[Today’s English Version E.15; Revised Standard Version 16.15]
But we find introduces a formal statement that conveys the king’s determination and judgment with regard to Haman’s charges against the Jews. Today’s English Version restructures the verse, thereby modifying the king’s logic. It is preferable to follow the original text by keeping the king’s conclusion, we find, in prominent position.
Who were consigned to annihilation: this translates a passive participle and prepositional phrase in Greek. Today’s English Version restructures the verse to make the meaning clear, “plotted to wipe out.” The king’s reference is to Haman’s intention to have the Jews destroyed. The Greek for consigned is literally “handed over,” “betrayed.” Annihilation is literally “disappearance,” “vanishing.”
Thrice accursed: this expression is a metaphor and is not to be translated literally. The basic meaning of the Greek word is “triple-sinning” or “three times guilty.” It is a way of expressing the extreme contempt with which Haman was regarded by the king. It may be translated by a superlative, “worst,” or “most accursed.” New American Bible says “archcriminal”; New Jerusalem Bible says “arch-scoundrel”; Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “scoundrel.”
In this context the literal translation evildoers has the implied meaning of “traitors” (so Today’s English Version). Other translations, however, maintain the basic meaning of the word, “doers of bad things” (Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible; compare “criminals” in New Jerusalem Bible).
Are governed should not merely be translated that they follow certain laws, but more formally that these laws govern them or “administer” them as one administers a state. Some languages may say “They are people who walk according to very just laws,” or “They are people to whom very just laws show the way of being [or, living],” or “They are people that very just laws direct them on their paths.”
The expression most righteous laws combines the superlative form of the adjective dikaios, “just, righteous,” with nomos, “law.” It refers to the Law of Moses, which is the “laws” referred to in 3.8; 13.5 (B.5). Righteous in this context means that the Jewish laws are just (see comments on “righteous” in 14.7 [C.18]). In some languages they may be described as “very straight laws” or “the straightest of laws.”
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 .