Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings.

I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.

And whatsoever shall seem good to thee and to thy brethren to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do ye after the will of your God.

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:

but if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.

And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?

in what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God will fight for us.

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.

And I went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the heave-offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king's princes. So will there arise much contempt and wrath.

And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.

If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those that have the charge of the king's business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.

if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he even force the queen before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will renounce thee to thy face.

And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce thee to thy face.

If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

Call now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

He will deliver thee in six troubles; Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

In famine he will redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword.

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

How long wilt thou not look away from me, Nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

How long wilt thou speak these things? And how long'shall the words of thy mouth be like a mighty wind?

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he uphold the evil-doers.

He will yet fill thy mouth with laughter, And thy lips with shouting.

Behold, he seizeth the prey , who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.

He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.

If we speak of strength, lo, he is mighty! And if of justice, Who,'saith he , will summon me?

If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my'sad countenance, and be of good cheer;

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast fashioned me as clay; And wilt thou bring me into dust again?

If I sin, then thou markest me, And thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity.

But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born as a wild ass's colt.

Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?

Is it good that he should search you out? Or as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?

He will surely reprove you If ye do secretly show partiality.

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak; And let come on me what will.

Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.

Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.

Only do not two things unto me; Then will I not hide myself from thy face:

Then call thou, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and answer thou me.

Wilt thou harass a driven leaf? And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, And put forth boughs like a plant.

I will show thee, hear thou me; And that which I have seen I will declare:

Give now a pledge, be surety for me with thyself; Who is there that will strike hands with me?

How long will ye hunt for words? Consider, and afterwards we will speak.

How long will ye vex my soul, And break me in pieces with words?

If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, And plead against me my reproach;

But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth, And at last he will stand up upon the earth:

If ye say, How we will persecute him! And that the root of the matter is found in me;

Though he spare it, and will not let it go, But keep it still within his mouth;

He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God will cast them out of his belly.

When he is about to fill his belly, God will cast the fierceness of his wrath upon him, And will rain it upon him while he is eating.

Suffer me, and I also will speak; And after that I have spoken, mock on.

Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?

And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.

When they cast thee down, thou shalt say, There is lifting up; And the humble person he will save.

He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.

Behold, as wild asses in the desert They go forth to their work, seeking diligently for food; The wilderness yieldeth them bread for their children.

And if it be not so now, who will prove me a liar, And make my speech nothing worth?

Far be it from me that I should justify you: Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me.

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: My heart shall not reproach me'so long as I live.

Will God hear his cry, When trouble cometh upon him?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty, And call upon God at all times?

I will teach you concerning the hand of God; That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.

Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion.

For he hath not directed his words against me; Neither will I answer him with your speeches.

I also will answer my part, I also will show mine opinion.

I will speak, that I may be refreshed; I will open my lips and answer.

Let me not, I pray you, respect any man's person; Neither will I give flattering titles unto any man.

Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; For God is greater than man.

Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will speak.

If not, hearken thou unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.

For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.

Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.