To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;

The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;

Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,

To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.

Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;

If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.