Bible in 90 Days

¹⁵ In those days I saw in Judah men treading pressers in the sabbath, men bringing (in) heaps, and charging on asses wine, and grapes, and figs, and all (other) burden(s), and bringing (them) into Jerusalem in the day of sabbath; and I witnessed to them, that they should sell in the day in which it was leaveful to sell. (And in those days I saw in Judah men treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and people bringing in heaps of produce, yea, loading up wine, and grapes, and figs, and all other loads onto donkeys, and bringing them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I witnessed to them, that they should only sell on the days in which it were lawful to sell.)

¹⁶ And men of Tyre dwelled in it, and brought in fishes, and all things set to sale, and they sold in the sabbaths to the sons of Judah, and of Jerusalem. (And some men of Tyre lived in Jerusalem, and brought in fish, and all kinds of other things to sell, and they sold them on the Sabbath to the sons of Judah, and of Jerusalem.)

¹⁷ And I rebuked the principal men of Judah, and I said to them, What is this evil thing that ye do, and make unholy the day of the sabbath? (And I rebuked the leaders of Judah, and I said to them, What is this evil thing that ye do, and make the Sabbath day unholy!)

¹⁸ Whether our fathers did not these things, and (then) our God brought on us all this evil, and on this city? and ye increase wrathfulness on Israel, in defouling the sabbath. (Did not our forefathers do all these things, and then our God brought down all this evil upon us, and upon this city? and now ye shall bring more of God’s anger upon Israel by defiling the Sabbath!)

¹⁹ And it was done, when the gates of Jerusalem had rested in the day of sabbath, I said, Shut ye the gates; and they shutted the gates; and I commanded, that they should not open the gates till after the sabbath. And of my children, or servants, I ordained numbers on the gates to keep (them) shut, that no man should bring in a burden in the day of sabbath. (And so it was done, when the gates of Jerusalem were empty, early on the Sabbath day, that I said, Shut ye the gates; and so they shut the gates; and I commanded, that they should not open the gates until after the Sabbath. And I ordained a number of my servants there at the gates, to keep them shut, so that no one could bring in a load on the Sabbath day.)

²⁰ And merchants, and men selling all things set to sale, dwelled without Jerusalem once or twice. (And once or twice, some merchants, and people selling all kinds of things, set up shop outside the wall of Jerusalem.)

²¹ And I areasoned (with) them, and I said to them, Why dwell ye there even against, or on the other side of, the wall? If ye do this thing the second time, I shall set hand on you. Therefore from that time forth they came not thither in the sabbath. (And I warned them, and I said to them, Why do ye stay there on the other side of the wall? If ye do this thing another time, I shall put my hands on you. And from that time forth they did not come back there on the Sabbath.)

²² Also I said to the deacons, that they should be cleansed, and that they should come to keep the gates, and to hallow the day of sabbath. And therefore for this thing, my God, have mind of me, and spare me by the muchliness of thy merciful doings. (And I said to the Levites, that they should be purified, and then that they should go and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. And so for this thing, my God, remember me, and spare me by the greatness of thy mercy.)

²³ But also in those days I saw Jews wedding wives, women of Ashdod, and women of Ammonites, and women of Moabites.

²⁴ And their children spake half part by the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak by the speech of Jews (and could not speak the Jewish language, or Hebrew), and they spake by the language of (this) people, and of (that) people.

²⁵ And I rebuked them, and cursed them; and I beat the men of them, and I made them bald, and I made them swear by the Lord, that they should not give their daughters to the sons of those aliens, and that they should not take of the daughters of those aliens to their sons, and to themselves; (And I rebuked them, and cursed them; and I beat these men, and I made them bald, and I made them swear by the Lord, that they would not give their daughters as wives to the sons of those foreigners, and that they would not take the daughters of those foreigners as wives for their sons, or for themselves;)

²⁶ and I said, Whether Solomon, the king of Israel, sinned not in such things? And certainly in many folks there was no king like him, and he was loved of his God, and God setted him king upon all Israel, and alien women brought him to sin. (and I said, Did not King Solomon of Israel sin by doing such things? And certainly in many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king upon all Israel, but then foreign women led him to sin.)

²⁷ Whether also we unobedient, should do all this great evil, that we trespass against our Lord God, and wed alien wives? (And shall we then follow your example, and do all this great evil, and trespass against the Lord our God, and wed foreign wives?)

²⁸ Forsooth Sanballat (the) Horonite had wedded a daughter of the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib, the great priest, which Sanballat I drove away from me. (And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of the High Priest Eliashib, had wedded a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, and so I drove Joiada away from me, and out of Jerusalem.)

²⁹ My Lord God, have mind against them, that defoul priesthood, and the right of priests, and of deacons. (My Lord God, remember them, for they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priests and of the Levites/and the covenant that you made with the priests and the Levites.)

³⁰ Therefore I cleansed them from all aliens, and I ordained the orders of priests and of deacons, each man in his service, (And so I purified them from all foreigners, and I ordained the orders of the priests and of the Levites, each man in his service,)

³¹ and in (the) offering, that is, (the) dressing, of trees, or of (the) wood, to burn with (the) offered sacrifices, in times ordained, and in the first fruits. My God, have mind of me into good. (and I also made provision for the wood offering, that is, for the wood to burn with the offered sacrifices, in times ordained, and for the first fruits. My God, remember me for the good things which I have done.)

1 In the days of king Ahasuerus, that reigned from India unto Ethiopia (who reigned from India to Ethiopia), upon an hundred and seven and twenty provinces,

² when he sat in the seat of his realm, the city of Susa was the beginning of his realm. (when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, in the city of Susa, the capital of his kingdom.)

³ And in the third year of his empire, he made a great feast to all his princes, and to all his children, or servants, to the strongest men of Persia, and to the noble men of Media, and to the prefects, or chief men, of (the) provinces, before himself, (And in the third year of his empire, or of his reign, he gave a great feast for all his princes, or his leaders, and for all his servants, and the strongest men of Persia and Media, and the nobles, and the prefects, or the chief men, of the provinces, who all came before him;)

⁴ to show the riches of the glory of his realm, and the greatness, and boast of his power in much time, that is, an hundred and eighty days, this feast lasted. (and he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness and the boast of his power, over much time, that is, this feast lasted for a hundred and eighty days!)

⁵ And when the days of the feast were ended, the emperor called to his (next) feast all the people that was found in the city of Susa, from the most unto the least; and he commanded this feast to be made ready by seven days in the porch of an orchard and of a wood, that was set about with the king’s ornament and with his hand, (or works). (And when the days of that feast were over, the king called to his next feast all the people who were found in the capital city of Susa, from the greatest to the least; and he commanded that this feast last for seven days, in the courtyard of the garden of the king’s palace.)

⁶ And tents of the colour of the air, and of gold, and of jacinth, were held up with cords of bis, and of purple, and they hanged on each side, the which tents were set-in (with) circles of ivory, and they were underset with pillars of marble; also there were ordained seats, at the manner of beds, of gold and of silver, upon the pavement (that was) arrayed with smaragdus and with other diverse and precious stones; the which pavement painture (was) made fair by wonderful diversity. (And curtains coloured white, and gold, and blue, were held up with cords of fine linen, and of purple, and hung up all over the grounds, and these hangings were inset with ivory rings, and underset with marble pillars; and there were seats, or couches, of gold and silver, placed on the pavement that was arrayed with emeralds and other diverse and precious stones; and so the painting of the pavement was made beautiful with wonderful diversity.)

⁷ And they, that were called to meat, drank in golden cups, and meats were borne in to them with one and (an)other vessels; also plenteous wine, and full good was set forth before them, as it was worthy to the great doing, of the king. (And they, who were called to the feast, drank from gold cups, and wine was brought in to them in one and another vessels; yea, very good and plentiful wine, was set forth before them, as was worthy of, or befitting, a king.)

⁸ And there was no man that constrained them to drink that would not drink; but so the king had ordained, making sovereigns of his princes to all boards, that each man should take that, that he would. (And there was no one who compelled anyone to drink who would not drink; but the king had ordered his palace servants to be at the ready at all the tables, so that each person could have as much as he wanted.)

⁹ Also Vashti, the queen, made a feast of women in the palace, where king Ahasuerus was wont to dwell. (And Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women, in the palace of King Ahasuerus.)

¹⁰ Therefore in the seventh day, when the king was gladder than before, and when he was hot of wine after full much drinking, he commanded to Mehuman, and to Biztha, and to Harbona, and to Bigtha, and to Zethar, and to Abagtha, and to Carcas, seven honest and chaste servants, the which served in his sight, (And so on the seventh day, when the king was happier than before, and he was hot with the wine after a great deal of drinking, he commanded to Mehuman, and Biztha, Harbona, and Bigtha, Zethar, and Abagtha, and Carcas, seven geldings, or eunuchs, who served him,)

¹¹ that they should bring in before the king the queen Vashti, with a diadem set upon her head, to show her fairness to all the peoples and princes; for she was full fair. (that they should bring in Queen Vashti before him, with a crown put on her head, to show off her beauty to all the peoples and the princes, or the leaders; for she was very beautiful indeed.)

¹² And she forsook, and despised to come at the commandment of the king, which he had sent (to her) by the honest and chaste servants (But she refused to come at the king’s command, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs). Wherefore the king was angry, and kindled with full great vengeance;

¹³ and he asked the wise men, which by the king’s custom were ever with him, and he did all things by the counsel of them, that knew the law and the rights of greatest men; (and he asked his wise men about this, who by the king’s custom were always with him, and he did everything after their counsel, for they knew the law and the rights of the people;)

¹⁴ forsooth the first and the next were Carshena, and Shethar, Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, seven dukes of Persia and of Media, that saw the face of the king, and were wont to sit the first after him; (and the first and the second were Carshena, and Shethar, and then Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven princes, or leaders, from Persia and Media, who were always with the king, and were the first to sit after him;)

¹⁵ the king asked them, to what sentence the queen Vashti should be subject, that would not do the commandment of king Ahasuerus, which he had sent (to her) by the honest and chaste servants. (and the king asked them, What sentence should Queen Vashti be subject to, for she would not obey the command of King Ahasuerus, which he sent to her by the eunuchs.)

¹⁶ And Memucan answered, in audience of the king and of the princes, The queen Vashti hath not only despised the king, but all the princes and peoples, that be in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus. (And Memucan answered, before the king and the princes, or the leaders, and said, Queen Vashti hath not only despised the king, but all the princes, or the leaders, and all the peoples, who be in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.)

¹⁷ For the word of the queen shall go out to all women, that they also despise their husbands, and say, King Ahasuerus commanded, that the queen Vashti should have come to him, and she would not. (For this deed of the queen shall become known to all the women, and then they shall also despise their husbands, for they shall say, King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, but she would not come.)

¹⁸ And by this ensample all the wives of the princes of Persia and of Media shall despise the behests of their husbands; wherefore the indignation of the king is just. (And so by this example all the wives of the leaders of Persia and Media shall despise the orders of their husbands; and so the king is justified to have indignation about this.)

