whereas, the former pashas, who were before me, suffered themselves to be a burden upon the people, and took from them in bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver, even, their young men, bare rule over the people, - but, I, did not so, because of the fear of God.

Moreover also, in this work of the wall, I repaired, and, no field, did we buy, - though, all my young men, were gathered thither unto the work.

And, Jews and deputies, a hundred and fifty men, and they who were coming in unto us from among the nations which were round about us, depended upon my table.

Now, that which was prepared for a single day, was - one ox, six choice sheep, also, fowls, were prepared for me, and, apportioned unto ten days, of every sort of wine, in abundance, - yet, in spite of this, the bread of the pasha, demanded I not, because heavy was the bondage upon this people.

Remember unto me, O my God, for good, - all that I have done for this people.

that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come! and let us meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono, - But, they, were plotting to do me harm.

Yet they sent unto me, according to this message, four times, - and I replied to them according to this answer.

Then Sanballat sent unto me, according to this message, a fifth time, by his young man, - with an open letter, in his hand:

For, they all, were seeking to put us in fear, saying, Their hands will slacken from the work, and it will not be accomplished. Now, therefore, strengthen thou my hands!

Then perceived I, that lo! it was, not God, who had sent him, - though, a prophecy, he had spoken concerning me, but, Tobiah and Sanballat, had hired him:

to this end, hired, he was, to the end that I might be afraid and do so, and might sin, - and it might serve them for an evil report, to the end they might bring reproach upon me.

Have remembrance, O my God, of Tobiah and of Sanballat, according to these their doings, - moreover also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.

Moreover, his good deeds, were they telling before me, and, my affairs, were they carrying out to him, - letters, did Tobiah send to put me in fear.

that I gave Hanani my brother, and Hananiah captain of the castle, charge over Jerusalem, for, he, was a truly faithful man, and revered God above many.

So then my God put it into my heart, and I gathered together the nobles and the deputies and the people, to register their genealogy, - then found I a register roll, of them who came up at the first, and found written therein: -

and his brethren - Shemaiah and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the instruments of music of David, the man of God, - with Ezra the scribe before them;

So the two choirs, came to a stand, at the house of God, - and I, and half the deputies with me;

and it grieved me exceedingly, - and I cast forth all the household utensils of Tobiah, outside of the chamber.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, - and do not wipe out my lovingkindnesses, which I have done for the house of my God, and for those keeping charge thereof.

And it came to pass, when the gates of Jerusalem made a shadow before the sabbath, then gave I word, and they shut the doors, and I gave word, that they should not open them, until after the sabbath, - and, some of my young men, set I near the gates, so that no burden should be brought in, on the sabbath day.

And I gave word to the Levites, that they should be purifying themselves and coming in, as keepers of the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. This also, remember to me, O my God, and have pity upon me, according to the abundance of thy lovingkindness.

And, one of the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, - therefore I chased him from me.

Remember them, O my God, - on account of the Defilings of the Priesthood, and the Covenant of the Priesthood, and of the Levites.

also for the offering of wood, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good!

and the king said unto Haman, The silver, is granted thee, - and the people, to do with them, as may seem good in thine eyes.

All the servants of the king, and the people of the provinces of the king, do know, that, whatsoever man or woman shall go in unto the king - into the inter court - who hath not been called, one, is his law, to put him to death, saving any to whom the king may hold out the golden sceptre, who then shall live, - but, I, have not been called to go in unto the king, these thirty days.

Go! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan, and fast ye for me - and neither eat nor drink - three days, night nor day, and, I and my maidens, will fast so, - and, in this manner, will I go in unto the king, though it is not according to the law, and, when I have perished, I have perished!

Then said the king unto Esther, during the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, that it may be granted thee? - and what is thy request - -unto the half of the kingdom - that it may be performed?

Then answered Esther, and said, - As touching my petition and my request,

If I have found favour in the eyes of the king, and if, unto the king, it seem good, to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king with Haman come in unto the banquet which I will prepare for them, and, to-morrow, I will do according to the word of the king.

Yet, all this, sufficeth me not, - so long as, I, see Mordecai the Jew, sitting in the gate of the king.

So Haman came in, and the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man in whose honour, the king delighteth? Then said Haman, in his own heart, Unto whom will the king delight to do honour, more than unto me?

Then said the king unto Esther, on the second day also, during the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, Queen Esther, that it may be granted thee? and what is thy request - unto the half of the kingdom - that it may be performed?

Then answered Esther the queen, and said, If I have found favour in thine eyes, O king, and if, unto the king, it seem good, let my life be granted me, as my petition, and my people, as my request;

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain and to be caused to perish. If indeed, for bondmen and for bondwomen, we had been sold, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have made good the damage to the king.

For how can I endure to see the ruin that shall overtake my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

Ye, therefore, write concerning the Jews as may seem good in your own eyes, in the name of the king, and seal it with the kings signet-ring, - for a writing which hath been written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's signet-ring, none can reverse.

