19Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. 20For there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sm- neth not.
2IAlso take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; ^or oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
^All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me. ^hat which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out? ^I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness; 26and I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. 27Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, adding one thing to another, to find out the account; "which yet my soul sought, but I found not; one nan among a thousand liave I found; Dut a woman among all those have I not found. 29Behold, this only have [ found, that God made man upright; DUt they have sought out many in- ventions.
ECCLESIASTES Q Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing?
A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, And the boldness of his face is changed.
2I [counsel thee]: keep the king's command, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3Be not hasty to go out of his presence; stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleas- eth him. 4Forasmuch as the king's word hath power; and who may say unto him: 'What doest thou?'
5Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; And a wise man's heart discerneth time and judgment. *For to every matter there is a time and judgment; for the evil of man is great upon him. ^or he knoweth not that which shall be; for even when it cometh to pass, who shall declare it unto him? 8There is no man that hath power over the wind to retain the wind; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no dis- charge in war; neither shall wicked- ness deliver him that is given to it. 9A11 this have I seen, even applied my heart thereto, whatever the work that is done under the sun; what time one man had power over another to his hurt.
10And so I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgot- ten in the city; this also is vanity. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, there- fore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil; "because a sinner doeth evil a hundred times, and prolongeth his days — though yet I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before Him; 13but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he feareth not before God. 14There is a vanity which is done upon the earth* that there are righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous — I said that this also is vanity. 16So I commended mirth, that a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry, and that this should accom- pany him in his labour all the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.
16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth — for neither day nor night do men see sleep with their eyes — 17then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Q For all this I laid to my heart, ^ even to make clear all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them. 2A11 things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that fear- eth an oath. 'This is an evil in all that is done under tho sun, that there is one event unto all; yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of ECCLESIASTES evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. 6As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is long ago perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7Gp thy way, eat thy bread with And drink thy wine with a merry heart; For God hath already accepted thy works.
8Let thy garments be always white; And let thy head lack no oil. 'Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which 'He hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity; for that is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherein thou labourest under the sun. "Whatso- ever thy hand attaineth to do by thy strength, that do; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
UI returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise.' nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 12For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
18This also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me: "there was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it; 16now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. 16Then said I. 'Wisdom is better than strength; nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.7 17The words of the wise spoken in quiet Are more acceptable than the cry of a ruler among fools. 18Wisdom is better than weapons of war; But one sinner destroyeth much good.
1 A Dead flies make the ointment of A the perfumer fetid and putrid; So doth a little folly outweigh wis- dom and honour. 2A wise man's understanding is at his right hand; But a f ooPs understanding at his left. 3Yea also, when a fool walketh by the way, his understanding f aileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a f ooL 4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, Leave not thy place; For gentleness allayeth great of- fences.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, Like an error which proceedeth from a ruler: 6Folly is set on great heights, And the rich sit in low place.
7I have seen servants upon horses, And princes walking as servants upon the earth.
ECCLESIASTES 8He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; And whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him. "Whoso quarrieth stones shall be hurt therewith; And he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. 10If the iron be blunt, And one do not whet the edge, Then must he put to more strength, But wisdom is profitable to direct, nlf the serpent bite before it is charmed, Then the charmer hath no advantage 12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; And the end of his talk is grievous madness.
J4A fool also multiplieth words; Yet man knoweth not what shall be; And that which shall be after him, Who can tell him? 15The labour of fools wearieth every one of them, For he knoweth not how to go to the city.
16Woe to thec, O laud, when thy king is a boy, And thy princes feast in the morning! 17 Happy art thou, 0 land, when thy king is a free man, And thy princes eat in due season, In strength, and not in drunkenness I HBy Klothfulness the rafters sink in: And through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
l*A feast is made for laughter, And wine maketh glad the life; And money answersth all things.
20Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought, And curse not the rich in thy bed- chamber; For a bird of the air shall carry the voice, And that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
~j 1 Cast thy bread upon the waters, XJ- For thou shalt find it after many days. 2Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; For thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3If the clouds be full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, In the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be. *He that observeth the wind shall not sow; And he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 6As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, Nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; Kven so thou knowest not the work of God Who dooth all things. °In the morning sow thy seed, And iu the evening withhold not thy hand; For thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, Or whether they both shall be alike good.
7And the light is sweet, And a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun. 8For if a man live many years, Let him rejoice in them all, ECCLESIASTES And remember the days of darkness, For they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
9Rejoice, 0 young man, in thy youth; And let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes; But know thou, that for aE these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10Therefore remove vexation from thy heart, And put away evil from thy flesh; For childhood and youth are vanity.
1 O Remember then thy Creator x in the days of thy youth, Before the evil days come, And the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say: :I have no pleasure in them'; 2Before the sun, and the light, and the moon, And the stars, are darkened, And the clouds return after the rain; sln the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, And the strong men shall bow them- And the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look out shall be darkened in the windows, 4And the doors shall be shut in the street, When the sound of the grinding is low; And one shall start up at the voice of a bird, And all the daughters of music shall be brought low; 6Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, And terrors shall be in the way; And the almond-tree shall blossom, And the grasshopper shall drag itself along, And the caperberry shall fail; Because man goeth to his long home, And the mourners go about the streets; 6Before the silver cord is snapped asunder, And the golden bowl is shattered, And the pitcher is broken at the fountain, And the wheel f alleth shattered into the pit; 7And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
8Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; "All is vanity.
lAnd besides that Koheleth was wise, he also taught the people knowledge; yea, he pondered, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 10Koheleth sought to find out words of delight, and that which was written uprightly, even words of truth.
uThe words of the wise are as goads, and as nails well fastened are those that are composed in collections; they are given from one shepherd. 12And furthermore, my son, be ad- monished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
lsThe end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man. l4For God shall bring every work into the judgment concerning every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
The «nd of the matter, t fear God, and keep His commandments; for th is the whole man.
