If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him, and let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her place to another who is better than she.

Then the servants who were waiting on the king said to him, Let search be made for some fair young virgins for the king:

Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them;

And let the girl who is pleasing to the king be queen in place of Vashti. And the king was pleased with this suggestion; and he did so.

Now when they had said this to him day after day and he gave no attention, they let Haman have news of it, to see if Mordecai's behaviour would be overlooked: for he had said to them that he was a Jew.

And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain nation living here and there in small groups among the people in all the divisions of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of any other nation, and they do not keep the king's laws: for this reason it is not right for the king to let them be.

If it is the king's pleasure, let a statement ordering their destruction be put in writing: and I will give to those responsible for the king's business, ten thousand talents of silver for the king's store-house.

And he gave him the copy of the order which had been given out in Shushan for their destruction, ordering him to let Esther see it, and to make it clear to her; and to say to her that she was to go in to the king, requesting his mercy, and making prayer for her people.

Go, get together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and go without food for me, taking no food or drink night or day for three days: and I and my women will do the same; and so I will go in to the king, which is against the law: and if death is to be my fate, then let it come.

And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.

Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready.

If I have the king's approval, and if it is the king's pleasure to give me my prayer and do my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I will make ready for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

And Haman said further, Truly, Esther the queen let no man but myself come in to the feast which she had made ready for the king; and tomorrow again I am to be her guest with the king.

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.

And the king's servants said to him, See, Haman is waiting in the outer room. And the king said, Let him come in.

Let them take the robes which the king generally puts on, and the horse on which the king goes, and the crown which is on his head:

And let the robes and the horse be given to one of the king's most noble captains, so that they may put them on the man whom the king has delight in honouring, and let him go on horseback through the streets of the town, with men crying out before him, So let it be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring.

Then Haman took the robes and the horse, and dressing Mordecai in the robes, he made him go on horseback through the streets of the town, crying out before him, So let it be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring.

Then Esther the queen, answering, said, If I have your approval, O king, and if it is the king's pleasure, let my life be given to me in answer to my prayer, and my people at my request:

And she said, If it is the king's pleasure and if I have his approval and this thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing to him, then let letters be sent giving orders against those which Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, sent out for the destruction of the Jews in all divisions of the kingdom:

Then Esther said, If it is the king's pleasure, let authority be given to the Jews in Shushan to do tomorrow as has been done today, and let orders be given for the hanging of Haman's ten sons.

With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.

Let destruction take the day of my birth, and the night on which it was said, A man child has come into the world.

That day--let it be dark; let not God take note of it from on high, and let not the light be shining on it;

Let the dark and the black night take it for themselves; let it be covered with a cloud; let the dark shades of day send fear on it.

That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;

Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.

Let its morning stars be dark; let it be looking for light, but may it not have any; let it not see the eyes of the dawn.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

If only he would be pleased to put an end to me; and would let loose his hand, so that I might be cut off!

Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.

Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.

So I will not keep my mouth shut; I will let the words come from it in the pain of my spirit, my soul will make a bitter outcry.

And why do you not take away my sin, and let my wrongdoing be ended? for now I go down to the dust, and you will be searching for me with care, but I will be gone.

He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.

If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;

You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?

Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:

My soul is tired of life; I will let my sad thoughts go free in words; my soul will make a bitter outcry.

Are not the days of my life small in number? Let your eyes be turned away from me, so that I may have a little pleasure,

If you put far away the evil of your hands, and let no wrongdoing have a place in your tent;

Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

Keep quiet, and let me say what is in my mind, whatever may come to me.

Take your hand far away from me; and let me not be overcome by fear of you.

Then at the sound of your voice I will give answer; or let me put forward my cause for you to give me an answer.

Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.

Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.

O earth, let not my blood be covered, and let my cry have no resting-place!

Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

Give attention with care to my words; and let this be your comfort.

Let me say what is in my mind, and after that, go on making sport of me.

You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!

Let his eyes see his trouble, and let him be full of the wrath of the Ruler of all!

Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.

Let it be far from me! I will certainly not say that you are right! I will come to death before I give up my righteousness.

I will keep it safe, and will not let it go: my heart has nothing to say against any part of my life.

Let my hater be like the evil man, and let him who comes against me be as the sinner.

After I had said what was in my mind, they were quiet and let my words go deep into their hearts;

(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness:)

Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.

Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.

(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life;)

Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.

Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth.

Let me not give respect to any man, or give names of honour to any living.

And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:

Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.

Now then, you wise, take note; you men of knowledge, give ear to me. Let it be far from God to do evil, and from the Ruler of all to do wrong.

Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.

They are bent down, they give birth to their young, they let loose the fruit of their body.

Who has let the ass of the fields go free? or made loose the bands of the loud-voiced beast?

Will he who is protesting give teaching to the Ruler of all? Let him who has arguments to put forward against God give an answer.

Let your wrath be overflowing; let your eyes see all the sons of pride, and make them low.

Let them be covered together in the dust; let their faces be dark in the secret place of the underworld.

Let their chains be broken, and their cords taken from off us.

Let there be fear in your hearts, and do no sin; have bitter feelings on your bed, but make no sound. (Selah.)

Let the voice of my cry come to you, my King and my God; for to you will I make my prayer.

Send them to destruction, O Lord; let their evil designs be the cause of their fall; let them be forced out by all their sins; because they have gone against your authority.

But let all those who put their faith in you be glad with cries of joy at all times, and let all the lovers of your name be glad in you.

The Lord has given ear to my request; the Lord has let my prayer come before him.

Let all those who are against me be shamed and deeply troubled; let them be turned back and suddenly put to shame.

Let my hater go after my soul and take it; let my life be crushed to the earth, and my honour into the dust. (Selah.)

The Lord will be judge of the peoples; give a decision for me, O Lord, because of my righteousness, and let my virtue have its reward.

O let the evil of the evil-doer come to an end, but give strength to the upright: for men's minds and hearts are tested by the God of righteousness.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, and see how I am troubled by my haters; let me be lifted up from the doors of death;

Up! O Lord; let not man overcome you: let the nations be judged before you.

The evil-doer in his pride is cruel to the poor; let him be taken by the tricks of his invention.

Up! O Lord; let your hand be lifted: give thought to the poor.

Let the arm of the sinner and the evil-doer be broken; go on searching for his sin till there is no more.

Let my voice come before you, and give me an answer, O Lord my God; let your light be shining on me, so that the sleep of death may not overtake me;

For you will not let my soul be prisoned in the underworld; you will not let your loved one see the place of death.

Let my cause come to your ears, O Lord, give attention to my cry; give ear to my prayer which goes not out from false lips.

The Lord is living; praise be to my Rock, and let the God of my salvation be honoured.

Keep your servant back from sins of pride; let them not have rule over me: then will I be upright and free from great sin.

Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes, O Lord, my strength and my salvation.

Come to our help, Lord: let the king give ear to our cry.

He put his faith in the Lord; let the Lord be his saviour now: let the Lord be his saviour, because he had delight in him.

Be my saviour from the lion's mouth; let me go free from the horns of the cruel oxen.