¹⁹ If it pleaseth to thee, a commandment go out from thy face, and be written by the law(s) of Persia and of Media, which it is unleaveful to be passed (over), that Vashti enter [in] no more to the king, but another woman, which is better than she, take her realm. (So if it please thee, let a command go out from thee, and be it written in the laws of Persia and Media, which law it shall forever be unlawful to break, that Vashti can no more come before the king, and then let another woman, who is more worthy than she, take her reign, or her crown.)

²⁰ And be this behest published into all the empire of thy provinces, which is full large, that all wives, both of greater men and of less, give honour to their husbands. (And so when this order is published in all the provinces of thy kingdom, which is very large, then all wives shall give proper respect to their husbands, both to greater and to lesser men alike.)

²¹ [And] His counsel pleased the king and the princes, (And his counsel pleased the king and the leaders), and the king did by the counsel of Memucan;

²² and he sent out letters by all the provinces of his realm, as each folk might hear and read, in diverse languages and letters, that husbands be princes and (the) greater men in their houses; and that this thing be published by all peoples. (and he sent out letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, in different languages and writing, so that each nation would hear and read, that husbands should be the masters in their own homes; and that this should be published to all the peoples in his kingdom.)

2 Therefore when these things were done, after that the indignation of king Ahasuerus was assuaged, he bethought of Vashti, and what things she had done, and what things she had suffered. (And so when these things were done, and after King Ahasuerus’ indignation had been assuaged, he thought more about Vashti, and what things she must now suffer.)

² And then the servants and the ministers of the king said to him, Fair damsels and virgins, be sought to the king; (And then the king’s servants and his ministers said to him, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;)

³ and be there men sent forth, which should behold by all provinces damsels (who be) fair and virgins; and bring they them to the city of Susa, and betake they them into the house of women, under the keeping of Hegai, the honest servant and chaste (the honest and chaste servant), the which is the sovereign and keeper of the king’s women; and take (to) those damsels ornament(s) of women, and other things needful to their uses. (and let men be sent forth, who shall look through all the provinces for these beautiful young virgins; and then bring they them to the capital city of Susa, and take they them to the house for the women, under the keeping of Hegai, the eunuch, who is the overseer and the keeper of the king’s women; and give he to those young women women’s ornaments, or adornments, and the other things that they need.)

⁴ And whichever damsel among all them pleaseth most the eyes of the king, reign she for Vashti. And this word pleased the king; and he commanded (it) to be done so, as they counselled. (And then whichever young woman among all of them most pleaseth the king’s eyes, let her reign in the place of Vashti. And this idea pleased the king; and he commanded that it be done, as they had so counselled.)

⁵ And a man, a Jew, was in the city of Susa, Mordecai by name, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, of the generation of Benjamin; (And there was a man in the capital city of Susa, a Jew named Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin;)

⁶ that was translated from Jerusalem in that time, in which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had translated Jeconiah, king of Judah; (who had been taken away from Jerusalem into captivity, at that time when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had taken away Jeconiah, the king of Judah;)

⁷ the which Mordecai was the nourisher of Hadassah, the daughter of his brother, which daughter was called Esther by another name, and she had lost both (her) father and mother; and she was full fair, and seemly of face; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her to him, and he made her his daughter. (and this Mordecai was the foster-father of Hadassah, his uncle’s daughter, who was called Esther by another name, and who had lost both her father and her mother; and she was very beautiful, and comely of face; and after the death of her father and her mother, Mordecai took her unto himself, and made her his daughter.)

⁸ And when the commandment of the king was oft published, and by his behest many fair virgins were brought to Susa, and were betaken to Hegai, the honest servant and chaste (the honest and chaste servant), also Esther among other damsels was betaken to him, that she should be kept in the number of those women. (And after the king’s command was widely published, and by his order many beautiful virgins were brought to Susa, and taken to Hegai, the eunuch, also Esther, among other young women, was brought to him, to be kept in his care along with those other women.)

⁹ And she pleased him, and found grace in his sight, so that he hasted to take to her the ornament(s) of women, and he betook to Esther her parts of all (the) things needful to her, and (also) seven (of) the fairest damsels of the king’s house; and Hegai adorned and arrayed both her and those damsels following her feet. (And Esther pleased, or impressed, Hegai, and she found favour before him, so that he hastened to give to her women’s ornaments, or adornments, and anything else that she needed, as well as seven of the most beautiful young women of the king’s house; and so Hegai adorned and arrayed both her, and those young women who followed her feet, that is, who served her.)

¹⁰ And Esther would not show to Hegai her people, neither her country; for Mordecai had commanded her, that in all manner she should be still of this thing. (And Esther did not tell Hegai about her people, or her kindred; for Mordecai had commanded her, that she should not say anything about these matters/for Mordecai had commanded her, that she should hold her peace.)

¹¹ And Mordecai walked each day before the porch of the door, in which the chosen virgins were kept, and he did the care of the health of Esther, and would know, what befelled to her. (And each day Mordecai walked before the courtyard of the house, in which the chosen virgins were kept, for he was concerned about her, and wanted to know what would happen to her.)

¹² And when the time of all the damsels by order was come, that they should go in to the king, and when all things were fulfilled that pertained to women’s attire, the twelfth month was turned (about); so only that they were anointed with the oil of myrrh by six months, and by (an)other six months they used some pigments and sweet-smelling ointments. (And when the twelfth month had come; that is, after the young women had been anointed with the oil of myrrh for six months, and then they had used some pigments and sweet-smelling ointments, or perfume, for another six months, and all things were fulfilled that pertained to women’s attire; then the time had come, for all the young women, each in her turn, to go in to the king.)

¹³ And they entered to the king, and whatever thing pertaining to their ornament(s) (that) they asked (for), they took it with them; and they were arrayed as it pleased to them, and then they passed forth from the chamber of women to the king’s bed. (And so they went in to the king, taking with them whatever things pertaining to their adornment that they had asked for; and arrayed as it pleased them, they passed forth from the house for the women to the king’s bed.)

¹⁴ And she that had entered in the eventide, went out in the morrowtide; and from thence they were led forth into the second houses, that were under the hand of Shaashgaz, honest servant and chaste (the honest and chaste servant), that was governor of the king’s concubines; and she had not power to go again more to the king, no but the king would, and had commanded her to come by name. (And she who entered in the evening, went out in the morning; and from there they were led forth to the second house for the women, that was under the hand of the eunuch Shaashgaz, who was the overseer of the king’s concubines; and from that point on, she had no power to go again to the king, unless the king desired to see her, and had commanded her to come by name.)

¹⁵ And when the time was turned about by order, the day nighed, wherein Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the brother of Mordecai, the which Esther Mordecai had taken to him, and made her his daughter, ought to enter to the king; and she asked not (for) women’s ornament(s), but whatever things Hegai, the honest servant and chaste (the honest and chaste servant), and keeper of the virgins, would, he gave these things to Esther to her ornament; for she was full shapely, and of fairness that may not lightly be believed, and she was seen (to be) gracious and amiable to the eyes of all men. (And so the time turned about, and the day nighed, when, by turn, Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, this Esther which Mordecai had taken unto himself, and had made her his own daughter, ought to go in to the king; and she asked not for any women’s ornaments, or adornment, but whatever things the eunuch Hegai, the keeper of the virgins, desired, he gave these things to Esther for her adornment; and certainly she was very shapely, and had a beauty that could not easily be believed, and she was seen to be gracious and amiable in the eyes of all people.)

¹⁶ Therefore she was led to the bed of king Ahasuerus, in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his realm. (And so she was led to King Ahasuerus’ bed, in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, or January, in the seventh year of his reign.)

¹⁷ And the king loved Esther more fervently than all women, and she had grace and mercy before him over all other women; and he setted the diadem, or crown, of the realm on her head, and made her to reign in the stead of Vashti. (And the king loved Esther more fervently than all the other women, and she received more favour and love from him than all the other women; and he put a crown of his kingdom on her head, and he made her the queen in place of Vashti.)

¹⁸ And he commanded a full worshipful feast to be made ready to all his princes and servants, for the joining together and the weddings of Esther; and he gave rest, that is, (the) releasing of tribute, to all provinces, and gave gifts, after the worshipful doing of a prince. (And he commanded that a large feast be prepared for all his princes, or his leaders, and his servants in honour of Esther, and their joining together by their wedding; and he gave rest, that is, an amnesty from taxation, to all his provinces, and also gifts worthy of a king.)

¹⁹ And when (the) virgins were sought also the second time, and were gathered together, Mordecai dwelled at the gate of the king. (And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat at the king’s gate./And meanwhile Mordecai was in attendance at the royal court.)

²⁰ And Esther had not yet showed her country and her people, by the behest of Mordecai; for-why whatever thing he commanded, Esther kept, and she did so then all things, as she was wont (to) in that time, in which he nourished her (as) a little child. (And Esther had not yet declared her kindred or her people, by Mordecai’s command; for whatever thing he commanded, Esther did it, as she had always done, from the time in which he nurtured her as a young child.)

²¹ Then in that time, wherein Mordecai dwelled at the gate of the king, Bigthan(a) and Teresh, two servants of the king, were wroth (against the king), that were porters, and sat in the first threshold of the palace; and they would rise (up) against the king, and slay him. (Now one day, when Mordecai was in attendance at the royal court, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were guards, or doorkeepers, guarding the first threshold of the palace, became hostile toward the king, and plotted to kill him.)

²² Which thing was not hid from Mordecai, and anon Mordecai told this to the queen Esther, and she told it to the king, in the name of Mordecai, that had told that thing to her. (And this thing was not hid from Mordecai, who at once told this to Queen Esther, and she told it to the king, in the name of Mordecai, who had told that thing to her.)

²³ And it was sought, and it was found sooth, and either of them was hanged in a gibbet; and this was commanded to be written in [the] stories, and it was betaken to the books of [the] years, before the king. (And it was sought into, and found to be true, and both of the guards were hanged on the gallows; and all of this was commanded to be written down in The Books of the Years, that is, in The Official Annals, in the sight of the king.)

3 After these things king Ahasuerus enhanced Haman, the son of Hammedatha, that was of the kindred of Agag, and the king set his throne above all the princes that he had. (And after these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was a descendant of Agag, and the enemy of the Jews, and the king put Haman’s throne above all the other princes, or the leaders, that he had.)

² And all the servants of the king, that served in the gates of the palace, kneeled, and worshipped Haman; for so the emperor had commanded to them; but Mordecai alone bowed not his knees to him, neither worshipped him. (And all the king’s officials, who were in attendance at the royal court, kneeled before Haman, and honoured him; for the king had so commanded them; but Mordecai alone did not bow his knee to Haman, nor show him any respect.)

³ And the servants of the king, that sat above at the gates of the palace, said to Mordecai, Why keepest thou not the commandments of the king, (but doest) otherwise than other men? (And the king’s officials, who were in attendance at the royal court, said to Mordecai, Why followest thou not the king’s commands, like all the other men do?)