ESTHER 1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus — this is Aliasuerus who reigned, from India even unto Ethio- pia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces — 2thatin those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the castle, 3in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him; Vhen he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty, many days, even a hundred and fourscore days. 8And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the pepple that were present in Shushan the castle, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; 'there were hangings of white, fine cotton, and blue, bordered with cords of fine linen and purple, upon silver rods and pillars of marble; the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and shell, and onyx marble. 7Ana they gave them drink in vessels of gold — the vessels being diverse one from another — and royal wine in abundance, according to the botinty of the king. *And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9Also Vashti the queen mad£ a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 100n the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Bizzetha, Har- bona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, "to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on. 12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's com- mandment by the chamberlains; there- fore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times — for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment; Mand thei next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the.seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom: l5'What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, forasmuch as she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?'
16And Memucau answered before the king and the princes: 'Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples, that are in. all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands con- temptible in their eyes, when it will ESTHER ESTHER be said: The king Ahasuerus com- manded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. 18And this day will the prin- cesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king's princes. So will there arise enough contempt and wrath. 19If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and that the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. 20And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, great though it be, all the wives will give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.' 21And the word pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan, 22for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every prov- ince according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their lan- guage, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and speak ac- cording to the language of his people.
O After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'Let there be sought for the king sroung virgins fair to look on, 3and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the castle, to the house of the women, unto the custody of aHegai the king's chamber- lain, keeper of the women; and let T le their ointments be given them; 4and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
^There was a certain Jew in Shushan the castle, whose name was Mordecai >the son of Jair the son of Shimei the son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was of beautiful form and fair to look on; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was published, and when many maid- ens were gathered together unto Shu- shan ^ the castle, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9Aiul the maiden pleased him, and she, obtained kindness of him; and hi* speedily gave her her ointments, with her portions, and the seven maidens, who were meet to be given her out of the king's house; and he advanced her and her maidens to the best place in the houKO of the women. 10E«ther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it. llAnd Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would be- come of her, 12Now when the turn of every maid- en was come togo in to king Ahaauerus, after that it had been aone to her according to the law for the women, » Heb. ffege.
ESTHER 36 twelve months— for so were the days of their anointing accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other ointments of the women — 13 when then the maiden came unto the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. 14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
18Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. 16So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set tho royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.
19And when the virgins were gath- ered together the second time, and Mordecai sat in the king's gate — 20Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Morde- cai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of 'Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him — 21in those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. 22And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Morde- cai's name. ^And when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
O After these things did king Ahas- ^ uerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and ad- vanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him 2And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed down, and prostrated themselves before Haman; for the king had so commanded con- cerning him.. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor prostrated himself before him. sThen the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai: 'Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?' 4Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordccai's words would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 6And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor pron- tratod himself before him, then was Haman. full of wrath. °But it seomed comtemptible in his eyes to lay hands on Mordeoai alone; for they had made known to him tho people of Mordecai; wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout tho whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the ESTHER ESTHER people of Mordecai. 7In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
8And Haman said unto king Ahas- uerus: 'There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and then* laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws; therefore it profiteth not the king to suffer them. 9If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those that have the charge of the king's business, to bring it into the king's treasuries/ 10And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. "And the king said unto Haman: 'The silver is given to- thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.'
KThen were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the thir- teenth day thereof, and there was written, according to all that Haman commanded, unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province ac- cording to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the king's ring. "And letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. 14The copy of the writing, to be given out for a decree in every province, was to be published unto all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day. 15The posts went forth in haste by the king's commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the castle; and the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
A Now when Mordecai knew all th&t •*• was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter r cry; 2and he came even before the king's gate; fordone might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 8And in every province, whithersoever the king's command- ment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the JewSj and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly pained; and she sent raiment to clothe Morde- cai, and to take his sackcloth from off him; but he accepted it not. Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was, 6So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city, which was before the king's gate. 7And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treas- uries for the Jews, to destroy them, 8Also he gave him the copy of tha writing of the decree that was given ESTHER ESTHER out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.
9And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10Then Esther spoke unto Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai: ll'All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold put the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.' 12And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther: 'Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish; and who knoweth whether thou art not come to royal estate for such a time as this?' l5Then Esther bade them return an- swer unto Mordecai: 16'Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.' l7So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had com- manded him.
K Now it came to pass on the third ^ day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house; and^ the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house. 2And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 3Then said the king unto her: 'What wilt thou, queen Esther? for whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be given thee.' 4And Esther said: 'If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.' *Then the king said: 'Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as Esther hath said J So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine: 'Whatever thy petition, it shall be granted thee; and whatever thy request, even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be per- formed.' 7Then answered Esther, and said: 'My petition and my re- quest is— Hf I nave found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to per- form, my request — let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said.'