if I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to give me my petition, and to fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and so will I do tomorrow as the king hath said."

But in all this am I not satisfied as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

And the king said, "What worship and good have we done to Mordecai therefore?" Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "There is nothing done for him."

And the king said, "Who is in the court?" For Haman was gone into the court without before the king's house, that he might speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the tree, that he had prepared for him.

The king said, "Make haste, and take, as thou hath said, the raiment and the horse: and do even so with Mordecai the Jew that sitteth before the king's gate; and let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken."

Then took Haman the raiment and the horse, and arrayed him, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, "Even thus shall it be done unto every man whom the king is disposed to honour!"

and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends, everything that had happened him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, "If it be Mordecai of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst do nothing unto him, but shalt fall before him."

the king said unto Esther on the second day, when he had drunken wine, "What is thy petition queen Esther, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou? Yea, ask even half of the empire, and it shall be done."

The king Ahasuerus spake and said unto queen Esther, "Who is he? And where is he that dare presume in his mind to do such a thing after that manner?"

Esther said, "The enemy and adversary is this wicked Haman." As for Haman, he was exceedingly afraid before the king and the queen.

And when the king came again out of the palace garden into the parlor where they had eaten, Haman had laid him upon the bed that Esther sat upon. Then said the king, "Will he force the queen also? Beside me, in the house?" As soon as that word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

Write ye now therefore for the Jews, as it liketh you in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring." For the writings that were written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, durst no man disannul.

Then were the king's scribes called at the same time in the third month, that is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day. And it was written, as Mordecai commanded, unto the Jews and to the princes, to the deputies and captains in the lands from India until Ethiopia, namely a hundred and seven and twenty lands, unto every one according to the writing thereof, unto every people after their speech, and to the Jews according to their writing and language.

upon one day in all the lands of king Ahasuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

As for Mordecai, he went out from the king in royal apparel of yellow and white, and with a great crown of gold, being arrayed with a garment of linen and purple, and the city of Susa rejoiced and was glad:

In the twelfth month, that is the month Adar, upon the thirteenth day, which the king's word and commandment had appointed, that it should be done, even upon the same day that the enemies should have destroyed the Jews to have oppressed them, it turned contrary wise, even that the Jews should subdue their enemies.

Then gathered the Jews together in their cities within all the lands of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as would do them evil, and no man could withstand them: for the fear of them was come over all people.

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with a sore slaughter, and slew and destroyed, and did after their will unto such as were their adversaries.

And the king said unto queen Esther, "The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men at the castle of Susa, and the ten sons of Haman: What shall they do in the other lands of the king? What is thy petition, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou more to be done?"

As for the other Jews in the king's lands, they came together, and stood for their lives, and gat rest from their enemies: and slew of their enemies five and seventy thousand: howbeit, they laid no hands on their goods.

as the days wherein the Jews came to rest from their enemies, and as a month wherein their pain was turned to joy, and their sorrow to prosperity: that they should observe the same days of wealth and gladness, and one to send gifts to another, and to distribute unto the poor.

how that Haman, the son of Hammedatha all the Jews' enemy, had devised to destroy all the Jews, and caused to cast Pur, that is lot, for to put them in fear, and to bring them to naught:

And the Jews set it up, and took it upon them and their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, that they would not miss to observe these two days yearly, according as they were written and appointed;

to confirm these days of Purim, in their time appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordained concerning them: like as they upon their soul and upon their seed had confirmed the acts of the fasting and of her complaint.

As for all the work of his power and authority, and the great worship of Mordecai, which the king gave him, behold, it is written in the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.

For Mordecai the Jew was the second next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted among the multitude of his brethren, as one that seeketh the wealth of his people, and speaketh the best for all his seed.

In the land of Uz, there was a man called Job: an innocent and virtuous man, such a one as feared God, and eschewed evil.

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, and how that he is an innocent and virtuous man: such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land?"

Hast thou not preserved him, his house, and all his substance on every side? Hast thou not blessed the work of his hands? Is not his possession increased in the land?

And while he was yet speaking, there came another, and said, "The fire of God is fallen from heaven, it hath consumed, and burnt up all thy sheep and servants: and I only ran my way, to tell thee."

Then said the LORD unto Satan, "Hast thou not considered my servant Job, how that he is an innocent and virtuous man such one as feareth God, and escheweth evil, and that there is none like him in the land? But thou movedst me against him, to punish him: yet is it in vain, for he continueth still in his godliness."

and the night in the which it was said, 'There is a man child conceived.'

"Alas, why died I not in the birth? Why did not I perish, as soon as I came out of my mother's womb?

like as the kings and lords of the earth, which build themselves special places:

As the princes that have great substance of gold, and their houses full of silver.

O that I utterly had no being, or were as a thing born out of time that is put aside, either as young children, which never saw the light.

There, must the wicked cease from their tyranny, there such as are overlaboured be at rest.

There, are small and great; the bondman, and he that is free from his master.

"Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery? And life unto them that have heavy hearts?

That should be joy to the man whose way is hid, which God keepeth back from him.

For the thing that I feared is come upon me: and the thing that I was afraid of, is happened unto me.

But now that the plague is come upon thee, thou shrinkest away: now that it hath touched thyself, thou art faint hearted.

Where is now thy fear of God, thy steadfastness, thy patience, and the perfectness of thy ways?

For, as I have proved by experience, they that plow iniquity and sow wretchedness, reap the same.

How much more then shall they that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is but earth: which shall be consumed by the moth?

Is not their dignity taken away with them? They shall die - and not in wisdom.'

As for the foolish man, displeasure killeth him; and anger slayeth the ignorant.

"It is not the earth that bringeth forth travail, neither cometh sorrow out of the ground;

but it is man, that is born unto misery, like as the sparks fly up out of the hot coals.

which compasseth the wise in their own craftiness, and overthroweth the counsel of the wicked.

Insomuch that they run into darkness by fair day, and grope about them at the noonday, like as in the night.

"Behold, happy is the man whom God punisheth: therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

In the midst of hunger he saveth thee from death: and when it is war, from the power of the sword.

Thou shalt see also, that thy seed shall increase, and that thy posterity shall be as the grass upon the earth.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a fair age, like as the corn sheaves are brought in to the barn in due season.

Lo, this we ourselves have proved by experience, and even this it is. Hearken thou to it also, that thou mayest take heed to thyself."

This is the cause, that my words are so sorrowful.

For the arrows of the almighty are in me, whose indignation hath drunk up my spirit, and the terrible fears of God fight against me.

Doth the wild ass roar when he hath grass? Or crieth the ox, when he hath fodder enough?

That which is unsavory, shalt it be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

What power have I to endure? Or, what is mine end, that my soul might be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh made of brass?

Am I able to help my self? Is not my strength gone from me,

like as if one withdrew a good deed from his friend, and forsook the fear of the Almighty God?

Mine own brethren pass over by me, as the water brook that hastily runneth through the valleys.

Is not the life of man upon earth a very battle? Are not his days like the days of a hired servant?

For like as a bond servant desireth the shadow, and as a hireling would fain have an end of his work:

My flesh is clothed with worms, filthiness and dust; my skin is withered, and crumpled together;

"O remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall no more see the pleasures thereof;

For if thou fasten thine eyes upon me, I come to naught like as a cloud is consumed and vanisheth away. Even so, he that goeth down to hell, cometh no more up,

"What is man, that thou dost magnify him? And that thou settest thy heart upon him?

Doth God pervert the thing that is lawful? Or, doth the Almighty destroy the thing that is right?

and it taketh many roots: insomuch that it is like a house of stone.

Lo, thus is it with him that rejoiceth in his own doings: and as for others, they grow out of the earth.

"I know it is so of a truth: for how may a man, compared unto God, be justified?

He is wise of heart, and mighty in strength. Who ever prospered that took part against him?

He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: he closeth up the stars, as it were under a signet.

He doth great things, such as are unsearchable, yea and wonders without number.

He is God, whose wrath no man may withstand: but the proudest of all must stoop under him.

If men will speak of strength, he is the strongest of all; if men will speak of righteousness, who dare be my record?

As for the world, he giveth it over into the power of the wicked; and he shall cover the faces of the judges thereof. Is it not so? Where is he - or who is he - that can show the contrary?

They are passed away, as the ships that be good under sail, and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey.

For he that I must give answer unto, and with whom I go to law, is not a man as I am.

Neither is there any daysman to lay his hand between us.

and then shall I answer him without any fear. For as long as I am in such fearfulness, I can make no answer: And why?

Hast thou fleshly eyes then, or doest thou look as a man looketh?

Are thy days as the days of man, and thy years as man's years,

Whereas, notwithstanding, thou knowest that I am no wicked person, and that there is no man able to deliver me out of thine hand.

Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese?

If I have done wickedly, woe is me therefore. If I have done righteously, yet dare I not lift up my head; so full am I of confusion, and see mine own misery.

Thou huntest me out, being in heaviness, as it were a lion, and troublest me out of measure.

If they had carried me to my grave as soon as I was born, then should I be now, as though I had never been.

yea, into a land as dark as darkness itself, and into the shadow of death where is none order; but light there is as darkness."

Wilt thou say unto God, 'The thing that I take in hand is perfect, and I am clean in thy sight'?

that he might show thee out of his secret wisdom how manifold his law is! Then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee, because of thy sins.

He is higher than heaven; what wilt thou do? Deeper than hell; how wilt thou then know him?

For it is he that knoweth the vanity of men. He seeth their wickedness also; should he not then consider it?

A vain body exalteth himself, and man, newborn, is like a wild ass's colt.

Then should the residue of thy life be as clear as the noon day, and spring forth as the morning.

As for the eyes of the ungodly, they shall be consumed, and not escape: their hope shall be misery and sorrow of mind."