⁴ And when they said full oft to him these things, and he would not hear them, they told to Haman, for they coveted to know, whether he continued in the sentence that he had showed to them; for he had said to them, that he was a Jew. (And when they had repeatedly said these things to him, and he would not listen to them, and show respect for Haman, then they told all of this to Haman, for they coveted to know whether Mordecai’s conduct would be tolerated; for Mordecai had said to them, that he was a Jew.)

⁵ And when Haman had heard this thing, and had proved by experience, that Mordecai bowed not his knee to him, neither worshipped him, he was full wroth, (And when Haman had heard about this, and had seen with his own eyes, that Mordecai did not bow his knee to him, or show him any respect, he was enraged,)

⁶ and Haman areckoned it for nought to set his hands upon Mordecai alone, to kill him; for he had heard, that Mordecai was of the folk of Jews, and the more rather he would destroy all the nation of Jews, which were in the realm of Ahasuerus. (but Haman reckoned that it would be useless to only put his hands upon Mordecai; for he had heard that Mordecai was of the nation of the Jews, and so he plotted to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.)

⁷ In the first month, whose name is Nisan, that is, April, in the twelfth year of the realm of Ahasuerus, lot was cast into a vessel, the which lot is said in Hebrew pur, before Haman, to know in what day and in what month the folk of Jews ought to be slain; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, that is, March. (So in the first month, that is called Nisan, or April, in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus’ reign, the lot was cast, which is called pur in Hebrew, in the sight of Haman, to know on what day and on what month the nation of the Jews ought to be destroyed; and by the lot the twelfth month went out, that is called Adar, or March.)

⁸ And then Haman said to king Ahasuerus, A people is scattered by all the provinces of thy realm, and it is separated from itself, and this people useth new laws and ceremonies, and furthermore also it despiseth the behests of the king; and thou knowest best, that it speedeth not to thy realm, that it increase in malice by (thy) license. (And then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and they be separated unto themselves, and this people useth different laws and statutes, and furthermore they also despise the king’s laws; and thou knowest best, that it profiteth not to thy kingdom, if they increase their malice, yea, by thy license.)

⁹ If it please thee, deem and command thou that this people perish, and I shall pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasure. (So if it please thee, judge this and then command thou that this people perish, or be destroyed, and I shall even pay ten thousand talents of silver to the keepers of thy treasury unto this end.)

¹⁰ Therefore the king took from his hand the ring which he used, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of the kindred of Agag, the enemy of Jews. (And so the king took off the ring, which he used for a signet, from his finger, and he gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.)

¹¹ And the king said to Haman, The silver, which thou promisedest, be thine (own); do thou of the people that, that pleaseth thee (thou may do with these people, whatever pleaseth thee).

¹² And then the scribes, or the writers, of the king were called in the first month of Nisan, that is, April, in the thirteenth day of the same month; and it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the princes of the king, and to doomsmen of diverse provinces and of folks, that for diversity of language, each folk might read these letters and hear them, in the name of king Ahasuerus. (And then the writers of the king were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, that is called Nisan, or April; and it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s princes, or leaders, and to the judges, or rulers, of diverse provinces and nations, so that in their own language, each nation might read these letters and hear them, in the name of King Ahasuerus.)

¹³ And letters, asealed with the ring of the king, were sent by the couriers of the king to all his provinces, (with orders) that they should slay, and do away, or destroy, all Jews, from a child to an eld man, little children and women, in one day, that is, in the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is called Adar, or March; and that they should (also) take away the goods of the Jews. (And letters, sealed with the king’s ring, that is, with his signet, were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, with orders that the people should kill, and destroy, all the Jews, from a child unto an old man, women and children alike, in one day, that is, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is called Adar, or March; and that they should also take away all the possessions of the Jews.)

¹⁴ And the sentence of the letters was this, written in a few words, that all (the peoples of the) provinces should know (about), and make them(selves) ready, to the foresaid day. (And so in a few words, the sentence of the letters was this, that all the people of the provinces should know about, and prepare themselves for, the coming day of death and destruction.)

¹⁵ And the couriers, that were sent forth, hasted to [ful]fill the commandment of the king; and anon the behest of the king was hanged up in the city of Susa, while the king and Haman made a feast, and all the Jews wept, that were in that city. (And the couriers, who were sent out, hastened to fulfill the king’s command; and the king’s order was also hung up at once in the capital city of Susa; and so while the king and Haman drank together, all the Jews, who were in that city, wept and mourned.)

4 And when Mordecai had heard these things, he rent his clothes, and he was clothed in a sackcloth, and he sprinkled ashes upon his head, and he cried with great voice in the street of the midst of the city, and showed the bitterness of his soul, (And when Mordecai had heard these things, he tore his clothes, and then he was clothed in a sackcloth, and he sprinkled ashes on his head, and he cried with a great voice in the streets in the midst of the city, and told of the bitterness in his soul,)

² and he went with this yelling unto the gates of the palace; for it was not leaveful (for) a man clothed with a sackcloth to enter into the hall of the king (for it was not lawful for someone clothed in sackcloth to enter into the king’s hall).

³ Also in all provinces, cities, and places, to which the cruel sentence of the king was come, there was great wailing, fasting, and weeping, and yelling with the Jews, and many Jews used a sackcloth and ashes for their bed. (And in all the provinces, and cities, and places, to which the cruel sentence of the king had come, there was great wailing, and fasting, and weeping, and yelling from the Jews, and many Jews lay in sackcloth and ashes.)

⁴ And the damsels, and the honest servants and chaste of Esther entered in (and the honest and chaste servants of Esther entered in), and told this thing to Esther; which thing she heard, and was astonished; and she sent a cloak to Mordecai, that when the sackcloth was taken away, he should clothe him(self) therein; the which cloak he would not take. (And Esther’s young women, and the eunuchs, came in, and told her about this; and when she had heard about it, she was astonished, or shocked; and she sent some clothes to Mordecai, so that he would put away the sackcloth, and clothe himself in them; but he would not take the clothes.)

⁵ And after that, Hatach, the honest servant and chaste (the honest and chaste servant), was called, whom the king had given (as) a minister to her, and she commanded, that he should go to Mordecai, and learn of him, why he did this thing. (And after that, the eunuch Hatach was called, whom the king had given to her for a servant, and Esther commanded that he go to Mordecai, and learn from him why he did this thing.)

⁶ And Hatach went forth, and he came to Mordecai standing in the street of the city, before the gate(s) of the palace;

⁷ and he showed to Hatach all things that had befallen, how Haman had promised to bring silver into the treasures of the king, for the death of the Jews. (and he told Hatach about all the things that had happened to him, and how Haman had promised to pay a great deal of silver into the king’s treasury, for the death of all the Jews.)

⁸ Also Mordecai gave to Hatach the copy of the king’s behest, that hanged in Susa, to show to the queen, and to admonish her for to enter to the king, and to beseech him for her people. (And Mordecai gave Hatach a copy of the king’s order, which was hung up in Susa, and told him to show it to the queen, and then to admonish her to go to the king, and to beseech him for her people.)

⁹ And Hatach went again, and told to Esther all things, which Mordecai had said. (And Hatach came back, and told Esther all the things, which Mordecai had said to him.)

¹⁰ And she answered to Hatach, and said, that he should say to Mordecai,

¹¹ All the servants of the king, and all the provinces which be under his lordship, know, that whether man either woman, not called of the king, entereth into the inner hall of the king, he shall be slain anon without any tarrying, but if in hap the king hold forth to him the golden rod for a token of mercy, and that he may live so; therefore how may I enter to the king, that am not called to him now by thirty days? (All the king’s servants, and all the people in the provinces that be under his rule, know that if a man or a woman, not called by the king, entereth into the inner court of the king, that person shall be killed at once, without any tarrying, unless perhaps the king hold forth to him the gold sceptre as a token of mercy, and then he shall live; and so how can I go to the king, when I have not been called to him now for thirty days?)

¹² And when Mordecai had heard this thing,

¹³ he sent again to Esther, and said, Guess thou not, that thou shalt deliver only thy life, for thou art in the house of the king, before all (the) Jews; (he sent back word to Esther, saying, Do not thou think, that since thou art in the king’s palace, thou shalt save thy own life, even though the other Jews shall not escape;)

¹⁴ for if thou art still now, the Jews shall be delivered by another way, and thou and the house of thy father shall perish; and who knoweth, whether therefore thou camest to the realm, that thou shouldest be made ready in such a time to help? (for if thou art silent now, the Jews shall be saved by another way, but thou and thy father’s house shall all perish; and who knoweth, whether thou camest to the kingdom, that is, to thy crown, so that now thou couldest help in such a time of need?)

¹⁵ And again Esther sent these words to Mordecai, saying, (And Esther sent back an answer to Mordecai, saying,)

¹⁶ Go thou, and gather together all the Jews, which thou findest in Susa, and pray ye for me; eat ye not, that is, fast ye, neither drink ye, in three days and three nights, and I with mine handmaidens shall fast in like manner; and then I not called, shall enter in to the king, and I shall do against the law, and I shall betake me to death and to peril. (Go thou, and gather together all the Jews, whom thou findest in Susa, and pray ye for me; eat ye not, that is, fast ye, and drink ye not, for three days and three nights, and I shall fast with my servantesses in like manner; and then though I be not called, I shall go to the king, and I shall go against the law, and I shall deliver myself unto peril and even death.)

¹⁷ Therefore Mordecai went, and did all things, that Esther had commanded to him. (And so Mordecai went, and did everything, that Esther had bidden him to do.)

5 Forsooth in the third day, Esther was clothed in royal clothes, and she stood in the porch of the king’s house, that was withinforth over against the king’s hall; and the king sat upon his throne, in the consistory of his palace, (over) against the door of the house. (And on the third day, Esther was clothed in royal robes, and she went and stood in the inner courtyard of the king’s palace, facing the palace; and the king sat on his throne, in the consistory of his palace, facing the entrance to the palace.)

² And when he had seen Esther, the queen, standing there, she pleased his eyes, and he held forth against her the golden rod, that he held in his hand; and she nighed, and kissed the highness of his rod. (And when he had seen Queen Esther standing there, she pleased his eyes, and he held forth toward her the gold sceptre, which he held in his hand; and she came over, and touched the top of the sceptre.)

³ And the king said to her, Esther, the queen, what wilt thou? what is thine asking? Yea, though thou ask the half part of my realm, it shall be given to thee. (And the king said to her, Queen Esther, what wilt thou have? what is thy asking? Yea, if thou ask for half my kingdom, it shall be given to thee!)

⁴ And she answered, If it pleaseth the king, I beseech, that thou come to me today, and Haman with thee, to the feast, that I have made ready. (And she answered, If it please the king, I beseech thee, that thou, and Haman with thee, come today to the feast, that I have prepared for thee.)

⁵ And anon the king said, Call ye anon Haman, that he obey to the will of Esther. And then the king and Haman came to the feast, which the queen had made ready to them. (And at once the king said, Call ye Haman at once, so that he obey the will of Esther. And so the king and Haman went to the feast, which the queen had prepared for them.)

