So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is your petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss.

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that dares presume in his heart to do so?

And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

On that day did king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plot that he had devised against the Jews.

And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces:

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

Then king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to its own writing, and unto every people according to their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

By these the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their lives, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the forces of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take their possessions for a spoil,

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

The copy of the writing for a command to be given in every province was published unto all people, so that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king's command and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and his decree drew near to be executed, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their harm: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the citadel was brought before the king.

Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending presents one to another.

To establish 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 on which 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 feast

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 plotted 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 themselves, and upon their descendants, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to what was written, 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 about 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 descendants, concerning the matters of the fastings and their lamentations.

And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

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

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one on 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 finished, 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, From where come you? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your 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 alone am escaped to tell you.

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

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 alone am 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 upon the young men, and they are dead; and I alone am escaped to tell you.

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 where come you? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.

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

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

Then said his wife unto him, Do you still retain your 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 on which I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a male 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 arouse leviathan.

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

Therefore 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 has hedged in?

If we venture to converse with you, will you be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it.

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

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

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

Call now, if there be any that will answer you; and to which of the holy ones will you 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 are low; that those who mourn may be lifted to safety.

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

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

The things that my soul refused to touch are as loathsome food to me.

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 shown from his friend; even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

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

Do you intend 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 a 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 vanishes away: so he that goes 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 you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?

And why do you not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and you shall seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

If you would seek unto God early, and make your supplication to the Almighty;

For inquire, I pray you, of the former age, and prepare yourself to the findings of their fathers:

They that hate you shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.

Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What do you?

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do bow before him.

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

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

He will not permit me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

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

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

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me why you contend with me.

Your hands have made me and fashioned me together totally; yet you do destroy me.

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

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

And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

It is as high as heaven; what can you do? deeper than Sheol; what can you know?

No doubt you 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 knows not such things as these?

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