A copy of the document: this may be restated as Good News Translation has done, to specify “the contents of the proclamation.” The word translated copy is a Persian word (see introduction, “Translating the Book of Esther,” B-4, pages 7 and following).

Document: a synonym for “letters” in verse 13 above is used here. It is again what was written, and it contains the decree dat, the “law [edict]” that is being proclaimed throughout the empire, in every province (literally “in every province and province”).

Issued as a decree: the meaning is that this document was to become a law to be obeyed. New International Version says “was to be issued as law.” Good News Translation seems to lack this part of the meaning in this verse.

By proclamation renders a verb whose basic meaning is “to be open,” or “to uncover.” Usually this involves both seeing and hearing. The translation “to be publicly displayed” (Revised English Bible) expresses the element of seeing but fails to indicate the hearing element. Other translations use a general term such as “communicated to all the peoples” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “made known” (New Century Version), without indicating the form of the communication. Translators should, however, attempt to express that this decree will be seen and heard, that is, “a copy of the document was to be read and publicly displayed as a decree in every single province to all the peoples….” Or “The text of the document was to be issued as a law. It was to be read aloud in every single province, and it was to be publicly displayed to all the peoples so that they may read it and be ready when that day came.” Languages that have a special verb for announcing official decrees or messages should use that verb for the public reading that is referred to here.

The people were to be ready for that day, that is, the thirteenth of Adar (see verse 13 above). It may be necessary to make explicit what the people were to be ready for as specified in the preceding verse. Some languages may use an idiom, “they were to fix themselves” or “they were to be on their feet,” meaning they were to be ready.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .