and offered, for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks, one hundred, rams, two hundred, lambs, four hundred, - and, he-goats, as a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

this Ezra, came up out of Babylon, he, being a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh God of Israel had given, - and the king gave him, according to the hand of Yahweh his God upon him, all his request.

And he entered Jerusalem, in the fifth month, - the same, was the seventh year of the king.

For, on the first of the first month, was a beginning made of coming up from Babylon, - and, on the first of the fifth month, entered he into Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

So we fasted and sought of our God, concerning this, - and he suffered himself to be entreated by us.

Then brake we up from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth of the first month, to journey unto Jerusalem, - and, the hand of our God, was upon us, and he delivered us from the grasp of the enemy and of the lier in wait, by the way.

They who came in out of the captivity, Sons of the Exile, offered as ascending-sacrifices unto the God of Israel - bullocks twelve for all Israel, rams ninety-six, young sheep seventy-seven, he-goats for bearing sin, twelve, - the whole, as an ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh.

For, bondmen, we are, but, in our bondage, hath our God not forsaken us, - but extended unto us lovingkindness before the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up on high the house of our God, to raise up the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Now, when Ezra had prayed and when he had made confession, weeping and casting himself down, before the house of God, there gathered unto him out of Israel, an exceeding large convocation - men and women and children, for the people wept with a very bitter weeping.

Then arose Ezra from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, - and, when he came thither, bread, did he not eat, and, water, did he not drink, for he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of them of the Exile.

that Hanani one of my brethren came, he and certain men out of Judah, - so I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

And the king said unto me, the queen, also sitting beside him, For how long would be thy journey? and when wouldst thou return? So it seemed good before the king to send me, and I set him a time.

also a letter unto Asaph, keeper of the park that belongeth unto the king, that he may give me timber to build up the gates of the fortress which pertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house whereinto I shall enter. And the king gave me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

So I went forth through the valley-gate by night, even unto the front of the snake-fountain, and into the dung-gate, - and I viewed the walls of Jerusalem, how, they, were broken down, and, the gates thereof, consumed with fire.

So I said unto them, Ye, can see the misfortune that, we, are in, how that, Jerusalem, lieth waste, and, the gates thereof, are burned with fire: Come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may remain, no longer, a reproach.

Then told I them, of the hand of my God, that, it, had been good upon me, as also of the words of the king, which he had spoken unto me, - so they said, We will arise and build! and they strengthened their hands right well.

Then answered I them, and said to them - The God of the heavens - he, will prosper us, therefore, we his servants, will arise and build, - But, to you, pertaineth no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Then arose Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests, and built the sheep-gate, they, hallowed it, and set up the doors thereof, - even unto the tower of Hammeah, hallowed they it, unto the tower of Hananel;

and, at his hand, repaired, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-circuit of Jerusalem, - he and his daughters.

And, the dung-gate, did Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the circuit of Beth-haccherem, repair, - he, built it, and set up the doors thereof, he locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

And, the fountain-gate, did Shallun son of Col-hozeh ruler of the circuit of Mizpah, repair, he, built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, - also the wall of the pool of Shelah, by the garden of the king, even as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David;

after him, zealously repaired Baruch son of Zabbai, a second length, - from the corner, unto the opening of the house of Eliashib, the high priest;

But it came to pass, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, it angered him, and he was greatly displeased, - and mocked the Jews;

Now, Tobiah the Ammonite, was beside him, - so he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox should go up, he would break down their stone wall!

Even they who were building, every man, had his sword girded upon his loins, and so was building, - and, he that sounded the horn, was by my side.

Moreover also, prophets, hast thou set up to make proclamation concerning thee in Jerusalem, saying, He hath become king in Judah! Now, therefore, will it he reported to the king, according to these words. Now, therefore, come, and let us take counsel together.

When, I, came into the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, he, being shut in, he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, in the midst of the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to slay thee, yea, by night, are they coming to slay thee.

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.

for, many in Judah, had taken an oath to him, because he was in marriage affinity with Shecaniah son of Arah, - and, Jehohanan his son, had taken the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.

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.

And Ezra the scribe opened the book before the eyes of all the people, for, above all the people, was he, - and, when he opened it, all the people, stood up.

Then Nehemiah - he, was the governor - and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites who were causing the people to understand, said unto all the people, To-day, is, holy, unto Yahweh your God, do not mourn, nor weep, - for, weeping, were all the people, when they heard the words of the law.

So he said unto them - Go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared, for holy is the day, unto our Lord, - and be not grieved, for, the joy of Yahweh, is your strength.

So he read in the book of the law of God, day by day, from the first day unto the last day, and they kept the festival seven days, and, on the eighth day, a closing feast, according to the regulation.

and didst testify against them, to bring them back unto thy law, yet, they, dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, and, against thy regulations, they sinned, the which - if any son of earth shall do - then shall he live by them, - and yielded a rebellious shoulder, and, their neck, they stiffened, and hearkened not.

and their brethren, strong men of ability, a hundred and twenty-eight, - and, he who was in charge of them, was Zabdiel, son of Haggedolim.

