And the king returned from the palace garden to the {banquet hall}, [where] Haman [was] lying prostrate on the couch that Esther [was] on, and the king said, "Will he also molest the queen with me in the house?" As the words went from the king's mouth they covered Haman's face.

For {how can I bear} to look on the disaster that will find my people, and {how can I bear} to look on the destruction of my family?"

And the king said to Queen Esther, "In the citadel of Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? What [is] your petition? It will be granted to you. And what further [is] your request? It will be done."

But, on the other hand, stretch out your hand and touch {all that belongs to him} [and see] {whether} he will {curse} you to your face."

Then he said, "Naked I came out from my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh's name be blessed."

Then Satan answered him and said, "Skin for skin! All that {that} man has he will give for his life.

But stretch out your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, [and see] {whether} he will {curse} you to your face."

[Just] as I have seen, plowers of mischief and sowers of trouble will reap it.

"Call now, is there [anyone] answering you? And to which of [the] holy ones will you turn?

For vexation will slay the fool, and jealousy will kill [the] simple.

"But I myself will seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.

[He] is capturing [the] wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are rushed.

{From} six troubles he will deliver you, and in seven evil shall not touch you.

In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from [the] {power of} [the] sword.

At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and you shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.

For your covenant [will be] with the stones of the field, and the wild animals of the field will be at peace with you.

And you shall know that your tent [is] safe, and you will inspect your fold, and you shall not be missing [anything].

Does [the] wild ass bray over grass, or [the] ox bellow over its fodder?

{I refused} to touch [them]; they [are] like {food that will make me ill}.

But it will still be my consolation, and I would recoil in {unrelenting} pain, for I have not denied [the] words of [the] Holy One.

which are growing dark because of ice upon them, it will pile up snow.

Teach me, and I myself will be silent; and make me understand how I have gone astray.

"{Therefore} be prepared, turn to me, and I surely will not lie to your face.

Remember that my life [is] a breath; my eye will not return to see good.

The eye of [the one] seeing me will not see me; your eyes [are] upon me, but {I will be gone}.

A cloud vanishes, and it goes away, so [he who] goes down to Sheol will not come up.

"Even I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in my spirit's anguish; I will complain in my inner self's bitterness.

When I say, 'My bed will comfort me, and my couch will ease my complaint,'

So my inner self will choose strangling-- death more than my {existence}.

{How long} will you not turn away from me? [Or] not leave me alone until I swallow my spit?

And why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my guilt? For now I shall lie in the dust, and you will seek me, but {I will be no more}."

"{How long} will you say these [things], and the words of your mouth [be] a mighty wind?

If you [are] pure and upright, indeed, now he will rouse himself for you, and he will restore your righteous abode.

Though your beginning was small, your end will be very great.

Will they themselves not teach you [and] {tell you} and {utter} words from their heart?

Can papyrus grow tall where [there is] not a marsh? Will reeds flourish without water?

So [are] the paths of all who forget God; and [the] hope of [the] godless will perish,

He will lean himself against his house, but it will not stand; he will take hold of it, but it will not endure.

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

"Look, God will not reject [the] blameless, and he will not uphold the hand of evildoers.

Yet he will fill your mouth [with] laughter and your lips [with] a shout of joy.

[Those] who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked {will be no more}."

God will not turn back his anger; beneath him the helpers of Rahab bow.

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

He will not allow me to {catch} my breath; rather, he will fill me with bitterness.

Even though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me; [even though] I [am] blameless, yet it would pronounce me guilty.

Though {I say}, 'I will forget my complaint; I will change my expression, and I will rejoice,'

I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me.

Before I go--and I will not return-- to [the] land of darkness and deep shadow,

For he knows {those who are worthless}; {when he sees} iniquity, {he will not consider it}.

But {an empty-headed person} will get understanding when a wild donkey's colt is born [as] a human being.

surely then you will lift up your face without blemish, and you will be firmly established and will not fear.

For you yourself will forget your misery; you will remember [it] as water [that] has flowed past.

"{And your life will be brighter than noon}; [its] darkness will be like the morning.

And you will have confidence because there is hope; and you will be well protected--{you will sleep in safety}.

And you will lie down, and {no one will make you afraid}; {and many will entreat your favor}.

But [the] eyes of [the] wicked will fail; and refuge will be lost to them, and their hope [is] {to breathe their last breath}."

"Truly indeed you [are the] people, and wisdom will die with you.

"But ask [the] animals, and they will teach you, and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;

or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.

If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed.

"Will you speak falsely for God? And will you speak deceitfully for him?

{Will you show partiality for him}? Or do you want to plead God's case?

[Will it be] well, if he examines you? Or can you deceive him like deceiving a human being?

"Surely he will rebuke you if {you show partiality} in secret.

Will not his majesty terrify you, and his dread fall upon you?

"{Let me have silence}, and I myself will speak, and let come over me whatever [may].

Look, [though] he kill me, I will hope in him; however, I will defend my ways {before him}.

Please look, I have prepared [my] case; I know that I myself will be vindicated.

Who [is] he who will contend with me? For {then} I would be silent, and I would pass away.

"Only you must not do [these] two [things] to me; then I will not hide from your face:

Then call, and I myself will answer; or let me speak, then reply to me.

Will you terrify a blown leaf? And will you pursue dry stubble?

"Indeed, there is hope for a tree: if it is cut down, then it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not cease;

at the scent of water it will bud, and it will put forth branches like a young plant.

{so} a man lies down, and he does not arise. {Until the heavens are no more}, they will not awaken, and they will not be roused out of their sleep.

If a man dies, will he live [again]? All the days of my compulsory service I will wait, until the coming of my relief.

"I will show you, listen to me; and what I have seen, I will tell--

Sounds of terror [are] in his ears; in prosperity [the] destroyer will come [against] him.

{He cannot trust that he will return} from darkness, and he himself is destined for [the] sword.

{he will dwell} [in] desolate cities, in houses that they should not inhabit, which are destined for rubble.

He will not become rich, and his wealth will not endure, and their possessions will not stretch across the earth.

"He will not escape from darkness; a flame will dry up his new shoot, and by the wind of his mouth he shall be removed.

Let him not trust in emptiness--he will be deceiving himself-- for worthlessness will be his recompense.

It will be paid in full {before his time}, and his branch will not flourish.

"He will shake off his unripe fruit like the vine, and he will cast off his blossom like the olive tree;

If I speak, my pain is not relieved; and [if] I cease, how much will leave me?

Indeed, [after] {a few years} have come, then I will go [the] way [from which] I will not return.

Please lay down a pledge for me with yourself; who [is] he [who] will give security for my hand?

Indeed, you have closed their mind from understanding; therefore, you will not let [them] triumph.

He denounces friends for reward, so his children's eyes will fail.

where then [is] my hope? And {who will see my hope}?

Will they go down [to] the bars of Sheol? Or shall we descend together into the dust?"

"{How long} {will you hunt for words}? Consider, and afterward we shall speak.

"[You who] are tearing {yourself} in your anger, will [the] earth be forsaken because of you? Or will [the] rock be removed from its place?

Furthermore, the light of [the] wicked is put out, and the flame of his fire will not shine.

His wealth will become hunger, and disaster is ready for his stumbling.

"{How long} will you torment me and crush me with words?

But I myself know [that] my redeemer [is] alive, and [at the] last he will stand up upon {the earth}.

And after my skin has been thus destroyed, but from my flesh I will see God,