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The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush—writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

…as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.

Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter, and because of all they had seen and experienced,

These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

…when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

…saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

“Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept from God only good and not adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.

When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.

For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.

Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?

There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.

Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?

They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever.

His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.

The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground.

For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground.

He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful.

He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful.

He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.

In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.

In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.

You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes.

Is there any help within me now that success is driven from me?

…but ceasing in the dry season and vanishing from their channels in the heat.

Caravans turn aside from their routes; they go into the wasteland and perish.

Have I ever said, ‘Give me something; offer me a bribe from your wealth;

…deliver me from the hand of the enemy; redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless’?

…deliver me from the hand of the enemy; redeem me from the grasp of the ruthless’?

Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?

Will they not teach you and tell you, and speak from their understanding?

If he is uprooted from his place, it will disown him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’

Surely this is the joy of his way; yet others will spring from the dust.

He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.

Let Him remove His rod from me, so that His terror will no longer frighten me.

…though You know that I am not guilty, and there is no deliverance from Your hand?

Why then did You bring me from the womb? Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!

If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

Are my days not few? Withdraw from me, that I may have a little comfort,

…and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God exacts from you less than your iniquity deserves.

Only grant these two things to me, so that I need not hide from You:

Withdraw Your hand from me, and do not let Your terror frighten me.

Who can bring out clean from unclean? No one!

…look away from him and let him rest, so he can enjoy his day as a hired hand.

As water disappears from the sea and a river becomes parched and dry,

…so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.

But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and a rock is dislodged from its place,

…so that you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?

…what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,

He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.

He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.

You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.

The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the land.

He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world.

He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world.

He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.

He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.

Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth,

He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.

Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce him.

It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the inheritance God has appointed him.”

Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.

You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,

They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’

But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents

Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.

The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast; the nursing child of the poor is seized for a debt.

From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

This is the wicked man’s portion from God—the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.

Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.

Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore.

Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.

Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.

Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.

Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire.