<p class="poetry">This is the destiny of fools,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and of those who approve of their philosophy.<n id="2" /> (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">Certainly<n id="1" /> you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They<n id="1" /> spend all their time planning how to bring him<n id="2" /> down.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They love to use deceit;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">they pronounce blessings with their mouths,p> <p class="poetry">but inwardly they utter curses.<n id="5" /> (Selah)p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm.p> <p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc>, you showed favor to your land;p> <p class="poetry">you restored the well-being of Jacob.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="1" /> your servants take delight in her stones,p> <p class="poetry">and feel compassion for<n id="2" /> the dust of her ruins.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> disciplines<n id="1" /> those he loves,p> <p class="poetry">just as a father<n id="2" /> disciplines<n id="3" /> the son in whom he delights.p>

<p class="poetry">Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings,<n id="1" /> I will not be satisfied;p> <p class="poetry">I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves.<n id="2" />p>

Go up to the hill country and bring back timber to build<n id="1" /> the temple.<n id="2" /> Then I will be pleased and honored,&#8217;<n id="3" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.

The land will be abandoned by them<n id="1" /> in order that it may make up for<n id="2" /> its Sabbaths while it is made desolate<n id="3" /> without them,<n id="4" /> and they will make up for their iniquity because<n id="5" /> they have rejected my regulations and have abhorred<n id="6" /> my statutes.

Even from a foreigner<n id="1" /> you must not present the food of your God from such animals as these, for they are ruined and flawed;<n id="2" /> they will not be acceptable for your benefit.&#8217;&#8221;p>

(and I myself will walk in hostility against them and bring them into the land of their enemies), and<n id="1" /> then their uncircumcised hearts become humbled and they make up for<n id="2" /> their iniquity,

Now, to show my commitment to the temple of my God, I donate my personal treasure of gold and silver to the temple of my God, in addition to all that I have already supplied for this holy temple.

They said to him, &#8220;If you are fair to these people, grant their request, and are cordial to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.&#8221;<n id="1" />

This took place to fulfill the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s message delivered through Jeremiah.<n id="1" /> The land experienced<n id="2" /> its sabbatical years;<n id="3" /> it remained desolate for seventy years,<n id="4" /> as prophesied.<n id="5" />p>

Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking<n id="1" /> Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives.<n id="2" /> He worked enthusiastically<n id="3" /> for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of<n id="4" /> all his descendants.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">For they did not conquer<n id="1" /> the land by their swords,p> <p class="poetry">and they did not prevail by their strength,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but rather by your power,<n id="3" /> strength<n id="4" /> and good favor,<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">for you were partial to<n id="6" /> them.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Go, eat your food<n id="1" /> with joy,p> <p class="poetry">and drink your wine with a happy heart,p> <p class="poetry">because God has already approved your works.p>

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Here is my servant whom I support,p> <p class="poetry">my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.p> <p class="poetry">I have placed my spirit on him;p> <p class="poetry">he will make just decrees<n id="2" /> for the nations.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They offer up sacrificial gifts to me,p> <p class="poetry">and eat the meat,p> <p class="poetry">but the <sc>Lordsc> does not accept their sacrifices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Soon he will remember their wrongdoing,p> <p class="poetry">he will punish their sins,p> <p class="poetry">and they will return to Egypt.p>

<p class="poetry">Will the <sc>Lordsc> accept a thousand rams,p> <p class="poetry">or ten thousand streams of olive oil?p> <p class="poetry">Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion,p> <p class="poetry">my offspring &#8211; my own flesh and blood &#8211; for my sin?<n id="1" />p>