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the ten sonnes of Aman ye sonne of Amadathi ye enemie of the Iewes: but on his goodes they layed no handes.

and how Hester wente and spake to the kynge, that thorow letters his wicked deuyce (which he ymagyned agaynst the Iewes) might be turned vpon his awne heade, and how he and his sonnes were hanged on the tre.

As for all ye worke of his power and auctoryte, and ye greate worshippe of Mardocheus, which the kynge gaue him, beholde, it is wrytten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Media & Persia,

For Mardocheus the Iewe was the seconde nexte vnto kynge Ahasuerus, and greate amonge ye Iewes, and accepted amonge the multitude of his brethren, as one yt seketh the welth of his people, and speaketh the best for all his sede.

His substaunce was vij. M. shepe, iij.M. camels, v.C. yock of oxen, v.C. she asses, and a very greate housholde: so yt he was one of the most principall men amoge all them of the east countre.

His sonnes now wente on euery man, and made banckettes: one daye in one house, another daye in another, and sent for their iij. sisters, to eate & drinke with them.

hast thou not preserued him, his house, and all his substaunce on euery syde? hast thou not blessed the workes of his hondes? Is not his possession encreaced in the londe?

Now vpon a certayne daye when his sonnes and doughters were eatinge, and drynkinge wyne in their eldest brothers house,

Then Iob stode vp, and rente his clothes shaued his heade, fell downe vpon the groude, worshipped,

and sayde: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I turne thither agayne. The LORDE gaue, and the LORDE hath taken awaye (the LORDE hath done his pleasure) now blessed be ye name off the LORDE.

Then sayde the LORDE vnto Sathan: Hast thou not considered my seruaunt Iob, how that he is an innocent & vertuous man soch one as feareth God, and eschueth euell, and that there is none like him in the londe? But thou mouedest me agaynst him, to punysh him: yet is it in vayne, for he contynueth still in his godlynesse.

Sathan answered the LORDE, and sayde: Skynne for skynne? yee a man will geue all yt euer he hath, for his life.

Then sayde the LORDE vnto Satha: lo, there hast thou him in thy power, but spare his life.

So wente Sathan forth from the LORDE, and smote Iob with maruelous sore byles, from the sole off the fote vnto his crowne:

so that he sat vpon the grounde in the asshes, and scraped of the etter off his sores with a potsherde.

Then sayde his wife vnto him: Dost thou yet cotynue in thy perfectnesse? curse God, & dye.

But Iob sayde vnto her: Thou speakest like a foolish woma. Seinge we haue receaued prosperite at the honde of God, wherfore shulde we not be content with aduersite also? In all these thinges, dyd not Iob synne with his lippes.

Now when Iobs frendes herde of all ye trouble, that happened vnto him, there came thre off them, euery one from his owne place: namely, Eliphas the Themanite, Baldad the Suhite, and Sophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shewe their compassion vpon him, and to comforte him.

So when they lifte vp their eyes a farre off, they knewe him not. Then they cried, and wepte: then euery one off them rente his clothes, and sprynckled dust vpon their heades in the ayre.

They sat them downe by him also vpon the grounde, vij. dayes and vij. nightes. Nether was there eny of them that spake one worde vnto him, for they sawe that his payne was very greate.