And the king arose from the banquet and from the wine in his displeasure and went in to the palace garden. And Haman stood up, and besought queen Esther for his life: for he saw that there was a mischeif prepared for him of the king already.

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.

And Harbona, one of the chamberlains that stood before the king, said, "Behold, there standeth a gallows in Haman's house fifty cubits high, which he had made for Mordecai, that spake good for the king." The king said, "Hang him thereon."

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had made for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

The same day did king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto queen Esther. And Mordecai came before the king: for Esther told how that he belonged unto her.

And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him, that he would put away the wickedness of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had imagined against the Jews.

and said, "If it please the king, and if I have found grace in his sight, and if it be convenient for the king, and if it be accepted in his sight, then let it be written, that the letters of the device of Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, may be called again: which letters he wrote, to destroy the Jews in all the king's lands.

For how can I see the evil that shall happen unto my people? And how can I look upon the destruction of my kindred?"

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.

And it was written in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed with the king's ring. And by posts that rode upon swift young Mules, sent he the writings,

wherein the king granted the Jews - in what cities soever they were - to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, and for to root out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and land that would trouble them, with children and women, and to spoil their goods

The sum of the writing was, how there was a commandment given in all lands to be published unto all the people, that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

And the posts that rode upon the Mules made haste with all speed, according to the king's word: and the commandment was devised in the castle of Susa.

And in all lands and cities, into what places soever the king's word and commandment reached, there was joy and mirth, prosperity and good days among the Jews: insomuch that many of the people in the land became of the Jews' belief: for the fear of the Jews came upon them.

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.

At the same time was the king certified of the number of those that were slain at the castle of Susa.

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?"

Esther said, "If it please the king, let him suffer the Jews tomorrow also to do according unto this day's commandment, that they may hang Haman's ten sons upon the tree."

Therefore the Jews that dwelt in the villages and unwalled towns ordained the fourteenth day of the month Adar, to be a day of feasting and gladness, and one sent gifts to another.

And Mordecai wrote these acts, and sent the writings unto all the Jews that were in all the lands of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

that they should yearly receive and hold the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar,

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.

And the Jews received it that they had begun to do, and that Mordecai wrote unto them:

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 how Esther went and spake to the king, that through letters his wicked device - which he imagined against the Jews - might be turned upon his own head, and how he and his sons were hanged on the tree.

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;

how that these days are not to be forgotten, but to be kept of the children's children among all kindreds in all lands and cities. They are the days of Purim, which are not to be overslipped among the Jews, and the memorial of them ought not to perish from their seed.

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.

His substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses, and a very great household: so that he was one of the most principal men among all them of the east country.

And it fortuned that when they had passed over the time of their banqueting round about; Job sent for them, and sanctified them, and gat up early, and offered for every one a burnt offering. For Job thought thus: "Peradventure my sons have done some offense, and have been unthankful to God in their hearts." And thus did Job everyday.

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?"

But lay thine hand upon him a little, touch once all that he hath, and, I hold, he shall curse thee to thy face."

And the LORD said unto Satan, "Lo, all that he hath, be in thy power: only upon himself see that thou lay not thine hand." Then went Satan forth from the LORD.

and suddenly there came a mighty great wind out of the South, and smote the four corners of the house: which fell upon thy children, so that they are dead, and I alone am gotten away, to tell thee."

It happened also upon a time, that when the servants of God came and stood before the LORD, Satan also came among them, and stood before him.

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."

Satan answered the LORD, and said, "Skin for skin? Yea, a man will give all that ever he hath, for his life.

so that he sat upon the ground in the ashes, and scraped off the filth of his sores with a potsherd.

Now when Job's friends heard of all the trouble that happened to him, there came three of them, every one from his own place: namely, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shew their compassion on him, and to comfort him.

They sat them down by him also upon the ground seven days and seven nights. Neither was there any of them that spake one word unto him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Let the dark storm overcome that night; let it not be reckoned among the days of the year, nor counted in the months.

Despised be that night, and discommended: let them that curse the day,

give it their curse also, even those that be ready to raise vp Leviathan.

Let the stars of that night be dim through darkness of it. Let it look for light, but let it see none, neither the raising up of the fair morning:

because it shut not up the womb that bare me. For then should these sorrows have been hid from mine eyes.

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, are those let out free which have been in prison, so that they hear no more the voice of the oppressor.

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.

Thy words have set up those that were fallen, thou hast refreshed the weak knees.

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

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?

I have seen myself, when the foolish was deep rooted, that his beauty was suddenly destroyed,

that his children were without prosperity or health; that they were slain in the door, and no man to deliver them;

that his harvest was eaten up of the hungry; that the weaponed man had spoiled it, and that the thirsty had drunk up his riches.

"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 doeth things, that are unsearchable, and marvelous without number.

which setteth up them of low degree, and sendeth prosperity to those that are in heaviness;

Which destroyeth the devices of the subtle, so that they are not able to perform the things that they take in hand;

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

that the poor may have hope, and that the mouth of the oppressor may be stopped.

He delivereth thee out of six troubles, so that in the seventh there can no harm touch thee.

He shall keep thee from the perilous tongue so that when trouble cometh, thou shalt not need to fear.

Yea, thou shalt know that thy dwelling place shall be in rest: thou shalt behold thy substance, and be no more punished for sin.

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

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."

Job answered, and said, "Oh that my misery were weighed, and my punishment laid in the balances:

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

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

The things that sometime I might not away withal, are now my meat for very sorrow.

"O that I might have my desire! O that God would grant me the thing, that I long for!

That he would begin and smite me: that he would let his hand go, and hew me down.

Then should I have some comfort: yea, I would desire him in my pain, that he should not spare, for I will not be against the words of the holy one.

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

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

But they that fear the hoarfrost, the snow shall fall upon them.

for the paths that they go in are crooked: they haste after vain things, and shall perish.

Confounded are they that put any confidence in them: For when they came to obtain the things that they looked for, they were brought to confusion.

Even so are ye also come unto me: but now that ye see my misery, ye are afraid.

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

yea, and that none other man's eye shall see me anymore.

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,

Therefore I will not spare my mouth, but will speak in the trouble of my spirit; in that bitterness of my mind will I talk.

Am I a sea, or a whalefish, that thou keepest me so in prison?

that my soul wisheth rather to be strangled, and my bones to be dead.

"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?

Insomuch, that wherein soever thou hadst little afore, thou shouldest now have great abundance.

"Enquire, I pray thee, of them that have been before thee; and search diligently among thy forefathers.

For we are but of yesterday, and consider not that our days upon earth are but a very shadow.

Even so goeth it with all them that forget God: and even thus also shall the hypocrite's hope come to naught.

"Oftentimes, a thing doth flourish, and men think that it may abide the sunshine. It shooteth forth the branches in its garden,

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.