Behold, we are slaves to this day, and the land that you have given to our ancestors to eat its fruits and [enjoy] its goodness--behold, we are slaves in it!

"Now because of all of this we make a binding written agreement and are writing on the sealed documents [the names of] our commanders, our Levites, and our priests."

Before this, Eliashib the priest who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God--the one related to Tobiah--

During all of this, I was not in Jerusalem because in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. At the end of [some] days I asked permission from the king [to leave].

Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my loyal acts which I have done in the house of my God and in his service.

So I quarreled with the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the day of the Sabbath?

Did not your ancestors do this also, and our God brought on us all of this disaster and on this city [too]? Now you are adding fierce wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath!"

And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.

Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in this way? And among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Yet the foreign women made even him sin.

Should we listen to you all and do this great evil, acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?"

For this deed of the queen {will be known} to all the women, causing them {to look with contempt on their husbands}, as they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come!'

This day the women of nobility from Persia and Media will respond to all the officials of the king and there will be no end to contempt and anger.

{This advice pleased the king} and the officials, and the king acted according to the word of Memucan.

in this way, the girl goes to the king and all that she asks is given to her {to take} with her from the {harem} to the {king's palace}.

For if indeed you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and the family of your father will perish. Who knows? [Perhaps] you have come to a royal position for a time such as this."

And Esther answered and said, "[This is] my petition and my request.

But all this {fails to satisfy me} {when} I see Mordecai the Jew setting at the gate of the king."

And the king asked, "What has been done to bestow honor to Mordecai for this?" And the king's servants who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him."

I and my people have been sold to be destroyed and killed, to be annihilated. If we had been sold as male and female slaves I would have kept quiet, because this is not a need sufficient to trouble the king."

And King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who [is] he, and where [is] he, who {gave himself the right to do this}?"

And Esther said, "The adversary and enemy [is] this evil Haman!" And Haman was terrified before the king and queen.

and she said, "If it is good to the king, and if I have found favor before him, and if the king is pleased with this matter, and {I have his approval}, let [an edict] be written to revoke the letters of the plans of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that [are] in all the provinces of the king.

[This was] on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. [They] rested on the fourteenth [day] and made it a day of feasting and joy.

Therefore they called these days Purim, because of the name Pur. Thus because of all the words of this letter, and of what they faced concerning this, and of what had happened to them,

So Queen Esther the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote in full authority to confirm this second letter of Purim.

{Then when} the days of the feast had run their course, {Job would send}, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according to] the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and {cursed} God in their heart." This is what Job used to do {all the time}.

While this one was still speaking, {another} came and said, "The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

While this one was still speaking, {another} came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three divisions, and they made a raid on the camels, and they carried them away, and they struck your servants {by the edge of the sword}, but I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

At the time this one was speaking, {another} came and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother's house.

In all this, Job did not sin and did not {charge God with wrongdoing}.

So he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Thus Job's three friends heard of this calamity that had come upon him. So each set out from his [own] place: Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. And they met together to come to console him and to comfort him.

"Look, we have searched this out--it [is] true; hear it and know [it] {yourself}."

Look, this [is] the joy of his way, and from dust others will spring up.

" 'Yet you hid these [things] in your heart; I know that this {was your purpose}.

Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this?

Moreover, this [is] salvation to me, that [the] godless would not come {before him}.

[The] upright are appalled at this, and [the] innocent excites himself over [the] godless.

Surely these [are] the dwellings of [the] godless, and this [is] the dwelling place of him [who] knows not God."

"Did you know this from of old, since the setting of [the] human being on earth,

This [is] a wicked human being's portion from God and the inheritance of his decree from God."

"Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation.

This [one] dies {in full prosperity}, {completely} at ease and secure.

"Please reconcile yourself with him, and be at peace; {in this way}, good will come to you.

"This [is the] portion of [the] wicked human being with God, and they receive from Shaddai [the] inheritance of [the] ruthless.

this also [is] an iniquity [to be] judged, for I have deceived God above.

"Look, [in] this you are not right--I will answer you: Indeed, God is greater than a human being.

"But if [you have] understanding, hear this; listen to {what I say}.

{According to your judgment}, must he repay [it] because you rejected [this]? Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so declare what you know.