⁶ And the king said to Esther, after that he had drunk (the) wine plenteously, What thing askest thou of me, that it be given to thee, and for what thing askest thou? Yea, though thou ask the half part of my realm, thou shalt get it (Yea, if thou ask for half my kingdom, thou shalt get it).

⁷ To whom Esther answered, My asking and [my] prayers be these.

⁸ If I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it pleaseth the king, that he give to me that thing, that I ask, and that he fulfill mine asking, the king and Haman come they tomorrow to the feast, that I have made ready to them; and tomorrow, I shall open my will to the king. (If I have found favour before the king, and if it please the king, that he give me what I ask for, and that he grant my request, then may the king and Haman come to the feast that I shall prepare for them tomorrow; and then tomorrow, I shall tell my desire to the king.)

⁹ Therefore Haman went out glad and swift in that day. And when he had seen Mordecai sitting before the gates of the palace, and not only to have not risen up to him, but soothly neither moved from the place of his sitting, he was full wroth; (And so Haman went out that day happy and well pleased with himself. But when he saw Mordecai in attendance at the royal court, and he did not rise up before him to show respect, or even move from the place where he was sitting, he was enraged;)

¹⁰ and Haman feigned him(self) as not wroth therefore, and turned again into his house, and he called together his friends, and Zeresh, his wife; (but Haman feigned himself as not being angry because of that, and returned to his house, and he called together his friends, and his wife Zeresh;)

¹¹ and he told to them (of) the greatness of his riches, and the company of his children, and with how great glory the king had enhanced him above all his princes and servants. (and he told them of his great riches, and of the multitude, or the great number, of his children, and how the king had promoted him to great glory above all his other leaders and servants.)

¹² And he said after these things, Also the queen Esther called none other man with the king to the feast, except me, with whom I shall eat also tomorrow with the king. (And after these things he said, And Queen Esther called no other man to the feast with the king, except me, and tomorrow I shall also eat with her and the king.)

¹³ And though I have all these things, I guess that I have nothing, as long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting before the king’s gates. (And yet, even though I have all these things, I feel like I have nothing, as long as I see that Jew Mordecai, in attendance at the royal court.)

¹⁴ And Zeresh, his wife, and his friends answered to him, Command thou an high beam, or a gallows tree, to be made ready, having fifty cubits of height; and speak thou tomorrow early to the king, and ask of him, that Mordecai be hanged thereon; and so thou shalt go glad with the king to the queen’s feast. And the counsel of them pleased him, and he commanded an high cross, that is a gibbet, to be made ready. (And his wife Zeresh, and his friends, answered to him, Command thou that a gallows be prepared, that is fifty cubits in height; and then early tomorrow speak thou to the king, and ask him to have Mordecai hanged on it; and then thou shalt go with the king to the queen’s feast in high spirits. And their counsel pleased him, and he commanded that the gallows be prepared.)

6 The king led that night without sleep, and he commanded the stories and the books of years of former times to be brought to him. And when those books were read in his presence, (That night the king went without sleep, and he commanded that the stories of former times, that is, The Books of the Years, or The Official Annals, be brought to him. And when those books were read before him, to help him get to sleep,)

² men came to the place, where it was written, how Mordecai had told (of) the treasons of Bigthan(a) and Teresh, honest servants (the honest and chaste servants), coveting to strangle king Ahasuerus. (they came to the place, where it was written, how Mordecai had told of the treason of Bigthana and Teresh, the king’s eunuchs, who desired, or plotted, to strangle King Ahasuerus.)

³ And when the king had heard this, he said, What honour and meed got Mordecai for this faithfulness? And his servants and ministers said to him, Utterly he took no meed. (And when the king had heard this, he said, What honour and reward did Mordecai receive for this loyalty? And the servants who ministered to the king said to him, He received utterly no reward for what he did.)

⁴ And anon the king said, Who is in the hall? Soothly Haman had entered into the inner hall of the king’s house, to make suggestion to the king, that he should command Mordecai to be hanged on the gibbet, which was made ready to him. (And then hearing something, the king asked, Who is that in the courtyard? For it was now early morning, and Haman had just come into the outer courtyard of the palace, to suggest to the king, that he should command that Mordecai be hanged on the gallows, which was now prepared for him.)

⁵ And the servants of the king said to him, Haman standeth in the hall. And the king said, Enter he in. (And the king’s servants said to him, Haman standeth in the courtyard. And the king said, Let him come in.)

⁶ And when Haman was come in, the king said to him, What oweth to be done to the man, whom the king desireth to honour? (And when Haman had come in, the king said to him, What ought to be done for the man, whom the king desireth to honour?) And Haman thought in his heart, and he guessed, that the king was about to honour no other man but (he) himself, Haman;

⁷ and he answered, The man, whom the king coveteth to honour, (and so he answered, The man, whom the king desireth to honour,)

⁸ oweth to be clothed in the king’s clothes, and to be set on the horse which is of the king’s saddle, and to take the king’s diadem, that is, his crown, upon his head; (ought to be clothed in the king’s robes, and to be put on a horse which is of the king’s saddle, and to wear the king’s crown on his head;)

⁹ and the first, or chief, of the princes and of the strong men of the king, he (should) hold his horse, leading him, and go he by the streets of the city, and cry he, and say, Thus he shall be honoured, whom the king will honour. (and then one of the king’s most honoured princes, or leaders, should lead his horse through the city square, and he should cry, and say, Thus shall he be honoured/He is worthy of this honour, whom the king desireth to honour.)

¹⁰ And then the king said to Haman, Haste thou thee, and when the king’s clothing, and his horse, is taken to thee, do thou, as thou hast spoken, to Mordecai, the Jew, that sitteth before the gates of the palace; and be thou ware, that thou leave not out, (or) undone, any thing of these (things), which thou hast now spoken. (And then the king said to Haman, Now hasten thou thee, and when the king’s robes, and his horse, be brought to thee, do thou, just as thou hast spoken, for Mordecai, the Jew, who is in attendance at the royal court; and be thou ware, lest thou leave anything undone, of all these things, of which thou hast now spoken.)

¹¹ And then Haman took the king’s cloak and his palfrey, and he went forth, and cried before Mordecai, (who was) clothed in the king’s clothing, (leading him) in the chief street of the city, and set upon his palfrey, (saying,) He is worthy (of) this honour, whomever the king will honour. (And then Haman took the king’s robes and his horse, and he clothed Mordecai in the king’s clothing, and put him on the king’s horse; and then leading him through the city square, he cried as he went before him, He is worthy of this honour, whom the king desireth to honour.)

¹² And after this Mordecai turned again to the gate of the palace, and Haman hasted to go into his house, mourning, and with his head covered. (And after this Mordecai returned to the royal court, and Haman hastened to go to his house, mourning, and with his head covered.)

¹³ And he told to Zeresh, his wife, and to his friends all things that had befallen to him. To whom the wise men, which he had in counsel, and his wife, answered, If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, is of the seed of Jews, thou shalt not be able to against-stand him, but thou shalt fall in his sight. (And he told his wife Zeresh, and his friends, all the things that had befallen him. And the wise men, whom he had in counsel, and his wife, answered, If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, is a descendant of the Jews, then thou shalt not be able to stand against him, but thou shalt utterly fall before him.)

¹⁴ Yet while they spake these things, the honest servants and chaste of the king came after Haman (the honest and chaste servants of the king came for Haman), and they compelled him to go anon to the feast, which the queen had made ready. (And yet while they spoke these things, the king’s eunuchs came for Haman, and they compelled him to come at once to the feast, which the queen had prepared.)

7 Therefore the king and Haman entered to the feast, to drink with the queen. (And so the king and Haman went to the feast, to dine with the queen.)

² And the king said also to Esther in the second day, after that he was hot of the wine, Esther, what is thine asking of me, that it be given to thee, and what wilt thou be done? Yea, though thou ask the half part of my realm, thou shalt have it. (And on the second day, after that he was hot from the wine, the king said again to Esther, Esther, what is thy asking of me, that it be given to thee, and what wilt thou be done for thee? Yea, if thou ask for half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it!)

³ To whom she answered, O! king, if I have found grace in thine eyes (if I have found favour before thee), and if it pleaseth thee, give thou my life to me, for which I pray thee now, and also the life of my people, for the which I beseech thee.

⁴ For I and my people be given, that we be defouled, and strangled, and that we perish; O! why not had we rather been sold into servants and servantesses, for that evil might have been suffered, and I, (now) wailing, should have been still; but now our enemy is present, whose cruelty turneth against the king. (For I and my people have been sold into slaughter, so that we be strangled, and destroyed, and that we utterly perish; O! why had we rather not been sold into slavery, yea, both men and women alike, for that evil might have been endured, and I, instead of wailing, would now be silent; and even now our enemy is present here, and his cruelty turneth against even the king.)

⁵ And king Ahasuerus answered, and said, Who is this, and of what power, that he be (so) (fool)hardy to do such things?

⁶ And Esther said, Our worst adversary and enemy is this Haman. The which thing when he heard, he was astonished at once, and he was not sufficient to bear the semblance, or the indignation, of the king and of the queen. (And Esther said, Our adversary and our enemy is this wicked Haman! And when Haman heard this, he was stunned, and he was not able to bear the indignation of both the king and the queen.)

⁷ And the king rose up wroth, and from the place of the feast he entered into a garden beset about with trees. And Haman rose up for to pray Esther, the queen, for his life; for he understood (the) evil made ready of the king to him. (And the king rose up enraged, and left the place of the feast to go out into the garden beset about with trees. And Haman rose up to beg Queen Esther for his life; for he understood that the king now intended evil for him.)

⁸ And when the king turned again from the garden, and had entered into the place of the feast, he found that Haman had fallen down upon the bed, wherein Esther lay. And the king said, Also he will oppress the queen, while I am present, in mine house. And the word was not yet gone out of the king’s mouth, and anon men covered the face of Haman. (And when the king returned from the garden, and came back to the place of the feast, he found that Haman had fallen down on the couch, where Esther lay. And the king said, He will even assail the queen, while I am present, here in my own house! And the word was not yet gone out of the king’s mouth, when at once some of his servants came, and covered Haman’s face.)

⁹ And Harbonah, one of the honest servants and chaste (one of the honest and chaste servants), that stood in the service of the king, said, Lo! a tree having fifty cubits of height standeth in the house of Haman, which he had made ready to Mordecai, that spake (good) for the king, and made known his traitors. To whom the king said, Hang ye Haman in that tree. (And Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who stood in the king’s service, said, Lo! a gallows fifty cubits in height standeth at Haman’s house, which he had prepared for Mordecai, who did good for the king, by making known his traitors. To whom the king said, Hang ye up Haman on those gallows!)

¹⁰ Therefore Haman was hanged in the gibbet, which he had made ready to Mordecai, and the ire of the king rested. (And so Haman was hanged on the gallows, which he had prepared for Mordecai, and then the king’s anger was assuaged.)

8 In that day king Ahasuerus gave to Esther, the queen, the house of Haman, enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered in before the face of the king; for Esther acknowledged to him, that he was her father’s brother. (On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai went in before the king, for Esther had told him, that he was her father’s nephew.)

