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For the chiefs of the satraps, and the princes and the royal scribes, honoured the Jews; for the fear of Mardochaeus lay upon them.

For the order of the king was in force, that he should be celebrated in all the kingdom.

And the king said to Esther, The Jews have slain five hundred men in the city Susa; and how, thinkest thou, have they used them in the rest of the country? What then dost thou yet ask, that it may be done for thee?

for on these days the Jews obtained rest from their enemies; and as to the month, which was Adar, in which a change was made for them, from mourning to joy, and from sorrow to a good day, to spend the whole of it in good days of feasting and gladness, sending portions to their friends, and to the poor.

Therefore these days were called Phrurae, because of the lots; (for in their language they are called Phrurae;)because of the words of this letter, and because of all they suffered on this account, and all that happened to them.

And these days of the Phrurae, said they,shall be kept for ever, and their memorial shall not fail in any generation.

And Mardochaeus and Esther the queen appointed a fast for themselves privately, even at that time also having formed their plan against their own health.

And Esther established it by a command for ever, and it was written for a memorial.

And as for his strength and valour, and the wealth and glory of his kingdom, behold, they are written in the book of the Persians and Medes, for a memorial.

And when the days of the banquet were completed, Job sent and purified them, having risen up in the morning, and offered sacrifices for them, according to their number, and one calf for a sin-offering for their souls: for Job said, Lest peradventure my sons have thought evil in their minds against God. Thus, then Job did continually.

Then the devil answered, and said before the Lord, Does Job worship the Lord for nothing?

and the spoilers came and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee.

And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life.

And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, even thy sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.

and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and no one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for so it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

For why died I not in the belly? and why did I not come forth from the womb and die immediately?

For why is light given to those who are in bitterness, and life to those souls which are in griefs?

who desire death, and obtain it not, digging for it as for treasures;