“But ¹  if I speak, my pain is not relieved, ²  and if I refrain from speaking – how ³  much of it goes away?

You ¹  go get straw for yourselves wherever you can ²  find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’”

The Israelite foremen saw ¹  that they ²  were in trouble when they were told, ³  “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”

And the staff of the man whom I choose will blossom; so I will rid myself of the complaints of the Israelites, which they murmur against you.”

He asked them, “How do you advise me ¹  to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” ² 

He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” ¹ 

But ¹  I would strengthen ²  you with my words; ³  comfort from my lips would bring ⁴  you relief.

Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants – it was actually Esther’s banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense. ¹