² Therefore the king took (off) the ring, which he had commanded to be received (back) from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. And Esther ordained Mordecai to be sovereign over her household (And Esther ordained Mordecai to be the ruler over Haman’s household).

³ And Esther was not appeased with these things, and felled down to the feet of the king, and wept, and spake to him, and prayed, that he should command the malice of Haman of (the kindred of) Agag, and his worst casts, which he had thought out against the Jews, to be made void. (But Esther was not yet appeased with these things, and she fell down at the king’s feet, and wept, and spoke to him, and begged him, that he would command that the malice of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, and his evil plans, that he had plotted against the Jews, be stopped.)

⁴ And the king by custom held forth the golden rod of the king with his hand, by which the token of his mercy was showed. And then Esther rose up, and stood before the king, (And, as by custom, the king held forth the king’s gold sceptre with his hand, by which the token of his mercy was shown. And then Esther rose up, and stood before the king,)

⁵ and said, If it pleaseth the king, and if I have found grace before his eyes, and if my prayer is not seen to be contrary to him, I beseech, that the eld letters of Haman, the traitor, and enemy of Jews, by which he had commanded them to perish in all the provinces of the king, be amended by new letters; (and she said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his eyes, and if my prayer is not seen to be contrary to him, I beseech thee, that the old letters of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, by which he had commanded that all the Jews perish in all the provinces of the king, be amended with new letters;)

⁶ for how shall I be able to suffer the death, and the slaying, of my people? (for how shall I be able to endure the slaughter, and the death, of my own people?)

⁷ And king Ahasuerus answered to Esther, the queen, and to Mordecai, the Jew, and said, I have granted the house of Haman to Esther, the queen, and I commanded him to be hanged on the cross, for-thy that he was hardy to set hand against the Jews. (And King Ahasuerus answered to Queen Esther, and to Mordecai, the Jew, and said, I have given Haman’s house to Queen Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows, because he was so foolhardy as to put his hand against the Jews, that is, to threaten their lives.)

⁸ Therefore write ye to [the] Jews, as it pleaseth to you, by the name of the king, and aseal ye the letters with my ring. For this was the custom, that no man durst against-say the letters, that were sent in the king’s name, and were sealed with his ring. (And so now write ye to the Jews, what pleaseth you, in the name of the king, and seal ye the letters with my ring. For it is the law, that no one can revoke the orders, that were sent before in the king’s name, and were sealed with his ring, or his signet.)

⁹ And when the arrayers of the king’s letters, and his writers, were called; it was then the time of the third month, that is called Sivan, that is, June, in the three and twentieth day of the month; letters were written, as Mordecai would, to [the] Jews, and to [the] princes, and to procurators, and to judges, that were sovereigns over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, from India unto Ethiopia, they were written to that province and to that province, to that people and to that people, by their languages and by their letters, and (also) to the Jews, (by their language and by their letters,) (so) that they (all) might read and hear them. (And when the king’s writers, or his royal secretaries, were called; it was then the third month, that is called Sivan, or June, on the twenty-third day of the month; letters were written, as Mordecai directed, to the Jews, and to the princes, or the leaders, and to the procurators, and the judges, who were the rulers over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia, yea, they were written to this province and to that province, to this people and to that people, to each in their own language and writing, and to the Jews in their own language and writing, so that they all might read and hear them.)

¹⁰ And those letters, that were sent in the name of the king, were asealed with his ring, and were sent forth by his messengers, the which ran about by all provinces, and they came with [the] new messages before that the eld letters were executed.

¹¹ To whom the king commanded, that they should call together the Jews, and command them to be gathered together by all cities, and that they should stand together for their lives; and that they should slay, and do away, all their enemies, with their wives, and with their children, and with all their households. (In which letters, the king granted permission to the Jews, in every city, to call themselves together, and to unite themselves, and to defend their own lives; and so they could kill, and do away with, all their enemies, along with their wives, and their children, and all their households.)

¹² And one day of vengeance, that is, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar, that is, March, was ordained by all provinces. (And one day of vengeance was ordained in all the provinces, that is, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is Adar, or March.)

¹³ And the short sentence of the epistle was this, that it were made known in all lands and (to all) peoples, that were subject to the empire of king Ahasuerus, that the Jews be ready that day to take vengeance of their enemies. (And in short, the sentence of the letter was this, that it should be made known in all the lands and to all the peoples, that were subject to the rule of King Ahasuerus, that the Jews be ready that day to take vengeance on all their enemies.)

¹⁴ And the messengers went out, before-bearing swift messages; and this same behest of the king hanged in the city of Susa. (And the messengers quickly went out, bearing the messages; and the king’s order was also hung up in the capital city of Susa.)

¹⁵ And Mordecai went out of the king’s palace and of the king’s sight, and he shined in the king’s clothes, that is, (clothes the colour) of jacinth, and (the) colour of the air, and he bare a golden crown on his head, and was clothed with a mantle of silk and of purple; and all the city fully joyed, and was glad. (And Mordecai went out from the king’s palace, and from before the king, and he shone in the king’s robes, that is, in his robes of blue and white, and he wore a gold crown on his head, and he also wore a cloak of silk and purple; and all the city rejoiced, and was glad.)

¹⁶ Certainly then a new light seemed to rise up to the Jews, and joy, and honour, and dancing (And so a new light seemed to rise up for the Jews, and joy, and honour, and dancing)

¹⁷ was at all peoples, and cities, and at all provinces, whither ever the commandments of the king came, (and) among them was a wonderful joy, and meats, and feasts, and an holy day, in so much, that many of another folk and sect were joined to the religion and ceremonies of them; for the great dread of the name of Jews had assailed all them. (were with all the people in all the cities, and provinces, wherever the king’s orders came; yea, among them there was such a wonderful joy, and food, and feasts, and holiday, that many people of other nations and sects, were joined to the religion and ceremonies of the Jews; for a great fear of the Jews had assailed all of them.)

9 Therefore in the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which we said now before to be called Adar, (that is, March,) when slaying was made ready to all the Jews by Haman, and their enemies setted treason to their blood, on the contrary, the Jews now began to be the higher part, and to venge them(selves) of their adversaries. (And so on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which earlier we said was called Adar, or March, when their enemies had intended slaughter for all the Jews, and had set treason for their blood, now, on the contrary, the Jews took the upper hand, to avenge themselves on their adversaries.)

² And the Jews were gathered together by all cities, castles, and places, to stretch forth (their) hand against their enemies and pursuers; and no man was hardy to against-stand them, for the dread of their greatness had pierced all peoples. (And the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, in all the provinces, to put forth their hands against their enemies and pursuers; and no one was fool-hardy enough to stand against them/and no one was hardy enough to withstand them, for the fear of their greatness had pierced through all peoples.)

³ For why both the judges, dukes, and procurators of provinces, and each dignity, that were sovereigns of all places and works, enhanced the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai (was upon them), (And the judges, governors, and procurators of the provinces, who were the rulers of all the places and works, helped the Jews, because they all feared Mordecai,)

⁴ whom they knew to be (a) prince of the king’s palace (whom they knew to be a prince, or one of the leaders, in the king’s palace), and to be able to do full much; and the fame of his name increased each day, and (it) flew by the mouths of all men.

⁵ Therefore the Jews smote their enemies with great vengeance, and killed them, and yielded to their enemies that, that they had made ready to do to them, (And so the Jews struck down their enemies with a great vengeance, and killed them, and yielded to their enemies, what they had prepared to do to them,)

⁶ in so much, that also in the city of Susa the Jews killed five hundred men, without the ten sons of Haman of the kindred of Agag, the enemy of Jews, of the which sons these be the names; (and so in the capital city of Susa, the Jews killed five hundred men, besides the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, of which sons these be the names;)

⁷ Parshandatha, Dalphon, and Aspatha,

⁸ and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

⁹ and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha.

¹⁰ And when the Jews had slain the sons of Haman, they would not touch the preys of the chattels, or substance, of them. (And after the Jews had killed Haman’s sons, they did not take away any of the spoils of their chattel, or their possessions.)

¹¹ And anon the number of them, that were slain in the city of Susa, was told to the king. (And that same day, the number of people killed in the capital city of Susa, was told to the king.)

¹² And he said to the queen, The Jews have slain five hundred men in the city of Susa, and the ten sons of Haman; how great slaying guessest thou, that they haunt in all (the) provinces? what askest thou more? and what wilt thou, that I command to be done? (And he said to the queen, The Jews have killed five hundred men here in the capital city of Susa, and the ten sons of Haman as well; how great a slaughter thinkest thou that they have done in all the provinces? what more askest thou for? and what wilt thou, that I command to be done?)

¹³ To whom Esther answered, If it pleaseth the king, (let) power be given to the Jews, that as they have done today in Susa, so do they also tomorrow, and (also) that the (bodies of the) ten sons of Haman be hanged up in gibbets. (To whom Esther answered, If it please the king, let power be given to the Jews, so that as they have done today in Susa, let them do here also tomorrow, and let the bodies of the ten sons of Haman be hung up on the gallows.)

¹⁴ And the king commanded, that it should be done so; and anon the behest of the king hanged in Susa, and the (bodies of the) ten sons of Haman were hanged (up). (And the king commanded, that it be done so; and at once the king’s order was hung up in Susa, and the bodies of Haman’s ten sons were hung up as well.)

¹⁵ Therefore when the Jews were gathered together, in the fourteenth day of the month [of] Adar, that is, March, three hundred men were slain in Susa, and the Jews took not away the chattel of those men. (And so when the Jews were gathered together, on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, or of March, three hundred more men were killed in Susa, and again the Jews did not take away any of their chattel, or their possessions.)

¹⁶ But also by all the provinces, that were subject to the lordship of the king, Jews stood for their lives, when their enemies and pursuers were slain, in so much, that five and seventy thousand of slain men were filled, and no man touched any thing of the chattels of them. (And in all the provinces, which were subject to the king’s rule, when the Jews stood up for their lives, their enemies and pursuers were killed, indeed, over seventy-five thousand people were killed that day, but no Jew ever touched anything of their possessions.)

¹⁷ Certainly the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, or March, was the day of slaying with all them, and in the fourteenth day they ceased to slay; and that day they ordained to be solemn, so that therein in each time afterward, they should give attention to meats, to joy, and to feasts. (And so the thirteenth day of the month of Adar was the day that the Jews, outside the city of Susa, slaughtered their enemies, and then on the fourteenth day they ceased their slaughter; and that day they ordained as a time for feasting, so that at that time each year thereafter, they would give attention to food, and to joy, and to feasts.)

¹⁸ And those Jews, that used, or haunted, the slaying in the city of Susa, lived in (the) slaying in the thirteenth and fourteenth day(s) of the same month. But in the fifteenth day they ceased to slay; and therefore they ordained the same day to be solemn of feasts and of gladness. (But the Jews, who did the slaughter in the capital city of Susa, continued their slaughter from the thirteenth to the fourteenth day of the month. And then on the fifteenth day they ceased the slaughter of their enemies; and so they ordained that day to be a time for feasts and for gladness.)

