All servants of the king, and people of the provinces of the king, do know that any man and woman, who cometh in unto the king, unto the inner court, who is not called -- one law of his is to put them to death, apart from him to whom the king holdeth out the golden sceptre, then he hath lived; and I -- I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.'

Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, by night and by day; also I and my young women do fast likewise, and so I go in unto the king, that is not according to law, and when I have perished -- I have perished.'

And Mordecai passeth on, and doth according to all that Esther hath charged upon him.

And it cometh to pass on the third day, that Esther putteth on royalty, and standeth in the inner-court of the house of the king over-against the house of the king, and the king is sitting on his royal throne, in the royal-house, over-against the opening of the house,

and it cometh to pass, at the king's seeing Esther the queen standing in the court, she hath received grace in his eyes, and the king holdeth out to Esther the golden sceptre that is in his hand, and Esther draweth near, and toucheth the top of the sceptre.

And Esther saith, 'If unto the king it be good, the king doth come in, and Haman, to-day, unto the banquet that I have made for him;'

and the king saith, 'Haste ye Haman -- to do the word of Esther;' and the king cometh in, and Haman, unto the banquet that Esther hath made.

if I have found grace in the eyes of the king, and if unto the king it be good, to give my petition, and to perform my request, the king doth come, and Haman, unto the banquet that I make for them, and to-morrow I do according to the word of the king.'

And Haman goeth forth on that day rejoicing and glad in heart, and at Haman's seeing Mordecai in the gate of the king, and he hath not risen nor moved for him, then is Haman full of fury against Mordecai.

and Haman recounteth to them the glory of his wealth, and the abundance of his sons, and all that with which the king made him great, and with which he lifted him up above the heads and servants of the king.

And Haman saith, 'Yea, Esther the queen brought none in with the king, unto the feast that she made, except myself, and also for to-morrow I am called to her, with the king,

and all this is not profitable to me, during all the time that I am seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting in the gate of the king.'

On that night hath the sleep of the king fled away, and he saith to bring in the book of memorials of the Chronicles, and they are read before the king,

and it is found written that Mordecai had declared concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king, of the keepers of the threshold, who sought to put forth a hand on king Ahasuerus.

And the king saith, 'Who is in the court?' -- and Haman hath come in to the outer court of the house of the king, to say to the king to hang Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared for him --

let them bring in royal clothing that the king hath put on himself, and a horse on which the king hath ridden, and that the royal crown be put on his head,

And the king saith to Haman, 'Haste, take the clothing and the horse, as thou hast spoken, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting in the gate of the king; there doth not fall a thing of all that thou hast spoken.'

and Haman recounteth to Zeresh his wife, and to all his friends, all that hath met him, and his wise men say to him, and Zeresh his wife, 'If Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou art not able for him, but dost certainly fall before him.'

They are yet speaking with him, and eunuchs of the king have come, and haste to bring in Haman unto the banquet that Esther hath made.

And the king hath risen, in his fury, from the banquet of wine, unto the garden of the house, and Haman hath remained to seek for his life from Esther the queen, for he hath seen that evil hath been determined against him by the king.

And Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, saith before the king, 'Also lo, the tree that Haman made for Mordecai, who spake good for the king, is standing in the house of Haman, in height fifty cubits;' and the king saith, 'Hang him upon it.'

And they hang Haman upon the tree that he had prepared for Mordecai, and the fury of the king hath lain down.

On that day hath the king Ahasuerus given to Esther the queen the house of Haman, adversary of the Jews, and Mordecai hath come in before the king, for Esther hath declared what he is to her,

and the king turneth aside his signet, that he hath caused to pass away from Haman, and giveth it to Mordecai, and Esther setteth Mordecai over the house of Haman.

And Esther addeth, and speaketh before the king, and falleth before his feet, and weepeth, and maketh supplication to him, to cause the evil of Haman the Agagite to pass away, and his device that he had devised against the Jews;

and saith, 'If to the king it be good, and if I have found grace before him, and the thing hath been right before the king, and I be good in his eyes, let it be written to bring back the letters -- a device of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite -- that he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all provinces of the king,

for how do I endure when I have looked on the evil that doth find my people? and how do I endure when I have looked on the destruction of my kindred?'

And the king Ahasuerus saith to Esther the queen, and to Mordecai the Jew, 'Lo, the house of Haman I have given to Esther, and him they have hanged on the tree, because that he put forth his hand on the Jews,

and ye, write ye for the Jews, as it is good in your eyes, in the name of the king, and seal with the signet of the king -- for the writing that is written in the name of the king, and sealed with the signet of the king, there is none to turn back.'

