And he wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service bred of the stud,

in which the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province who would assault them, [t

So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that were used in the king's service went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace.

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

And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Shushan, but they did not lay their hand on the spoil.

And the other Jews who were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them. But they did not lay their hand

But the Jews who were in Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth [day] of it, and on the fourteenth of it, and on the fifteenth [day] of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both near and far,

And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were completed, 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 so

And 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,

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house.

Remember, I pray thee, who [ever] perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

O that my grief were but weighed, and all my calamity laid in the balances!

They were put to shame because they had hoped. They came there, and were confounded.

if thou were pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

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

Though I were perfect, I do not regard myself. I despise my life.

Are thou the first man who was born? Or were thou brought forth before the hills?

And he has dwelt in desolate cities, in houses which no man inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.

I also could speak as ye do, if your soul were in my soul's stead. I could join words together against you, and shake my head at you.

Those who come after shall be astonished at his day, as those who went before were frightened.

O that my words were now written! O that they were inscribed in a book,

that they were engraved in the rock forever with an iron pen and lead!

The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him. And all men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.

Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

As for the earth, out of it comes bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.

O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,

when the Almighty was yet with me, and my sons were about me,

when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil to me,

[They are] sons of fools, yea, sons of base men. They were scourged out of the land.

Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were older than he.

His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen. And his bones that were not seen stick out.

Shall it be told him that I would speak? Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

Where were thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou have understanding.

Upon what were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid the corner-stone of it

Thou know, for thou were born then, and the number of thy days is great!

She deals hardly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor be in vain, [she is] without fear,

And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job. And their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.

LORD looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there were any who understood, who sought after God.

There they were in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous.

He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

The cords of Sheol were round about me. The snares of death came upon me.

Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken because he was angry.

There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it.

Then the channels of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

For all his ordinances were before me, and I put not away his statutes from me.

They cried to thee, and were delivered. They trusted in thee, and were not put to shame.

By the word of LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

They looked to him, and were radiant, and their faces shall never be confounded.

But as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry. Keep not silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with thee, a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

For they did not get the land in possession by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou were favorable to them.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved, he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

They saw it, then were they amazed. They were dismayed, they hastened away.

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.

God looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any who understood, who seek after God.

There they were in great fear, where no fear was, for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against thee. Thou have put them to shame because God has rejected them.

He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many by me.

He has put forth his hands against such as were at peace with him. He has profaned his covenant.

His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

Let them melt away as water that runs with haste. When he aims his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off,

But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had well nigh slipped.

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee. They were afraid. The depths also trembled.

Thy way was in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters. And thy footsteps were not known.

So they ate, and were well filled, and he gave them their own desire.

They were not estranged from that which they desired. Their food was yet in their mouths

For their heart was not right with him, nor were they faithful in his covenant.

And he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and comes not again.

but turned back, and dealt treacherously like their fathers. They were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

The mountains were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs of it were [like] cedars of God.

I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or thou had ever formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou are God.

Thou answered them, O LORD our God. Thou were a God who forgave them, though thou took vengeance on their doings.

when they were but a few men in number, yea, very few, and sojourners in it.

Our fathers did not understand thy wonders in Egypt. They did not remember the multitude of thy loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

because they were rebellious against his spirit, and he spoke ill-advisedly with his lips.

Thus they were defiled with their works, and played the harlot in their doings.

Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.

Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.

O that my ways were established to observe thy statutes!

When LORD brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.

Thine eyes saw my unformed substance, and in thy book they were all written, [even] the days that were ordained, when as yet there was none of them.

Let them praise the name of LORD. For he commanded, and they were created.

By his knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.

when there were no depths. I was brought forth when there were no fountains abounding with water,

before the mountains were settled, before the hills. I was brought forth

Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten for me great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yea, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

I made for me pools of water, to water from there the forest where trees were reared.

I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem.

So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches [were] kept by the owner of it to his hurt.

Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.

So I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were praised in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:

Look not upon me, because I am swarthy, because the sun has scorched me. My mother's sons were incensed against me. They made me keeper of the vineyards, [but] my own vineyard I have not kept.

I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the green plants of the valley, to see whether the vine budded, [and] the pomegranates were in flower.