You have also established prophets to announce<n id="1" /> in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> on your behalf, &#8216;We have a king in Judah!&#8217; Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let&#8217;s talk about this.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

The governor<n id="1" /> instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult<n id="2" /> the Urim and Thummim.p>

Ezra opened the book in plain view<n id="1" /> of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book,<n id="2" /> all the people stood up.

<p class="bodytext">I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed<n id="1" /> on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate.

So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king&#8217;s eunuchs who had been placed at her service,<n id="1" /> and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai&#8217;s behavior.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="poetry">How blessed<n id="2" /> is the one<n id="3" /> who does not follow<n id="4" /> the advice<n id="5" /> of the wicked,<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">or stand in the pathway<n id="7" /> with sinners,p> <p class="poetry">or sit in the assembly<n id="8" /> of scoffers!<n id="9" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">A song of ascents.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Attention!<n id="3" /> Praise the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">all you servants of the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">who serve<n id="4" /> in the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple during the night.p>

<p class="poetry">I considered all the living who walk on earth,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">as well as the successor<n id="2" /> who would arise<n id="3" /> in his place.p>

<p class="poetry">Do not rush out of the king&#8217;s presence in haste &#8211; do not delay when the matter is unpleasant,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for he can do whatever he pleases.p>

<p class="poetry">My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Look! There he stands behind our wall,p> <p class="poetry">gazing through the window,p> <p class="poetry">peering through the lattice.p>

Seraphs<n id="1" /> stood over him; each one had six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet,<n id="2" /> and they used the remaining two to fly.

<t /><p class="bodytext">At that time<n id="1" /> a root from Jesse<n id="2" /> will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance,<n id="3" /> and his residence will be majestic.

<p class="poetry">Then the guard<n id="1" /> cries out:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;On the watchtower, O sovereign master,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I stand all day long;p> <p class="poetry">at my postp> <p class="poetry">I am stationed every night.p>

<p class="bodytext">The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria.

<p class="poetry">Look, all his associates<n id="1" /> will be put to shame;p> <p class="poetry">the craftsmen are mere humans.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Let them all assemble and take their stand!p> <p class="poetry">They will panic and be put to shame.p>

<p class="poetry">They put it on their shoulder and carry it;p> <p class="poetry">they put it in its place and it just stands there;p> <p class="poetry">it does not<n id="1" /> move from its place.p> <p class="poetry">Even when someone cries out to it, it does not reply;p> <p class="poetry">it does not deliver him from his distress.p>

<p class="poetry">Persist<n id="1" /> in trusting<n id="2" /> your amuletsp> <p class="poetry">and your many incantations,p> <p class="poetry">which you have faithfully recited<n id="3" /> since your youth!p> <p class="poetry">Maybe you will be successful<n id="4" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">maybe you will scare away disaster.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">You are tired out from listening to so much advice.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Let them take their stand &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the ones who see omens in the sky,p> <p class="poetry">who gaze at the stars,p> <p class="poetry">who make monthly predictions &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Justice is driven back;p> <p class="poetry">godliness<n id="1" /> stands far off.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="2" /> honesty stumbles in the city squarep> <p class="poetry">and morality is not even able to enter.p>

<p class="poetry">Raise a signal flag that tells people to go to Zion.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Run for safety! Do not delay!p> <p class="poetry">For I am about to bring disaster out of the north.p> <p class="poetry">It will bring great destruction.<n id="2" />p>