Then said the king unto Esther the queen, In Shusan the palace, have the Jews slain and caused to perish five hundred men, and the ten sons of Haman, - in the rest of the provinces of the king, what have they done? What, then, is thy petition, that it may be granted thee? and what is thy request further, that it may he performed?

And so it was, when the days of the banquet came round, that Job sent and hallowed them, and rising early in the morning offered ascending-sacrifices according to the number of them all; for Job said, Peradventure my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus and thus, was Job wont to do all the days.

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one revering God and avoiding evil?

and said - Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked must I return thither, Yahweh, gave, and, Yahweh, hath taken away, - The name of Yahweh be blessed!

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one who revereth God, and avoideth evil; and still he is holding fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.

That day, be it darkness, - Let not God enquire after it from above, May there shine upon it no clear beam:

Let darkness and death-shade buy it back, May there settle down upon it a cloud, Let a day's dark eclipse cause it terror:

That night, darkness take it, - May it not rejoice among the days of the year, Into the number of months, let it not enter.

For what reason, were there prepared for me - knees? and why - breasts, that I might suck?

For, in the face of my food, my sighing, cometh in, and, poured out like the water, are my groans:

For, a dread, I dreaded, and it hath come upon me, and, that from which I shrank, hath overtaken me.

But, unto me, something was brought by stealth, - and mine ear caught a whispering of the same:

Dread, came upon me, and trembling, The multitude of my bones, it put in dread:

Then, a spirit, over my face, floated along, The hair of my flesh bristled-up:

For, he, woundeth that he may bind up, He smiteth through, that, his own hands, may heal.

Oh that, weighed, were my vexation, and, my engulfing ruin - into the balances, they would lift up all at once!

For, now, beyond the sand of the seas, would it be heavy, On this account, my words, have wandered.

For, the arrows of the Almighty, are in me, The heat whereof, my spirit is drinking up, The, terrors of GOD, array themselves against me.

My soul hath refused to touch, Those things, are like disease in my food.

Oh that my request would come! and, my hope, oh that GOD would grant!

That it would please GOD to crush me, That he would set free his hand, and cut me off!

So might it still be my comfort, And I might exult in the anguish he would not spare, - That I had not concealed the sayings of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? Or what mine end, that I should prolong my desire?

Is my strength, the strength of stones? Or is, my flesh, of bronze?

Is there any help at all in me? Is not, abiding success, driven from me?

The despairing, from his friend, should have lovingkindness, or, the reverence of the Almighty, he may forsake.

Is it that I said, Make me a gift, or, out of your abundance, offer a bribe on my behalf;

And deliver me from the hand of the adversary? And, out of the hand of tyrants, ransom me?

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

But, now, be pleased to turn to me, that it may be, to your faces, if I speak falsehood,

Reply, I pray you, let there be no perversity, Yea reply even yet, my vindication is in it!

Is there, in my tongue, perversity? Or can, my sense, not discern, engulfing ruin?

So, have I been made to inherit months of calamity, and, nights of weariness, have been appointed me.

My flesh is clothed with worms and a coating of dust, My skin, hath hardened, and then run afresh:

My days, are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they are spent, without hope.

Remember thou, that, a wind, is my life, not again shall mine eye see blessing:

Nor shall see me - the eye that used to behold me, Thine eyes, are upon me, and I am not.

I also, cannot restrain my mouth, - I must speak, in the anguish of my spirit, I must find utterance, in the bitterness of my soul.

Am, I, a sea, or a sea-monster, - That thou shouldst set over me a watch?

When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall help to carry my complaint,

Then thou scarest me with dreams, and, by visions, dost thou terrify me:

So that my soul chooseth strangling, Death, rather than these my bones!

I am wasted away, Not, to times age-abiding, can I live, Let me alone, for, a breath, are my days.

How long wilt thou not look away from me? Wilt thou not let me alone, till I can swallow my spittle?

I have sinned, What can I do for thee, thou watcher of men? Wherefore hast thou set me as thine object of attack, or have I become, unto thee, a burden?

And why wilt thou not remove my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For, now, in the dust, should I lie down, and thou shouldst seek me diligently, and I should not be.

Lo! he cometh upon me, yet can I not see him, Yea he passeth on, yet can I not discern him.

How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?

Though I had called, and he had answered me, I could not believe, that he would lend an ear to my voice.

For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;

He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.

If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, - I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.

I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!

My days, therefore, are swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have seen no good.

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will lay aside my sad countenance, and brighten up,

I am afraid of all my pains, I know, that thou wilt not pronounce me innocent.

Though I bathe myself in snow water, and cleanse, in cleanness itself, my hands,

Then, in a ditch, wouldst thou plunge me, and mine own clothes should abhor me:

Let him take from off me his rod, and, his terror, let it not startle me:

My soul doth loathe my life, - I let loose my complaint, I speak, in the bitterness of my soul.

I say unto GOD, Do not hold me guilty, Let me know, on what account thou contendest with me!

That thou shouldst seek for mine iniquity, and, for my sin, shouldst make search:

Thine own hands, shaped me, and made me, all in unison round about, and yet thou hast confounded me.