And, the Levites, Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, Mattaniah, - over the choirs, he and his brethren;

so he prepared him a large chamber, where aforetime they used to lay the meal-offering, the frankincense, and the utensils, and the tithe of the corn, the new wine and the oil, in charge of the Levites, and the singers, and the doorkeepers, - and the heave-offerings for the priests.

and, their children, were one-half speaking the language of Ashdod, and understood not how to speak the language of the Jews, - but after the tongue of both people.

Was it not, over these things, that Solomon king of Israel sinned - though, among many nations, there was no king such as he, and he was, beloved by his God, and so God gave him to be king over all Israel, - even him, did foreign women, cause to sin.

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.

in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, - the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers being before him;

when he showed the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the splendour of his excellent majesty, many days, a hundred and eighty days;

On the seventh day, when merry was the heart of the king with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who were waiting before King Ahasuerus, -

When the edict of the king which he shall make, is published throughout all his kingdom, for, great, it is, then, all wives, will give honour unto their lords, both great and small.

So he sent letters, into all the provinces of the king, into every province according to she writing thereof, and unto every people according to their tongue, - That every man should he ruler in his own house, and issue his commands, according to the tongue of his people.

After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

And it came to pass, that he was bringing up Hadassah, the same, was Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, - and, the maiden, was of beautiful form and pleasing appearance, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

and the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she received lovingkindness before him, and he hastened to give her, the things needed for her purification, and things apportioned her, and to give her, seven select maidens, out of the house of the king, - and he removed her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.

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.

Then the king made a great banquet, for all his rulers and his servants, the banquet of Esther, - and, a remission, for all the provinces, made he, and gave a present, according to the bounty of a king.

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.

So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish, - and sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from off him, but he accepted them not.

Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the eunuchs of the king whom he had stationed before her, and charged him, concerning Mordecai, - to get to know what this was, and why this was.

Also, a copy of the writing of the edict which had been given in Shusan to destroy them, gave he unto him, to shew unto Esther, and to tell her, - and to lay charge upon her, to go in unto the king - to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.

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.

and Haman recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, - and all the things wherein the king had promoted him to power, and how he had advanced him, above the rulers and the servants of the king.

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.

Then said the king, Who is in the court? Now, Haman, had come into the outer court of the kings house, to speak unto the king, to hang Mordecai, upon the gallows which he had prepared for him.

Then spake King Ahasuerus, and said unto Esther the queen, - Who is he now, and where is he, whose heart is set to act thus?

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.

When, the king, returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine, Haman, was lying prostrate upon the couch whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he, even dare to force the queen, while I am in the house? No sooner had the word gone forth out of the mouth of the king, than, the face of Haman, they had covered.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, - and, the wrath of the king, was appeased.

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.

And the king took off his signet-ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai, - and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Yet again, spake Esther before the king, and fell down at his feet, - and wept and made supplication unto him, to cause the mischief of Haman the Agagite to pass away, even the plot which he had plotted against the Jews.

and said - If, unto the king, it seem good, and if I have found favour before him, and the thing be approved before the king, and, I myself, be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written, to reverse the letters plotted by Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy thee Jews, who are in all the provinces of 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?

Then said King Ahasuerus unto Esther the queen, and unto Mordecai the Jew, - Lo! the house of Haman, have I given unto Esther, and, him, have they hanged upon the gallows, because he thrust forth his hand against the Jews.

and he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's signet-ring, - and sent letters by the hand of runners on horses, riding the swift steeds used in the kings service, bred of the stud:

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?

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.

and he sent letters unto all the Jews, throughout the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, - words of peace and stability:

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.

In very deed, put forth, I pray thee thy hand, and smite unto his bone, and unto his flesh, - verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.

And he took him a potsherd, to scrape himself therewith; he being seated in the midst of ashes.

And he said unto her, As one of the base women speaketh, speakest thou? Blessing, shall we accept from God, and, misfortune, shall we not accept? In all this, Job sinned not with his lips.

Lo! in his own servants, he trusteth not, and, his own messengers, he chargeth with error:

How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:

Whose harvest, the hungry, eateth up, and, even out of thorn hedges, he taketh it, and the snare gapeth for their substance.

Though, man, to trouble, were born, as, sparks, on high, do soar,

Setting the lowly on high, and, mourners, are uplifted to safety;

By day, they encounter darkness, and, as though it were night, they grope at high noon.

But he saveth from the sword, out of their mouth, and, out of the hand of the strong, the needy.

Lo! how happy is the man whom God correcteth! Therefore, the chastening of the Almighty, do not thou refuse;

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

In six troubles, he will rescue thee, and, in seven, there shall smite thee no misfortune:

In famine, he will ransom thee from death, and in battle from the power of the sword;

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.

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

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