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26 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    so honor is not fitting for a fool.(A)

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26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)

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10 It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,
    much less for a slave to rule over princes.(A)

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10 It is not fitting for a fool(A) to live in luxury—
    how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!(B)

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16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life.

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16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

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On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among humankind.(A)

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who freely strut(A) about
    when what is vile is honored by the human race.

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There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler: folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place.(A) I have seen slaves on horseback and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

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There is an evil I have seen under the sun,
    the sort of error that arises from a ruler:
Fools are put in many high positions,(A)
    while the rich occupy the low ones.
I have seen slaves on horseback,
    while princes go on foot like slaves.(B)

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It is like binding a stone in a sling
    to give honor to a fool.(A)

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Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.(A)

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Excess speech is not becoming to a fool;
    still less is false speech to a ruler.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 17.7 Or a noble

Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
    how much worse lying lips to a ruler!(A)

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Psalm 52

Judgment on the Deceitful

To the leader. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

Why do you boast, O mighty one,
    of mischief done against the godly?[a]
    All day long(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 52.1 Cn Compare Syr: Heb the kindness of God

Psalm 52[a]

For the director of music. A maskil[b] of David. When Doeg the Edomite(A) had gone to Saul and told him: “David has gone to the house of Ahimelek.”

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast(B) all day long,(C)
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52:1 In Hebrew texts 52:1-9 is numbered 52:3-11.
  2. Psalm 52:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

in whose eyes the wicked are despised
    but who honor those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;(A)

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who despises a vile person
    but honors(A) those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath(B) even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;

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Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

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Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said.

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Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate,

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So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate.

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Haman Undertakes to Destroy the Jews

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite and advanced him and set his seat above all the officials who were with him. And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and did obeisance to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance.(A) Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) When they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance to him, Haman was infuriated.(C) But he thought it beneath him to kill[a] only Mordecai. So, having been told who Mordecai’s people were, Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.(D)

In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur—which means “the lot”—before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of[b] the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.(E) Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them.(F) If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, so that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.” 10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.(G) 11 The king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, and the people as well, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

12 Then the king’s secretaries were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king’s satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring.(H) 13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, children and women, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.(I) 14 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day.(J) 15 The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.6 Heb lay hands on
  2. 3.7 Cn Compare Gk and 3.13 below: Heb lacks the thirteenth day of

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(A) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(B) Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(C) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(D) Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(E) to destroy(F) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(G) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(H) (that is, the lot(I)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(J)

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(K) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(L) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(M) If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(N)

10 So the king took his signet ring(O) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(P) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(Q) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(R)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(S) and to plunder(T) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(U)

15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(V) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(W) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
  2. Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons

17 Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain, and you shall know and see that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the Lord is great in demanding a king for yourselves.”(A) 18 So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.(B)

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17 Is it not wheat harvest(A) now? I will call(B) on the Lord to send thunder(C) and rain.(D) And you will realize what an evil(E) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”

18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(F) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(G) of the Lord and of Samuel.

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