¹⁹ And these Jews, that dwelled in burg towns not walled, and in villages, deemed the fourteen day of the month [of] Adar to be solemn of feasts, and of joy, so that they be joyful therein, and send, each to (the) other, parts of their feasts, and of their meats. (And this is why those Jews who live in remote towns without walls, and in villages, deem the fourteen day of the month of Adar, or of March, to be a time for feasts, and for joy, and indeed they be joyful on that day, and send portions of the food from their feasts to one another.)

²⁰ And Mordecai wrote all these things, and he sent all these things written by letters to the Jews, that dwelled in all the provinces of the king, as well to Jews dwelling nigh as far, (And Mordecai wrote down all these things, and he sent letters concerning all these things, to the Jews who lived in all the king’s provinces, yea, to the Jews living nearby, as well as to those living afar off,)

²¹ that they should receive and hold for their feast days the fourteenth and the fifteenth day(s) of the month [of] Adar, and ever[more] when the year turneth again, to hallow these days with solemn honour; (so that they would keep the fourteenth and the fifteenth days of the month of Adar, for their feast days, and forevermore when the year turneth again, celebrate these days with feasts of honouring;)

²² for in those days the Jews venged themselves of their enemies, and then their mourning and their sorrow were turned into gladness and joy; and therefore these days should be days of feasts, and of gladness, and that they should send, each to (the) other, parts of (their) meats, and give little gifts to poor men. (for in those days the Jews avenged themselves upon their enemies, and mourning and sorrow were turned into gladness and joy; and so these days should be feast days, filled with gladness, and they should send portions of their food to one another, and give little gifts to the poor.)

²³ And the Jews received into a solemn custom all those things, which they began to do in that time, and which things Mordecai had commanded by letters to be done. (And so the Jews undertook as a festive custom all these things, which they began to do at that time, and which Mordecai had commanded in his letters to be done.)

²⁴ For Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of the kindred of Agag, the enemy and adversary of Jews, thought evil against them, to slay them, and to do them away, and he cast pur, that is to say in our language, (a) lot, to do it. (For Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted evil against them, to kill them, and to do them away, and so he cast pur, that is to say, a lot, to determine when to do it.)

²⁵ And after this Esther entered in to the king, and besought, that the enforcings of Haman should be made void by the letters of the king, and that the evil, which he had thought against the Jews, should turn again into his head. Forsooth they hanged on the cross both him and his sons. (But then Esther went in to the king, and beseeched him, that Haman’s endeavours should be stopped with new written orders from the king, and that the evil, which Haman had plotted against the Jews, should return onto his own head. And so they hanged him and his sons on the gallows.)

²⁶ And from that time these days were called Purim, that is, (the days) of lots, for pur, that is, (a) lot, was sent, or cast, into a vessel; and the Jews received upon themselves, and upon their seed, and upon all men that would be coupled to their religion, all things that were done, and (that) be contained in the volume of the epistle, that is, of this book, (And from that time, these days were called Purim, that is, the Days of Lots, for pur, that is, a lot, was cast to determine the day that they would die; and the Jews took upon themselves, and upon their descendants, and upon all people who would be coupled to their religion, all the things that were done, and that be contained in this book,)

²⁷ and which things they suffered, and which things were changed afterward, so that it be not leaveful to any man to pass these two days without solemnity, which days the scripture witnesseth, and certain times ask, while the years come continually one after another. (and what things they suffered, and what things happened afterwards, so that it be not lawful for anyone to pass these two days without feasting, yea, the days to which this writing witnesseth, and for which a certain time is ordained, while the years continue to come, one after the other.)

²⁸ These be the days, which never any forgetting shall do away, but by all generations all the provinces, that be in all the world, shall hallow them; neither there is any city, in which the days of Purim, that is, (the days) of lots, shall not be kept of [the] Jews, and of the generation of them, which is bound to these ceremonies. (These be the days, which no forgetting shall do away, that is, they should always be remembered, and all the generations, or the descendants, of the people, who be in all the provinces, in all the world, shall keep and honour them; and there shall be no city, in which the Days of Purim, that is, the Days of Lots, shall not be kept by the Jews, and by their generations, or their descendants, who be bound and obliged to keep these ceremonies.)

²⁹ And Esther, the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai, the Jew, wrote also the second epistle, that this solemn day should be hallowed afterward with all busyness. (And Queen Esther, Abihail’s daughter, and Mordecai, the Jew, confirmed in writing with a second letter, that these feast days should be kept thereafter with all diligence.)

³⁰ And they sent (their letter) to those Jews, that dwelled in an hundred and seven and twenty provinces of king Ahasuerus, that they should have peace, and receive the truth, (And they sent their letter to all the Jews, who lived in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of King Ahasuerus, so that they would have peace, and receive the truth,)

³¹ and that they should keep the days of lots, and hallow them with joy in their time, as Mordecai and Esther had ordained; and they received the (rules for the) fastings, and the cries, and the days of lots, to be kept of themselves and of their seed, (and so that they would keep the Days of Purim, that is, the Days of Lots, and celebrate them with joy at their proper time, as Mordecai and Esther had ordained; just as they had received the rules for fasting, and mourning, or lamenting, to be kept by themselves, and by their descendants.)

³² and they received all things that be contained in the story of this book, that is called Esther. (And so Esther’s command confirmed these rules for Purim, or Lots, that be contained in this book.)

10 Forsooth king Ahasuerus made tributary each land, and all the isles of the sea; (And King Ahasuerus made every land, and all the islands of the sea, to pay him taxes/to pay tribute to him through forced labour;)

² whose strength and empire and his dignity and highness, by which he enhanced Mordecai, be written in the books of (the kings of) Media and of Persia; (and his strength and rule, as well as the dignity and highness to which he promoted Mordecai, all be written about in The Books of the Kings of Media and Persia;)

³ and how Mordecai of the kin of the Jews was the second from king Ahasuerus, and was great with (the) Jews, and acceptable to the people of his brethren, and he sought good things to his people, and spake those things, that pertained to the peace of his seed. (and also how that Mordecai, the Jew, was second only to King Ahasuerus, and that he was a great man among the Jews, and accepted by all the people of his kinsmen, and how he sought only the good for his people, and did what he could to bring peace to all their descendants.)^[a]

1 In the land of Uz was a man that was called Job; and that man was simple, that is, without guile, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil. (In the land of Uz there was a man who was called Job; and that man was without guile, and upright, and feared God/and revered God, and went away from evil.)

² And there were seven sons and three daughters born to him;

³ and his possession was seven thousand of sheep, and three thousand of camels, and five hundred yokes of oxen, and five hundred of female asses (and five hundred female donkeys), and full much household; and this Job was a great man among all the men of the east.

⁴ And his sons went, and made feasts by their houses, each man in his day; and they sent, and called their three sisters, to eat, and to drink wine with them. (And his sons held feasts at their houses, each one in his turn; and they sent, and called their three sisters, to come and eat, and drink wine with them.)

⁵ And when the days of feast had passed into the world, that is, in(to) the end of the week, Job sent to them, and hallowed them, and he rose early, and offered burnt sacrifices by all (And when the days of feasting had ended, Job sent for them, and sanctified them, and he rose up early, and offered burnt sacrifices for all of them). For he said, Lest peradventure my sons do sin, and curse God in their hearts [Forsooth he said, Lest peradventure my sons sin, and bless^[b] to God in their hearts]. Job did so in all (the) days.

⁶ And in a day, when the sons of God were come to be present before the Lord, also Satan came among them. (Now on a day, when the sons of God came and were present before the Lord, Satan also came among them.)

⁷ To whom the Lord said, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered, and said, I have compassed the earth, and I have walked through it. (To whom the Lord said, Where did you come from? And Satan answered, I have gone all around the earth, and I have walked throughout it.)

⁸ And the Lord said to him, Whether thou hast beheld my servant Job, that there is no man in [the] earth like him; he is a simple man, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil? (And the Lord said to him, Hast thou seen my servant Job? There is no man on earth like him; yea, he is without guile, and upright, and feareth God/and revereth God, and goeth away from evil.)

⁹ To whom Satan answered, Whether Job dreadeth God vainly? (To whom Satan answered, Hast not Job good reason to fear God?/to revere God?)

¹⁰ Whether thou hast not (en)compassed him, and his house(hold), and all his chattel by compass? (Hast thou not surrounded him, and his family, and all his possessions, with protection?) Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his possession is increased on [the] earth.

¹¹ But stretch forth thine hand a little, and touch thou all things that he hath in possession, taking them away, or extinguishing them; and if he curse not thee in the face, he is verily simple, and rightwise, and dreading thee (and then if he shall not curse thee to thy face, he is truly without guile, and righteous, and feareth thee/and revereth thee).

¹² Therefore the Lord said to Satan, Lo! all things, which he hath, be in thine hand; only stretch thou not forth thine hand into him. And Satan went out from the face of the Lord. (And so the Lord said to Satan, Lo! everything which he hath, is in thy power; only stretch not forth thy hand onto him. And Satan went out from before the Lord.)

¹³ And when in a day the sons of Job and his daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first begotten brother, (And so one day, when Job’s sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first-born brother,)

¹⁴ a messenger came to Job, and said to him, Thine oxen eared, and thy female asses [were] pastured beside them; (a messenger came to Job, and said to him, Thy oxen plowed, and thy female donkeys were pastured beside them;)

¹⁵ and (the) Sabeans felled in, and took away all (thy) things, and smited the servants with sword (and struck down thy servants with their swords); and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.

¹⁶ And when he spake yet, another came, and said, [The] Fire of God came down from heaven, and wasted [the] sheep, and [the] servants touched; and I alone escaped for to tell to thee. (And while he still spoke, another messenger came, and said, The fire of God came down from the heavens, and destroyed the sheep, and torched the servants; and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.)

¹⁷ But yet the while he spake, also another came, and said, Chaldees made three companies, and assailed the camels, and took those away, and they smited also the servants with sword; and I alone escaped to tell to thee. (And while he still spoke, also another came, and said, The Chaldeans made three companies, and assailed the camels, and took them away, and they also struck down thy servants with their swords; and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.)

¹⁸ And yet while he spake, lo! another entered, and said, While thy sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first begotten brother, (And while he still spoke, lo! another entered, and said, While thy sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first-born brother,)

¹⁹ a great wind felled in suddenly from the coast of (the) desert, and shook [the] four corners of the house, which felled down, and (it) oppressed thy children, and they be dead (and they all died); and I alone fled to tell (this) to thee.

²⁰ Then Job rose up, and he rent his clothes, and when his head was polled, he felled down upon the earth, and he worshipped God, (Then Job rose up, and he tore his clothes, and when his head was shaved, he fell down on the ground, and he worshipped God,)

²¹ and said, I went naked out of the womb of my mother, and naked I shall turn again thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so be it done; the name of the Lord be blessed (blessed be the name of the Lord).

²² In all these things Job sinned not in his lips, neither spake any folly thing against God. (And in all these things Job did not sin with his lips, nor spoke any foolish thing against God.)