"Do you think this [is] justice when you say, '{I am right} before God'?

Take care, you must not turn to mischief, for because of this you have been tried by misery.

"About this also my heart trembles, and it leaps from its place.

"Hear this, Job; stand [still] and consider carefully God's wondrous works.

"Who [is] this darkening counsel by words without knowledge?

'Who [is] this darkening counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I uttered, but I did not understand; {things too wonderful for me}, but I did not know.

And Job lived after this one hundred and forty years, and he saw his sons and his {grandsons} [for] four generations.

O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

You, O Yahweh, will protect them. You will preserve him from this generation always.

from men by your hand, O Yahweh, from men of [this] world. Their share [is] in {this life}, and you fill their stomach [with] your treasure. They are satisfied [with] children. They bequeath their excess to their children.

This God--his way [is] blameless. The word of Yahweh [is] flawless. He [is] a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear. Though war arise against me, [even] in this I [will] remain confident.

This poor [man] called and Yahweh heard, and saved him from all his troubles.

By this I know that you delight in me: because my enemy has not shouted in triumph over me.

All this has befallen us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.

would not God discover this, for he knows [the] secrets of [the] heart?

that this [is] God, our God forever and ever. {He himself} will guide us until death.

Hear this, all [you] peoples; give ear, all [you] inhabitants of [the] world,

This [is] the journey [of those who] have foolish [confidence], and those after them [who] accept their sayings. Selah

Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear [you] apart, and there [will be] none to deliver.

Against you, only you, I have sinned and have done this evil in your eyes, so that you are correct when you speak, you are blameless when you judge.

Then my enemies will turn back {when} I call. This I know because God [is] for me.

Once God has spoken; twice I have heard this: that strength [belongs] to God.

Why do you look with hostility, O many-peaked mountains? This mountain God desires for his dwelling. Yes, Yahweh will abide [in it] forever.

And even when [I am] old and gray, O God, do not abandon me until I proclaim your {strength} to [this] generation, your power to every [one that] comes [after].

When I thought about [how] to understand this, it [was] troubling in my eyes

O Yahweh, remember this: [the] enemy taunts, and foolish people treat your name with contempt.

For [there is] a cup in the hand of Yahweh with wine [that] foams, fully mixed, and he pours out from this. Surely all [the] wicked of [the] land {will quaff it down [to] its dregs}.

So I said, "This pierces me-- the right [hand] of the Most High [has] changed."

In spite of all this they sinned further and did not believe his wonders.

So he brought them to his holy territory, this mountain his right hand acquired.

Please return, O God [of] hosts. Observe from heaven and see, and pay attention to this vine,

In this trouble you called, and I rescued you. Within [the] secret place of thunder I answered you; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah

I will record those who know me [in] Rahab and Babylon, behold [in] Philistia and Tyre with Cush, "This one was born there."

Yahweh will record in writing [the] peoples, "This [one] was born there." Selah

[The] brutish man does not know, and [the] fool cannot understand this.

Let this be written for [the] next generation, so that a people [yet] to be created may praise Yah,

This [is] the great and {wide} sea, in which [are] moving animals without number, living things small and great.

Let this [be] the punishment for my accusers from Yahweh, even those who speak evil against my life.

that they may know that this [is] your hand, [that] you, O Yahweh, you have done it.

This [is] the gate of Yahweh, through [which the] righteous will enter.

This is from Yahweh; it is wonderful in our eyes.

This [is] the day Yahweh has worked; let us rejoice and be glad in him.

This [is] my comfort in my misery: that your word preserves my life.

This has been mine, that I have kept your precepts.

"This [is] my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

to execute on them [the] judgment that is decreed. This [will be] honor for all his faithful ones; Praise Yah.

do this, then, my child, and save yourself, for you have come into {the palm of your neighbor's hand}: Go, humble yourself, plead with your neighbor.

Why [is] this? A price in the hand of a fool, [in order] to buy wisdom where there is no {sense}.

if you say, "Look, we do not know this," does not he who weighs hearts perceive [it]? And he who keeps your soul, he knows and will repay humankind according to his deeds.

The poor and a man of oppression have [this] in common: Yahweh gives {light to the eyes of them both}.