And when the appointed time of every damsel came that she should come to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months in the decking of the women - for their decking must have so much time, namely six months with Balm and Myrrh, and six months with good spices; so were the women beautified -

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

At the same time, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay their hands on the king Ahasuerus:

And when inquisition was made, it was found so. And they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the Chronicles before the king.

After these acts did the king promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and set him high, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

And all the king's servants that were in the gate, bowed their knees, and did reverenced unto Haman: for the king had so commanded. But Mordecai bowed not the knee, and worshiped him not.

Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, "Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?"

and thought it too little to lay hands only on Mordecai: for they had showed him the nation of Mordecai. Wherefore, he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus and were of the nation of Mordecai.

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written, according as Haman commanded, unto the king's princes, and to the captains everywhere in the lands, and to the rulers of every people in the countries on every side, according to the writing of every nation, and after their language in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's ring.

And the writings were sent by posts into all the king's lands, to root out, to kill, and to destroy all Jews, both young and old, children and women in one day, - namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar - and to spoil their goods.

Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains which stood before her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, that he might know what it were, and wherefore he did so.

The same night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the Chronicles and the stories: which when they were read before the king,

While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and caused Haman to make haste to come unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold to be bondmen and bondwomen, then would I hold my tongue; although the enemy could not recompense the king's loss.

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.

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

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with a sore slaughter, and slew and destroyed, and did after their will unto such as were their adversaries.

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

And the king charged to do so, and the commandment was devised at Susa, and Haman's ten sons were hanged.

But the Jews at Susa were come together both on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and on the fifteenth day they rested, and the same day ordained they to be a day of feasting and gladness.

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,

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;

Now upon a certain day when his sons and daughters were eating, and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,

there came a messenger unto Job, and said, "While the oxen were a plowing, and the asses going in the pasture beside them,

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

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.

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.

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

"Consider, I pray thee: who ever perished being an innocent? Or, when were the godly destroyed?

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

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

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.

He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: he closeth up the stars, as it were under a signet.

Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese?

Thou huntest me out, being in heaviness, as it were a lion, and troublest me out of measure.

He carrieth away the wise men, as it were a spoil, and bringeth the judges out of their wits.

He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He flyeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one state.

O that thou wouldest keep me, and hide me in the hell, until thy wrath were stilled: and to appoint me a time, wherein thou mightest remember me.

Thou hast sealed up mine offenses, as it were in a bag: but be merciful unto my wickedness.

I could speak as ye do also. But would God, that your soul were in my soul's stead: then should I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

I was some time in wealth, but suddenly hath he brought me to naught. He hath taken me by the neck, he hath rent me, and set me, as it were a mark for him to shoot at.

He hath made me as it were a byword of the common people. I am his jesting stock among them.

He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am undone: My hope hath he taken away from me, as it were a tree plucked up by the root.

His wrath is kindled against me; he taketh me, as though I were his enemy.

He hath put my brethren far away from me, and such as were of mine acquaintance, are become strangers unto me.

All such as were my most familiars, abhor me: And they whom I loved best, are turned against me.

O that my words were written, O that they were put in a book:

would God they were graven with an iron pen in lead or in stone.

Is it with a man, that I make this disputation? Which if it were so, should not my spirit be then in sore trouble?

To such as were weary, hast thou given no water to drink, and thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.

which were cut down out of time, and whose foundation was as a running water,

"The ungodly is very swift: O that his portion also upon earth were swifter than the running water, which suffereth not the shipman to behold the fair and pleasant vineyards.

O that they, for the wickedness which they have done, were drawn to the hell, sooner than snow melteth at the heat.

O that all compassion upon them were forgotten: that their dainties were worms, that they were clean put out of remembrance, and utterly hewn down like an unfruitful tree.

There are places were silver is molten, and where gold is tried;

"Oh that I were as I was in the months by past, and in the days when God preserved me;

If I had spoken, they would have it none other ways, my words were so well taken among them.

When I agreed unto their way, I was the chief, and sat as a king among his servants; and when they were in heaviness, I was their comforter.

And when they were driven forth, men cried after them, as it had been after a thief.

They were children of fools and villains, which are dead away from the world.

"Fearfulness is turned against me. Mine honour vanisheth away more swiftly than wind, and my prosperity departeth hence like as it were a cloud.

With all their power have they changed my garment, and girded me therewith, as it were with a coat.

I am even as it were clay, and am become like ashes and dust.

In times past thou didst set me up on high, as it were above the wind, but now hast thou given me a very sore fall.

He that fashioned me in my mother's womb, made he not him also? Were we not both shapen alike in our mother's bodies?

That were a wickedness worth to be punished, for then should I have denied the God that is above.

Now tarried Elihu till they had ended their communication with Job: for why? They were elder than he.

So when Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, saw that these three men were not able to make Job answer, he was miscontent.

May he be made whole, that loveth no right? If thou were a very innocent man, shouldest thou then be punished?

They that were in the stead of Seers, dealt like ungodly men.

So hard is she to her young ones, as though they were not hers, and laboureth in vain without any fear.

His body is covered with scales as it were with shields, locked in, kept, and well compact together.

In all the land were none found so fair, as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand and seek after God.

Have they no knowledge, that they are all such workers of mischief, eating up my people as it were bread, and call not upon the LORD?

There were they brought in great fear, even where no fear was; for God is in the generation of the righteous.

He that sitteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes, and maketh much of them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance.

like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a lion's whelp, lurking in secret places.

The earth trembled and quaked; the very foundations also of the hills shook and were removed, because he was wroth. {TYNDALE: And the earth trembled and quoke, and the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was angry.}

There went a smoke out in his presence, and a consuming fire out of his mouth, so that coals were kindled at it. {TYNDALE: Smoke went up out of his nostrils, and consuming fire out of his mouth, that coals were kindled of him.}

At the brightness of his presence, his clouds removed hailstones and coals of fire. {TYNDALE: Of the brightness that was before him, coals were set on fire.}

The springs of waters were seen, and the foundations of the round world were discovered at thy chiding, O LORD, at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasures. {TYNDALE: And the bottom of the sea appeared, and the foundations of the world were seen, by the reason of the rebuking of the LORD, and through the blasting of the breath of his nostrils.}

He shall deliver me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me; for they are too mighty for me. {TYNDALE: He delivered me from my mighty enemy, and from them that hated me and were too strong for me.}

They called upon thee, and were helped: they put their trust in thee, and were not confounded.

They gape upon me with their mouths, as it were a rampaging and a roaring lion.

Though a host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid; and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.

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

He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon a heap, and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.

They had an eye unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed.

Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

With the flatterers were busy mockers, who gnashed upon me with their teeth.

As for me, I was like a deaf man and heard not; as one that were dumb, not opening his mouth.

{To the Chanter, for praising, a Psalm of David} I said, "I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not in my tongue. I will keep my mouth as it were with a bridle, while the ungodly is in my sight."

Yea every man walketh as it were a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them.

When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment; every man therefore is but vanity. Selah.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and with thine ears consider my calling; hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.

For lo, the kings of the earth were gathered, and gone by together.

They marveled, to see such things: they were astonished, and suddenly cast down.