[Today’s English Version E.6; Revised Standard Version 16.6]

The theme of deception is prominent in this verse. By the deception of evil ways, these untrue friends mislead the pure kindness of heart of those holding power. The king no doubt has in mind Haman’s deception mentioned in 3.8.

False trickery of their evil natures: literally “lying deception of [their] bad disposition.” The Greek is redundant, since deception by nature involves lying. The presence of the word “lying” simply adds emphasis to the notion of deception. “Bad disposition” refers to their “malice,” their natural desire to cause harm. Nature may sometimes be translated “way of being.”

Good will: literally, “uncontaminated considerateness” or “pure kindness of heart” is the opposite of what has just been described. The rulers by their nature try to show kindness without guile or trickery.

Sovereigns are literally those who are “ruling over [them].”

In order to make the meaning clear, the verse will need to be restructured (compare Today’s English Version). New Jerusalem Bible renders it “the right intentions of rulers having been misled by false arguments of the evilly disposed.”

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