But it was not enough for him to make an attack on Mordecai only; for they had made clear to him who Mordecai's people were; so Haman made it his purpose to put an end to all the Jews, even Mordecai's people, through all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

The runners went out quickly by the king's order, and a public statement was made in Shushan: and the king and Haman took wine together: but the town of Shushan was troubled.

And Esther's women and her servants came and gave her word of it. Then great was the grief of the queen: and she sent robes for Mordecai, so that his clothing of haircloth might be taken off; but he would not have them.

It is common knowledge among all the king's servants and the people of every part of the kingdom, that if anyone, man or woman, comes to the king in his inner room without being sent for, there is only one law for him, that he is to be put to death; only those to whom the king's rod of gold is stretched out may keep their lives: but I have not been sent for to come before the king these thirty days.

If at this time you say nothing, then help and salvation will come to the Jews from some other place, but you and your father's family will come to destruction: and who is to say that you have not come to the kingdom even for such a time as this?

Then on that day Haman went out full of joy and glad in heart; but when he saw Mordecai in the king's doorway, and he did not get to his feet or give any sign of fear before him, Haman was full of wrath against Mordecai.

But controlling himself, he went to his house; and he sent for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

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.

But all this is nothing to me while I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's doorway.

And Mordecai came back to the king's doorway. But Haman went quickly back to his house, sad and with his head covered.

And Haman gave his wife Zeresh and all his friends an account of what had taken place. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, If Mordecai, who is starting to get the better of you, is of the seed of the Jews, you will not be able to do anything against him, but you will certainly go down before him.

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the hater of the Jews; but they put not a hand on any of their goods.

For the Jews who were in Shushan came together again on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and put to death three hundred men in Shushan; but they put not a hand on their goods.

And the other Jews in every division of the kingdom came together, fighting for their lives, and got salvation from their haters and put seventy-five thousand of them to death; but they did not put a hand on their goods.

But the Jews in Shushan came together on the thirteenth and on the fourteenth day of the month; and on the fifteenth day they took their rest, and made it a day of feasting and joy.

But when the business was put before the king, he gave orders by letters that the evil design which he had made against the Jews was to be turned against himself; and that he and his sons were to be put to death by hanging.

But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.

But now, if you only put your hand on his bone and his flesh, he will certainly be cursing you to your face.

And they took their seats on the earth by his side for seven days and seven nights: but no one said a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

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.

To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;

I have no peace, no quiet, and no rest; nothing but pain comes on me.

If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?

But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.

Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:

I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.

But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.

But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:

But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.

How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?

My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.

When I go to my bed, I say, When will it be time to get up? but the night is long, and I am turning from side to side till morning light.

The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.

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.

(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)

He is looking to his family for support, but it is not there; he puts his hope in it, but it comes to nothing.

See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.

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

Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.

Your hands made me, and I was formed by you, but then, changing your purpose, you gave me up to destruction.

But you kept these things in the secret of your heart; I am certain this was in your thoughts:

But if only God would take up the word, opening his lips in argument with you;

But if you put your heart right, stretching out your hands to him;

But the eyes of the evil-doers will be wasting away; their way of flight is gone, and their only hope is the taking of their last breath.

But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

But I would have talk with the Ruler of all, and my desire is to have an argument with God.

But you put a false face on things; all your attempts to put things right are of no value.

Truly, he will put an end to me; I have no hope; but I will not give way in argument before him;

If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.

But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?

But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;

His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.

But now he has overcome me with weariness and fear, and I am in the grip of all my trouble.

I was in comfort, but I have been broken up by his hands; he has taken me by the neck, shaking me to bits; he has put me up as a mark for his arrows.

But come back, now, all of you, come; and I will not see a wise man among you.

But come back, now, come: you who are wounding yourself in your passion, will the earth be given up because of you, or a rock be moved out of its place?

Truly, I make an outcry against the violent man, but there is no answer: I give a cry for help, but no one takes up my cause.

But I am certain that he who will take up my cause is living, and that in time to come he will take his place on the dust;

That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?

His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.

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

He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;

Why then do you give me comfort with words in which there is no profit, when you see that there is nothing in your answers but deceit?

Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!

For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.

Would he make use of his great power to overcome me? No, but he would give attention to me.

See, I go forward, but he is not there; and back, but I do not see him;

I am looking for him on the left hand, but there is no sign of him; and turning to the right, I am not able to see him.

But his purpose is fixed and there is no changing it; and he gives effect to the desire of his soul.

From the town come sounds of pain from those who are near death, and the soul of the wounded is crying out for help; but God does not take note of their prayer.

But God by his power gives long life to the strong; he gets up again, though he has no hope of life.

See, these are only the outskirts of his ways; and how small is that which comes to our ears about him! But the thunder of his acts of power is outside all knowledge.

He may get them ready, but the upright will put them on, and he who is free from sin will take the silver for a heritage.

He goes to rest full of wealth, but does so for the last time: on opening his eyes, he sees it there no longer.

As for the earth, bread comes out of it; but under its face it is turned up as if by fire.

But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?

But now those who are younger than I make sport of me; those whose fathers I would not have put with the dogs of my flocks.

But now my soul is turned to water in me, days of trouble overtake me:

But truly it is the spirit in man, even the breath of the Ruler of all, which gives them knowledge.

Take care that you do not say, Wisdom is here; God may overcome him, but not man.

But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:

He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.

But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;

There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.

But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;

But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.

And now the light is not seen, for it is dark because of the clouds; but a wind comes, clearing them away.

I have said once, and even twice, what was in my mind, but I will not do so again.

The sword may come near him but is not able to go through him; the spear, or the arrow, or the sharp-pointed iron.

Word of you had come to my ears, but now my eye has seen you.

But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and whose mind is on his law day and night.

The evil-doers are not so; but are like the dust from the grain, which the wind takes away.

Because the Lord sees the way of the upright, but the end of the sinner is destruction.

But I have put my king on my holy hill of Zion.

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

But as for me, I will come into your house, in the full measure of your mercy; and in your fear I will give worship, turning my eyes to your holy Temple.

For no faith may be put in their words; their inner part is nothing but evil; their throat is like an open place for the dead; smooth are the words of their tongues.

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.

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.