And the scribes of the king are called, at that time, in the third month -- it is the month of Sivan -- in the three and twentieth of it, and it is written, according to all that Mordecai hath commanded, unto the Jews, and unto the lieutenants, and the governors, and the heads of the provinces, that are from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- province and province according to its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, and unto the Jews according to their writing, and according to their tongue.

that the king hath given to the Jews who are in every city and city, to be assembled, and to stand for their life, to cut off, to slay, and to destroy the whole force of the people and province who are distressing them, infants and women, and their spoil to seize.

And in the twelfth month -- it is the month of Adar -- on the thirteenth day of it, in which the word of the king, even his law, hath come to be done, in the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to rule over them, and it is turned that the Jews rule over those hating them --

And all heads of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the governors, and those doing the work that the king hath, are lifting up the Jews, for a fear of Mordecai hath fallen upon them;

On that day hath come the number of the slain in Shushan the palace before the king,

as days on which the Jews have rested from their enemies, and the month that hath been turned to them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a good day, to make them days of banquet and of joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the needy.

And the Jews have received that which they had begun to do, and that which Mordecai hath written unto them,

because Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, adversary of all the Jews, had devised concerning the Jews to destroy them, and had caused to fall Pur -- that is the lot -- to crush them and to destroy them;

and in her coming in before the king, he said with the letter, 'Let his evil device that he devised against the Jews turn back upon his own head,' and they have hanged him and his sons on the tree,

A man there hath been in the land of Uz -- Job his name -- and that man hath been perfect and upright -- both fearing God, and turning aside from evil.

and his substance is seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a service very abundant; and that man is greater than any of the sons of the east.

and it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings -- the number of them all -- for Job said, 'Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.

And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst.

Hast not Thou made a hedge for him, and for his house, and for all that he hath -- round about?

The work of his hands Thou hast blessed, and his substance hath spread in the land, and yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike against anything that he hath -- if not: to Thy face he doth bless Thee!'

And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Lo, all that he hath is in thy hand, only unto him put not forth thy hand.' And the Adversary goeth out from the presence of Jehovah.

And the day is, that his sons and his daughters are eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their brother, the first-born.

And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah.

And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'A skin for a skin, and all that a man hath he doth give for his life.

And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place -- Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite -- and they are met together to come in to bemoan him, and to comfort him;

And they sit with him on the earth seven days and seven nights, and there is none speaking unto him a word when they have seen that the pain hath been very great.

Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.'

That day -- let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it.

That night -- let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come.

Lo! that night -- let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it.

Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

Wherefore have knees been before me? And what are breasts, that I suck?

And thou hast known that thy tent is peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not,

And hast known that numerous is Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth;

O that my provocation were thoroughly weighed, And my calamity in balances They would lift up together!

O that my request may come, That God may grant my hope!

That God would please -- and bruise me, Loose His hand and cut me off!

And yet it is my comfort, (And I exult in pain -- He doth not spare,) That I have not hidden The sayings of the Holy One.

What is my power that I should hope? And what mine end That I should prolong my life?

That are black because of ice, By them doth snow hide itself.

They were ashamed that one hath trusted, They have come unto it and are confounded.

Remember Thou that my life is a breath, Mine eye turneth not back to see good.

A sea -monster am I, or a dragon, That thou settest over me a guard?

What is man that Thou dost magnify him? And that Thou settest unto him Thy heart?

Truly I have known that it is so, And what -- is man righteous with God?

Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear to my voice.

I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.

Is it good for Thee that Thou dost oppress? That Thou despisest the labour of Thy hands, And on the counsel of the wicked hast shone?

That Thou inquirest for mine iniquity, And for my sin seekest?

For Thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is no deliverer from Thy hand.

Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back.

And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this is with Thee.

And yet, O that God had spoken! And doth open His lips with thee.

And declare to thee secrets of wisdom, For counsel hath foldings. And know thou that God forgetteth for thee, Some of thine iniquity.

'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

Is it good that He doth search you, If, as one mocketh at a man, ye mock at Him?

Lo, I pray you, I have set in order the cause, I have known that I am righteous.

Who is he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

Look away from off him that he may cease, Till he enjoy as an hireling his day.

For there is of a tree hope, if it be cut down, That again it doth change, That its tender branch doth not cease.

O that in Sheol Thou wouldest conceal me, Hide me till the turning of Thine anger, Set for me a limit, and remember me.

What is man that he is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?

He is wandering for bread -- 'Where is it?' He hath known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.

And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.

Is there an end to words of wind? Or what doth embolden thee that thou answerest?

Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?

Know now, that God turned me upside down, And His net against me hath set round,

Who doth grant now, That my words may be written? Who doth grant that in a book they may be graven?

That -- I have known my Redeemer, The Living and the Last, For the dust he doth rise.

Be ye afraid because of the sword, For furious are the punishments of the sword, That ye may know that there is a judgment.

That the singing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

What is the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'

That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.

Who doth declare to his face his way? And for that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?

Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?