2 And it was done, in a day the sons of God were come to praise him, and they stood before the Lord, and Satan was come among them, and he stood in the sight of the Lord, (And it was done, on a day when the sons of God had come to praise him, and they stood before the Lord, and Satan was come among them, and he also stood before the Lord,)

² and the Lord said to Satan, From whence comest thou? Which answered, and said, I have compassed the earth, and I have gone through it. (and the Lord said to Satan, Where did you come from? Who answered, and said, I have gone all around the earth, and I have gone throughout it.)

³ And the Lord said to Satan, Whether thou hast not considered my servant Job, that none in [the] earth is like him; he is a simple man, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil, and yet holding innocence? But thou hast moved me against him, that I should torment him in vain/that thou vex him in vain. (And the Lord said to Satan, Hast thou seen my servant Job? there is one on earth like him; he is without guile, and upright, and feareth God/and revereth God, and goeth away from evil, and remaineth innocent. But thou hast moved me against him, that I should torment him without cause/that thou should vex him for no reason.)

⁴ To whom Satan answered, and said, A man shall give skin for skin, and all things that he hath for his life;

⁵ therefore put to thine hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and then thou shalt see, that he shall curse thee in thy face. (and so put thy hand against him, and touch his bones and his flesh, and then thou shalt see that he shall curse thee to thy face.)

⁶ Therefore the Lord said to Satan, Lo! he is in thine hand; nevertheless keep thou his life. (And so the Lord said to Satan, Lo! he is in thy hands, or under thy power; but do not thou kill him.)

⁷ Therefore Satan went out from the face of the Lord, and he smote Job with the worst stinking botch, from the sole of his foot till to his top; (And so Satan went out from before the Lord, and he struck Job with running sores, from the soles of his feet unto the top of his head;)

⁸ and Job sat in a dunghill, and he shaved away the quitter of him with a shell. (and then Job sat on a hill of dung, and scratched his sores with a shell.)

⁹ Forsooth his wife said to him, Dwellest thou yet in thy simpleness, that is, fondness? (And his wife said to him, Remaineth thou yet in thy integrity, that is, in thy foolishness?) Curse thou God, and die.

¹⁰ And Job said to her, Thou hast spoken as one of the fond women; if we have taken goods of the hand of the Lord, why forsooth suffer we not evils? In all these things Job sinned not in his lips. (And Job said to her, Thou hast spoken like the foolish woman that thou art; if we have received good from the Lord’s hand, then why should we not also suffer evil? And so in all these things Job did not sin with his lips.)

¹¹ And then three friends of Job heard (of) all the evil that had befallen to him, and they came to him, each of them from his place, Eliphaz (the) Temanite, and Bildad (the) Shuhite, and Zophar (the) Naamathite; for they had said together to themselves, that they would come together, and visit Job, and comfort him.

¹² And when they had raised afar their eyes, they knew not him; and they cried [out], and wept, and rent their clothes, and sprinkled dust on their head(s) into heaven. (And when they had raised up their eyes from afar, they did not know him, or they could not recognize him; and they cried out, and wept, and tore their clothes, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the heavens.)

¹³ And they sat with him in the earth seven days and seven nights, and no man spake a word to him; for they saw, that his sorrow was great. (And then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him; for they saw, that his sorrow was great.)

3 After these things Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

² and he said,

³ Perish the day in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, A man is conceived.

⁴ That day be turned into darknesses; God seek not it [from] above, and be it not in mind, neither be it lightened with light. (Let that day be turned into darkness; let God not seek it out from above, and be it forgotten, and let no light shine upon it.)

⁵ Darkness make it dark, and the shadow of death and of mist occupy it; and be it wrapped with bitterness. (Let darkness make it dark, and the shadow of death and mist fill it full; and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.)

⁶ Dark whirlwind hold that night; be it not reckoned among the days of the year, neither be it numbered among the months (Let a dark whirlwind hold that night; be it not reckoned among the days of the year, nor let it be counted among the months.)

⁷ (Let) That night be sullen, and not worthy of praising.

⁸ Curse they it, that curse the day, that be ready to raise Leviathan^[c]. (Curse they it, who curse the day, yea, they who be ready to raise up even Leviathan.)

⁹ [The] Stars of that night be they made dark with the darkness thereof; abide it light, and see it not, neither see it the beginning of the morrowtide rising up. (Let the stars of that night be made dark in its darkness; let it wait for the light, but not see it, nor let it see the beginning of the morning rising up.)

¹⁰ For it closed not (up) the doors of the womb, that bare me, neither it took away evil from mine eyes.

¹¹ Why was not I dead in the womb? why went I out of the womb, and perished not anon? (Why was I not dead in the womb? why did I not go out of the womb, and perish at once?)

¹² Why was I taken on knees? why was I given suck with teats?

¹³ For now I sleeping should be still, and I should rest in my sleep, (For then, now sleeping, I would be silent, and I would be resting in my sleep,)

¹⁴ with kings and counsellors of the earth, which build to them sullen places; (with kings and counsellors of the earth, who built palaces for themselves;)

¹⁵ either with princes that have gold in possession, and fill their houses with silver; (and with princes who had a great deal of gold, and filled their houses with silver;)

¹⁶ either as a child, or a beast, born before the time, and hid, I should not have been; either as they that be conceived, and saw not light. (or like a child, or a beast, born early, or still-born, and then hidden, or buried, I should not have been; or like they who be conceived, but never saw the light.)

¹⁷ There wicked men ceased of (making) noise, and there men made weary of strength rested. (There the wicked cease making noise, and there the strong, made weary, rest.)

¹⁸ And sometime men bound together (now be) without dis-ease, they heard not the voice of the wrongful asker. (And those who before were bound together, now be without unease, or distress; they hear no more their taskmaster’s voice.)

¹⁹ A little man and (a) great man be there, and a servant (is) free from his lord.

²⁰ Why is light given to the wretch, and life to them that be in bitterness of soul? (Why is light given to the wretch, and life to those who have a bitter soul?)

²¹ Which abide death, and it cometh not; as men that dig out treasure, (They who wait for death, but it cometh not; like men who dig out treasure,)

²² and joy greatly, when they have found a sepulchre? (and greatly rejoice, when they have found a tomb, or a grave?)

²³ Why is light given to a man, whose way is hid, and God hath (en)compassed him with darknesses? (Why is light given to a man, whose way forward is hidden, or obscured, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?)

²⁴ Before that I eat, I sigh; and as of water flowing, so is my roaring. (Before that I eat, I sigh; and my roaring floweth out, like the water.)

²⁵ For the dread, which I dreaded, hath come to me; and that thing, that I shamed [of], hath befallen to me. (For the fear, which I feared, hath come to me; and what I was afraid of, hath befallen me.)

²⁶ Whether I dissembled, or feigned, not? whether I was not still? (was I not silent?) whether I rested not? and yet indignation hath come [up]on me.

4 Then Eliphaz (the) Temanite answered, and said,

² If we begin to speak to thee, in hap thou shalt take it heavily (perhaps thou shalt take it personally); but who may hold (back) a word (once) conceived?

³ Lo! thou hast taught full many men, and thou hast strengthened hands made faint.

⁴ Thy words have confirmed men doubting, and thou hast comforted knees trembling. (Thy words have confirmed men who were doubting, and thou hast strengthened trembling knees.)

⁵ But now a wound is come upon thee, and thou hast failed, (or fainted); it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶ Where is thy dread (Where is thy fear/Where is thy reverence), thy strength, and thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?

⁷ I beseech thee, have thou mind, what innocent man perished ever, either when rightful men were done away? (I beseech thee, remember, did an innocent person ever perished, or were the upright ever done away with?)

⁸ Certainly rather I saw them, that work wickedness, and sow sorrows, and reap those, (Rather, I saw those, who work wickedness, and sow sorrows, and reap them,)

⁹ to have perished by God blowing, and to be wasted by the spirit of his ire. (to have perished by God blowing on them, and to be destroyed by the breath from his nostrils.)

¹⁰ The roaring of a lion, and the voice of a lioness, and the teeth of (the) whelps of lions, be all-broken.

¹¹ Tigers perished (The tiger perished), for she had not (any) prey; and [the] whelps of the lion be destroyed.

¹² Certainly an hid word was said to me, and mine ear took as it were thief-like the veins of the privy speaking thereof. (Truly a hidden word was said to me, and my ear caught it like the stolen whispers of private speaking.)

¹³ In the hideousness of [the] night’s sight, when heavy sleep is wont to occupy men,

¹⁴ dread and trembling held me; and all my bones were afeared. (fear and trembling held me; and all my bones were made afraid.)

¹⁵ And when the spirit went in my presence, the hairs of my flesh had hideousness. (And when a breeze passed by me, all the hairs of my flesh stood up.)

¹⁶ One stood, whose cheer, or likeness, I knew not, an image before mine eyes; and I heard a voice as of [a] soft wind. (And something stood, whose face, or likeness, I knew not, or could not see, yea, there was a figure before my eyes; and I heard a voice like a soft wind.)

¹⁷ Whether a man shall be made just in comparison of God? either a man shall be cleaner than his Maker? (And it said, Can anyone be seen as righteous in comparison to God? or is anyone purer than his Maker?)

¹⁸ Lo! they that serve him be not steadfast; and he hath found shrewdness in his angels. (Lo! they who serve him be not trustworthy; and he hath found depravity even in his angels.)

¹⁹ How much more they that dwell in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundament, shall be wasted as of a moth. (How much more they who live in clay houses, whose foundations be dust, and who can be squashed like a bug?)

²⁰ From morrowtide till to eventide they shall be cut down; and for no man understandeth, they shall perish without end. (From morning until evening they shall be cut down; they shall perish forevermore, with no one taking heed.)

²¹ And they, that be left, shall be taken away; they shall die, and not in wisdom. (And what is left to them shall be taken away from them; they shall die, without ever finding wisdom.)

5 Therefore, Job, call thou, if there is any man that shall answer thee, and turn thou to some of [the] saints. (And so, Job, call thou out, but is there anyone who shall answer thee? and to whom of the saints shalt thou turn?)

² Wrathfulness slayeth a fond man, and envy slayeth a little child. (Anger killeth the foolish, and envy killeth the childish.)

³ I saw a fool with [a] steadfast root, and I cursed his fairness anon (and at once I cursed his dwelling place).

⁴ His sons shall be made far from health, and they shall be defouled in the gate, and there shall be none that shall deliver them. (Yea, his sons shall be made far from help, and they shall be reviled in the court, and there shall be no one who shall save them.)

⁵ Whose ripe corn an hungry man shall eat, and an armed man shall ravish him, and they, that thirst, shall drink his riches. (A hungry man shall eat his harvest, and an armed man shall rob him, and they, who thirst, shall drink his riches.)

⁶ Nothing is done in [the] earth without cause, and sorrow shall not go out of the earth, that is, adversity befalleth not to any man without cause. (Nothing is done on the earth without a reason, and trouble groweth not out of the earth, that is, adversity befalleth not to anyone without a reason.)

