Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, do not let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our leaders, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them, neither did they turn from their wicked works.

and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;

and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the wave offering of the grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, to the rooms, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests who minister, and the gatekeepers, and the singers. We will not forsake the house of our God.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the assembly of God forever,

because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them: however our God turned the curse into a blessing.

But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king,

I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled everyone to his field.

Remember me, my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us, and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

It came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.

Then I testified against them, and said to them, "Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on, they did not come on the Sabbath.

and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.

I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

"What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?"

Memucan answered before the king and the officials, "Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the officials and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.

For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands, when it is reported, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she did not come.'

Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.

Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

All the king's servants who were in the king's gate bowed down, and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay him homage.

Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he did not listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.

Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different than other people's. They do not keep the king's laws. Therefore it is not for the king's profit to allow them to remain.

Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth; but he did not receive it.

"All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, know, that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days."

Then Mordecai asked them return answer to Esther, "Do not think to yourself that you will escape in the king's house any more than all the Jews.

"Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."

Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he did not stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

On that night, the king couldn't sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king.

Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before him."

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondservants and bondmaids, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king's loss."

Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may not be reversed by any man."

the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jew's enemy, but they did not lay their hand on the plunder.

The Jews who were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Shushan; but they did not lay their hand on the spoil.

The other Jews who were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hand on the plunder.

the Jews established, and imposed on themselves, and on their descendants, and on all those who joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to what was written, and according to its appointed time, every year;

and that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memory of them perish from their seed.

The LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and did not recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.

"Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, 'There is a boy conceived.'

Let that day be darkness. Do not let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it. Let it not rejoice among the days of the year. Let it not come into the number of the months.

Behold, let that night be barren. Let no joyful voice come therein.

because it did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

"Why did I not die from the womb? Why did I not give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been, as infants who never saw light.

There the prisoners are at ease together. They do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes."

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

"Behold, blessed is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of Shaddai.

Be it still my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn't spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Now therefore be pleased to look at me, for surely I shall not lie to your face.

When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

The eye of him who sees me shall see me no more. Your eyes shall be on me, but I shall not be.

"Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

I loathe my life. I do not want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle?

Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."

Shall they not teach you, tell you, and utter words out of their heart?

While it is yet in its greenness, not cut down, it withers before any other reed.

He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.

If he is destroyed from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'

"Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he uphold the evildoers.

He removes the mountains, and they do not know it, when he overturns them in his anger.

Behold, he goes by me, and I do not see him. He passes on also, but I do not perceive him.

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

He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

I am blameless. I do not regard myself. I despise my life.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.

Let him take his rod away from me. Let his terror not make me afraid;

then I would speak, and not fear him, for I am not so in myself.

I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.

Although you know that I am not wicked, there is no one who can deliver out of your hand.

You have clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews.

if I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity.

If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, being filled with disgrace, and conscious of my affliction.

I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Do not let unrighteousness dwell in your tents.

Surely then you shall lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear:

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.

Shall not his majesty make you afraid, And his dread fall on you?

This also shall be my salvation, that a godless man shall not come before him.

"Only do not do two things to me; then I will not hide myself from your face:

withdraw your hand far from me; and do not let your terror make me afraid.

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.

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

so man lies down and doesn't rise. Until the heavens are no more, they shall not awake, nor be roused out of their sleep.

But now you number my steps. Do you not watch over my sin?

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

What do you know, that we do not know? What do you understand, which is not in us?