as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.

The Jews accepted the custom that they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them;

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

but when this became known to the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Therefore they called these days "Purim," from the word "Pur." Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come to them,

the Jews established, and imposed on themselves, and on their descendants, and on all those who joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to what was written, and according to its 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.

He sent letters to all the Jews, to the hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,

to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as they had imposed upon themselves and their descendants, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.

All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.

There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, 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 renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

Now it happened on the day when God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them.

Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil."

Haven't you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face."

Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don't put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,

that there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them,

and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."

Again it happened on the day when the God's sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.

Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause."

But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face."

Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life."

So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.

He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die."

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job didn't sin with his lips.

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

When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn't recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.

So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.

"Let the day perish in which I was born, the night which said, 'There is a boy conceived.'

Let that day be darkness. Don't let God from above seek for it, neither let the light shine on it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.

Let them curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

because it didn't shut up the doors of my mother's womb, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

"Why didn't I die from the womb? Why didn't I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?

There the prisoners are at ease together. They don't hear the voice of the taskmaster.

"Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul,

Who long for death, but it doesn't come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

For the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me.

"If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

But now it is come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

Isn't your piety your confidence? Isn't the integrity of your ways your hope?

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

"Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

It stood still, but I couldn't discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'

"Call now; is there any who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,

For affliction doesn't come forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

"But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

who does great things that can't be fathomed, marvelous things without number;

so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.

He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can't perform their enterprise.

They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

"Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.

My soul refuses to touch them. They are as loathsome food to me.

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

Be it still my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn't spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

Isn't it that I have no help in me, That wisdom is driven quite from me?

"To him who is ready to faint, kindness should be shown from his friend; even to him who forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Did I say, 'Give to me?' or, 'Offer a present for me from your substance?'

"Teach me, and I will hold my peace. Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

Do you intend to reprove words, since the speeches of one who is desperate are as wind?

Now therefore be pleased to look at me, for surely I shall not lie to your face.

Is there injustice on my tongue? Can't my taste discern mischievous things?

"Isn't a man forced to labor on earth? Aren't his days like the days of a hired hand?

so am I made to possess months of misery, wearisome nights are appointed to me.

When I lie down, I say, 'When shall I arise, and the night be gone?' I toss and turn until the dawning of the day.

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol shall come up no more.

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

I loathe my life. I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself?

Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."

If you want to seek God diligently, make your supplication to the Almighty.

He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.

If he is pleased to contend with him, he can't answer him one time in a thousand.

He removes the mountains, and they don't know it, when he overturns them in his anger.

He commands the sun, and it doesn't rise, and seals up the stars.

Behold, he goes by me, and I don't see him. He passes on also, but I don't perceive him.

How much less shall I answer him, And choose my words to argue with him?

Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn't answer him. I would make supplication to my judge.

If I had called, and he had answered me, yet I wouldn't believe that he listened to my voice.

He will not allow me to catch my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

I am blameless. I don't respect myself. I despise my life.

I shall be condemned. Why then do I labor in vain?

"My soul is weary of my life. I will give free course to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

I will tell God, 'Do not condemn me. Show me why you contend with me.