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…the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation.

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.

So Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.

And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes,

…in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established them and had committed themselves and their descendants to the times of fasting and lamentation.

…in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established them and had committed themselves and their descendants to the times of fasting and lamentation.

Now King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the land, even to its farthest shores.

And all of Mordecai’s powerful and magnificent accomplishments, together with the full account of the greatness to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia?

For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

Job’s sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.

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

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”

But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

“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.

…a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,

…the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

…the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

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!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, 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!”

Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,

On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.

On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.

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

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”

“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”

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.

And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.

Then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!”

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.

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw how intense his suffering was.

If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.

May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.

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

Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?

Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,

Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,

Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?

Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it.

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

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

“Call out if you please, but who will answer? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him—

He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields.

He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.

You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in season.

My soul refuses to touch them; they are loathsome food to me.

My soul refuses to touch them; they are loathsome food to me.

…that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

…that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

The caravans of Tema look for water; the travelers of Sheba hope to find it.

Do you intend to correct my words, and treat as wind my cry of despair?

But now, please look at me. Would I lie to your face?

“Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?

So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed to me.

My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.

As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up.

He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.

…that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?

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

If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?

If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?

When your children sinned against Him, He gave them over to their rebellion.

If one wished to contend with God, he could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.

He commands the sun not to shine; He seals off the stars.

Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.

Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move, I would not recognize Him.

If He takes away, who can stop Him? Who dares to ask Him, ‘What are You doing?’

If I summoned Him and He answered me, I do not believe He would listen to my voice.

If I were to say, ‘I will forget my complaint and change my expression and smile,’

For He is not a man like me, that I can answer Him, that we can take each other to court.

Nor is there a mediator between us, to lay his hand upon us both.

I will say to God: Do not condemn me! Let me know why You prosecute me.

Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?

Does it please You to oppress me, to reject the work of Your hands and favor the schemes of the wicked?

Please remember that You molded me like clay. Would You now return me to dust?

If I am guilty, woe to me! And even if I am righteous, I cannot lift my head. I am full of shame and aware of my affliction.

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

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

…before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom,

…before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom,

…to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness.”

Should your babbling put others to silence? Will you scoff without rebuke?

…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.

If He comes along to imprison you, or convenes a court, who can stop Him?

As for you, if you direct your heart and lift up your hands to Him,

…if you put away the iniquity in your hand, and allow no injustice to dwell in your tents,

But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?

I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.