⁷ A man is born to labour, and a bird to flight.

⁸ Wherefore I shall beseech the Lord, and I shall set my speech to my God (and I shall put my case before my God).

⁹ That maketh great things, and that may not be sought out, and wonderful things without number. (Who maketh great things, which may not be sought out, and wonderful things without number.)

¹⁰ The which God giveth rain upon the face of the earth, and moisteth all things with waters (and moisteneth everything with water).

¹¹ Which setteth meek men on high, and raiseth with health them that mourn. (Who putteth the humble upon high, and raiseth to victory those who mourn.)

¹² Which destroyeth the thoughts of evil-willed men (Who destroyeth the thoughts of the evil-willed), (so) that their hands may not fulfill those things that they have begun.

¹³ Which taketh sly cautelous men in their own fellness, and he destroyeth the counsel of shrews. (Who catcheth the sly and the shrewd in their own craftiness, and he destroyeth the counsel of the depraved.)

¹⁴ By day they shall run into darknesses, and as in night, so they shall grope in midday. (In the daylight they shall run to the darkness, and at midday they shall grope, like in the night.)

¹⁵ Certainly God shall make safe a needy man from the sword of their mouth, and a poor man from the hand of the violent, either raveners. (But God shall make the needy safe from the mouth of their sword, and the poor from the hand of the violent, or of the raveners.)

¹⁶ And hope shall be to a needy man, but wickedness shall draw together his mouth. (And the needy shall have hope, and the mouths of the wicked shall be drawn together, or closed.)

¹⁷ Blessed is the man, which is chastised of the Lord; therefore reprove thou not the blaming of the Lord. (Blessed is the man, who is chastised by the Lord; and so do not thou reprove the Lord’s rebuke.)

¹⁸ For he woundeth, and (then he) doeth medicine; he smiteth (he striketh), and (then) his hands shall make whole.

¹⁹ In six tribulations he shall deliver thee, and in the seventh tribulation evil shall not touch thee.

²⁰ In hunger he shall deliver thee from death, and in battle from the power of (the) sword.

²¹ Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of an evil tongue, and thou shalt not dread mis-ease, either wretchedness, when it cometh.

²² In destroying made of enemies and in hunger thou shalt laugh, and thou shalt not dread the beasts of [the] earth. (In destruction made by enemies, and in hunger, thou shalt laugh, and thou shalt not fear the beasts of the earth.)

²³ But thy covenant shall be with the stones of (the) earth, and (the) beasts of (the) earth shall be peaceable to thee. (And thou shalt make a covenant with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the earth shall be at peace with thee.)

²⁴ And thou shalt know, that thy tabernacle hath peace, and thou visiting thy fairness, that is, beholding thy prosperity, shalt not sin. (And thou shalt know, that thy home shall be at peace, and thou shalt see thy prosperity, and then thou shalt not sin.)

²⁵ And thou shalt know also, that thy seed shall be manyfold, and thy generation shall be as an herb of [the] earth. (And thou shalt know also, that thy descendants shall be many, and thy children shall be like the grass on the earth.)

²⁶ In abundance (of years) thou shalt go into the sepulchre, as an heap of wheat is borne [in] in his time (In the abundance of years thou shalt go to the grave, or into the tomb, yea, like a heap of wheat is brought in, or harvested, in its time.)

²⁷ Lo! this thing is so, as we have sought (Lo! we have sought out this thing, and it is so); the which thing when thou hast heard (it), treat it in thy mind.

6 And Job answered, and said,

² I would (I wish), that my sins, by which I have deserved the wrath of God, and the wretchedness which I suffer, were weighed in a balance.

³ As the gravel of the sea, this wretchedness should appear more grievous; wherefore and my words be full of sorrow. (For this wretchedness of mine, would weigh more than all the sand of the sea; and so my words be full of sorrow.)

⁴ For (now) the arrows of the Lord be in me, the indignation of which drinketh up my spirit; and the dreads of the Lord fight against me (and the terrors from the Lord fight against me).

⁵ Whether a field ass shall roar, when he hath grass? Either whether an ox shall low, when he standeth before a full cratch? (Will a donkey bray, when he hath grass? Or shall an ox low, when he standeth before a full feed box?)

⁶ Either whether a thing unsavory may be eaten, which is not made savory by salt? (Or can an unsavory thing be eaten, which is not first made savory with salt?) Either whether any man may taste a thing, which (once) tasted bringeth death? For why to an hungry soul, yea, bitter things seem to be sweet;

⁷ those things which my soul would not touch before, be now my meats for anguish. (those things which I enjoyed before, now be the foods which make me sick.)

⁸ Who giveth, or granteth, that mine asking come to me; and that God give to me that thing, that I abide? (and that God give me that thing, that I wait for?)

⁹ And he that hath begun to punish, all-break he me; loose he his hand, and cut he me down? (And he who hath begun to punish me, now all-break he me; let him loose his hand, and cut me down!)

¹⁰ And this be comfort to me, that he torment me with sorrow, and spare not, and that I against-say not the words of the Holy. (And this be my comfort, that though he torment me with sorrow, and spare me not, I have not said anything against the words of the Holy One.)

¹¹ For what is my strength, that I suffer? either which is mine end, that I suffer it patiently? (For what is my strength, so that I can endure? and what is my end, so that I can endure it patiently?)

¹² Neither my strength is the strength of stones, neither my flesh is of brass. (Neither my strength is like the strength of stones, nor my flesh is like that of bronze.)

¹³ Lo! none help is to me in me (Lo! there is no help for me in me); and also my necessary friends (have) parted from me.

¹⁴ He that taketh away mercy from his friend, forsaketh the dread of the Lord. (He who taketh away love from his friend, forgetteth the fear of the Lord/abandoneth reverence for the Lord.)

¹⁵ My brethren passed from me, as a strand doeth, that passeth (by) rushingly in great valleys. (My brothers, that is, my kinsmen, have passed by me, like a stream doeth, which rusheth through great valleys.)

¹⁶ Snow shall come upon them, that dread frost.

¹⁷ In the time wherein they be scattered, they shall perish; and when they shall wax hot, they shall be loosed from their place.

¹⁸ The paths of their steps be (en)wrapped; they shall go in vain, and shall perish.

¹⁹ Behold ye the paths of Tema, and the ways of Sheba; and abide ye a little.

²⁰ They be shamed, for I hoped (They be ashamed, for they had hoped); and they came unto me, and they be covered with shame.

²¹ Now ye be come, and now ye see my wound, and dread (and ye fear it).

²² Whether I (ever) said, Bring ye to me, and give ye of your chattel to me?

²³ either said, Deliver ye me from the hand of mine enemy, and draw away ye me from the hand of strong men? (or I said, Rescue ye me from the hands of my enemy, or draw ye me away from the hands of the strong?)

²⁴ Teach ye me, and I shall be still (and I shall be quiet); and if in hap I unknew anything, teach ye me.

²⁵ Why have ye contraried the words of truth? since there is none of you, that may reprove me (since there is none of you, who can rebuke me).

²⁶ Ye make ready speeches only for to blame, and ye bring forth words into wind. (Ye only open your mouths to blame, and ye bring forth words like so much wind.)

²⁷ Ye fall in on a fatherless child, and endeavour to pervert your friend.

²⁸ Nevertheless fulfill ye that, that ye have begun; and give ye your ear, or hearing, and see ye, whether I lie.

²⁹ I beseech you, answer ye me without strife, and speak ye, and deem ye that, that is just. (I beseech you, answer ye me without arguing, and say ye, and judge ye, what is fair.)

³⁰ And ye shall not find wickedness in my tongue, neither folly shall sound in my cheeks. (And ye shall not find wickedness on my tongue, nor shall foolishness come out of my mouth.)

7 Knighthood, that is, continual travail, and fighting against vices, is the life of a man upon (the) earth, and his days be as the days of an hired man.

² As an hart desireth shadow, and as an hired man abideth the end of his work; (Like a servant desireth the shade, and like a hired man waiteth for the end of his work day;)

³ so I have had void months (so I have had empty months), and I have numbered travailous nights to me.

⁴ If I shall sleep, I shall say, When shall I rise? and again I shall abide the eventide, and I shall be full-filled with sorrows unto darknesses come (and I shall be filled full with sorrow until the darknesses come).

⁵ My flesh is clothed with rot, and filths of dust; my skin dried up, and is drawn together (my skin is dried up, and is altogether drawn/and my skin is covered with running sores).

⁶ My days have passed swifter than a web is cut down from the looms; and those days be wasted without any hope of coming again.

⁷ God, have thou mind, for my life is wind, and mine eye shall not turn again, that it see goods. (God, remember that my life is but a breath, and I shall no longer see any good days.)

⁸ Neither the sight of man shall behold me; but thine eyes be in me (but thy eyes be upon me), and I shall not be in deadly life, that is, I shall not abide (alive).

⁹ As a cloud is wasted, and passeth soon away, so he that goeth down to hell, shall not go up (from) thence; (Like a cloud that fadeth, and soon passeth away, is he who goeth down to the Sheol, or the grave, and shall never come up from there;)

¹⁰ neither he shall turn again more into his house, and his place shall no more know him. (nor shall he return to his house, and his place shall know him no more.)

¹¹ Wherefore and I shall not spare my mouth; I shall speak in the tribulation of my spirit, I shall talk (al)together with the bitterness of my soul (I shall speak out of the bitterness of my soul).

¹² Whether I am a sea, either a whale, for thou hast (en)compassed me with a prison? (Am I a sea, or a whale, for thou hast surrounded me with a prison?)

¹³ If I shall say, My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, or quieted, speaking with me in my bed; (If I shall say, My bed shall comfort me, and I shall be relieved, or quieted, talking to myself in my bed;)

¹⁴ thou shalt make me afeared by dreams, and thou shalt shake me with horror, either hideousness, by sights. (then thou shalt make me afraid with dreams, and thou shalt make me shake with visions of horror, or of hideousness.)

¹⁵ Wherefore my soul chose hanging, and my bones have chosen death.

¹⁶ I despaired, (and) now I shall no more live; Lord, spare thou me, for my days be nought.

¹⁷ What is a man, for thou magnifiest him? either what settest thou thine heart toward him? (or why settest thou thy heart toward him?)

¹⁸ Thou visitest him early, and suddenly thou provest him. (And then thou punishest him early in the morning, and suddenly thou triest him.)

¹⁹ How long sparest thou not me, neither sufferest me, that I swallow my spittle? (How long sparest thou me not, nor allowest me to swallow my own spittle?)

²⁰ I have sinned; O! thou keeper of men, what shall I do to thee? Why hast thou set me contrary to thee, and I am made grievous to myself? (I have sinned; O! thou keeper of men, but what have I done to thee? Why hast thou put me contrary to thee, so that I am even made a burden to thee?)

²¹ Why doest thou not away my sin, and why takest thou not away my wickedness? Lo! now I shall sleep in dust, and if thou seekest me early, I shall not abide (Lo! now I shall sleep in the dust, and when thou seekest me in the morning, I shall already be dead).