public ordinance to commemorate these things for generations to come, as long as they should be sojourners. They thus established these days as days of mirth, not for the purpose of drinking or luxury, but because God had saved them. 37 They requested the king to send them back to their homes. 38 They were being enrolled from the twenty-fifth of Pachon to the fourth of Epifi, a period of forty days. The measures taken for their destruction lasted from the fifth of Epifi till the seventh, that is, three days. 39 The Ruler over all during this time manifested his mercy gloriously, and delivered them all together unharmed. 40 They feasted on the king’s provision up to the fourteenth day, then asked to be sent away. 41 The king commended them, and wrote the following letter, of magnanimous import for them, to the commanders of every city: