But, when the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai - who had taken her as his own daughter - to go in unto the king, she requested nothing, save what Hegai the king's eunuch who kept the women might direct, - but so it was, that Esther obtained favour in the eyes of all who beheld her.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favour and lovingkindness before him, above all the virgins, - so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen, instead of Vashti.

Wherefore art, thou, transgressing the command of the king? And it came to pass, when they had spoken unto him day by day, and he had not hearkened unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether the account of Mordecai would stand, for he had told them, that, he, was a Jew.

And, when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bend nor bow down unto him, then was Haman filled with wrath;

Then were called the scribes of the king, in the first month, on the thirteenth day therein, and it was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the satraps of the king, and unto the pashas, who were over every province, and unto the rulers of every people, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to the tongue thereof, - in the name of King Ahasuerus, was it written, and sealed with the signet- ring of the king.

A copy of the writing, to be delivered as an edict throughout every province, was published to all the peoples, - that they should be ready against this day.

When, Mordecai, came to know all that had been done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, and ashes, - and went forth into the midst of the city, and cried out with an outcry loud and bitter;

And Mordecai told him all that had befallen him, - and an exact statement of the silver, that Haman had promised to weigh out unto the treasuries of the king, for the Jews, to destroy them.

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.

So Mordecai departed, - and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.

And it came to pass, on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the house of the king, over against the house of the king, - and, the king, was sitting upon his royal seat, in the royal house, over against the opening of the house.

And it came to pass, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his eyes, - and the king held out to Esther, the golden sceptre which was in his hand, so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

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 went Haman forth on that day, joyful and of a merry heart, - but, when Haman saw Mordecai in the gate of the king, that he rose not up nor moved because of him, then was Haman filled with wrath against Mordecai.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let them make ready a gallows, of the height of fifty cubits, and, in the morning, speak thou unto the king, that they hang Mordecai thereon, then go with the king into the banquet joyfully. And the thing seemed good before Haman, and he made ready the gallows.

During that night, the sleep of the king fled, - and he commanded to bring in the book of remembrance, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

And it was found written, how that Mordecai had told concerning Bigthana and Teresh, the two eunuchs of the king guarding the threshold, - who had sought to thrust forth a hand upon King Ahasuerus.

And Haman recounted unto Zeresh his wife, and unto all his friends, everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men, and Zeresh his wife, unto him, If, of the seed of the Jews, is Mordecai before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt, utterly fall, before him.

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?

Now, the king, arising in his wrath from the banquet of wine, and going into the palace garden, Haman, stood to make request for his life from Esther the queen, for he saw that ruin, was determined against him, by the king.

Then said Harbonah - one of the eunuchs before the king - Yea lo! the gallows that Haman made ready for Mordecai, who had spoken well for the king, is standing in Haman's house, of a height of fifty cubits. Then said the king, Hang him thereon.

On that day, did King Ahasuerus give unto Esther the queen, the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, - and, Mordecai, came in before the king, for Esther had told, what he was to her.

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?

Then were called the kings scribes at that time - in the third month, the same, is the month Siwan, on the twenty-third thereof, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and unto the satraps and pashas and rulers of the provinces, which are from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to their tongue, - and unto the Jews, according to their writing, and according to their tongue;

That the king had granted unto the Jews who were in every city, to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish - all the force of the people and province who should distress them, their little ones and women, - and to take the spoil of them as a prey:

A copy of the writing to be given, as an edict, throughout every province, was published to all the peoples, - and that the Jews be ready against that day, to avenge themselves on their enemies.

The runners that rode on the swift steeds used in the king's service, went forth, being urged forward and pressed on, by the word of the king, - and, the edict, was given in Shusan the palace.

And, in the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day thereof, when the word of the king and his edict arrived to be put in execution, - on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it, was changed, so that the Jews themselves should have power over them who hated them,

And, all the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps and the pashas, and the doers of business that pertained to the king, were extolling the Jews, - for the dread of Mordecai, had fallen upon them;

On that day, came in the number of the slain into Shusan the palace, before the king.

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?

Then said Esther, If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be granted, to-morrow also, unto the Jews who are in Shusan, to do according to the edict of to-day, - and that, the ten sons of Haman, be hanged upon the gallows.

And, the remainder of the Jews who were in the provinces of the king, assembled themselves together and stood for their life, and then had rest from their enemies, having slain of them that hated them seventy-five thousand, - but, on the spoil, thrust they not forth their hand:

to establish for them, that they should continue to observe the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day thereof, - always year by year;

according to the days wherein the Jews found rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned for them, from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a happy day, - that they should make them days of banqueting and rejoicing, and of sending portions, every one to his neighbour, and gifts, unto the needy.

And the Jews took upon them that which they had begun to do, - and that which Mordecai had written unto them;

but, by Esther's going in before the king, he commanded by letter, that his wicked plot which he had plotted against the Jews, should return, upon his own head, - and that he and his sons should be hanged upon the gallows.

The Jews established and took upon themselves - and upon their seed, and upon all who should join themselves unto them, that it might not pass away, that they would continue to keep these two days, according to the writing concerning them and at their set time, - always year by year.

And, these days, were to be remembered and to be kept, always from generation to generation, by every family, every province, and every city, - that, these days of Purim, should not pass away, out of the midst of the Jews, and, the memorial of them, not cease from their seed.

A man, there was - in the land of Uz, Job, his name, - and that man was blameless and upright, and one who revered God, and avoided evil.

And his substance was - seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a body of servants exceeding large, - thus was that man the greatest of all the sons of the East.

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 the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Is it, for nought, that Job revereth God?

Hast not, thou thyself, made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? The work of his hands, thou hast blessed, and, his substance, hath broken forth in the land.

But, in very deed, put forth, I pray thee, thy hand, and smite all that he hath, - verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Lo! all that he hath, is in thy hand, only, against himself, do not put forth thy hand. So the accuser went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

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.

Then the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Skin for skin, and so, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.

And they sat with him upon the ground, seven days and seven nights, - and none was speaking unto him a word, for they saw that, exceeding great, was the stinging pain.

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

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

Lo! that night, be it barren, Let no joyous shouting enter therein:

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

Or that, like an untimely birth hidden away, I had not come into being, like infants that never saw light:

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

Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.

Who doth frustrate the schemes of the crafty, that their hands cannot achieve abiding success;

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

And thou shalt know that, at peace, is thy tent, and shalt visit thy fold, and miss nothing;

And thou shalt know, that numerous is thy seed, and, thine offspring, like the young shoots of the field.

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

Can that which hath no savour be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

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?

They are ashamed that they had trusted, They have come up to one of them, and are confounded.

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

How pleasant are the sayings that are right! But what can a decision from you, decide?

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

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.

A cloud faileth, and is gone, So, he that descendeth to hades, shall not come up:

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

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

What is a mortal, that thou shouldst nurture him? Or that thou shouldst fix upon him thy mind?

That thou shouldst inspect him morning by morning, moment by moment, shouldst test him?

Lo! that, is the joy of his way, - and, out of the dust, shall others spring up.

Of a truth, I know that so it is, But how can a mortal be just with GOD?

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.

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

Is it seemly in thee, that thou shouldst oppress? that thou shouldst despise the labour of thine own hand, when, upon the counsel of the lawless, thou hast shone?

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

Though it is, within thine own knowledge, that I would not be lawless, and, none, out of thy hand, can deliver?

Remember, I pray thee, that, as clay, thou didst make me, and, unto dust, thou wilt cause me to return.

Yet, these things, thou didst hide in thy heart, I know that, this, hath been with thee!

Are not my days, few? - then forbear, and set me aside, that I may brighten up for a little;

But, in very deed, oh that GOD would speak, that he would open his lips with thee:

That he would declare to thee the secrets of wisdom, for they are double to that which actually is, - -Know then that GOD could bring into forgetfulness for thee, a portion of thine iniquity.

For, he, knoweth men of falsity, and seeth iniquity, and him that doth not diligently consider.

And thou shalt he confident, that there is hope, and, when thou hast searched, securely shalt thou lie down;

At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in his hand.

Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?

With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.

Oh that ye would, altogether held your peace, and it should serve you for wisdom!

Quietly let me alone, that, I, may speak out, then let come on me, what may.

Lo! I pray you, I have set forth in order a plea, I know that, I, shall be found right.

Who is it that shall contend with me? For, now, if I should hold my peace, why! I should breathe my last!