Esther 4

1 To ih hmuen kawng to Mordekai mah panoek naah, angmah ih khukbuen to asih, kazii to angzaeng moe, vaipoep hoiah angphuih, vangpui thungah a caeh moe, thaa hoiah a hangh.

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and strewed ashes on his head, and went out into the city and raised a loud and bitter cry of lamentation.

2 Toe kazii angzaeng kami loe siangpahrang ih khongkha thungah akun o sak ai pongah, siangpahrang ih khongkha taeng khoek to khue ni a phak.

He went as far as the king’s gate, but no one could enter the gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 Siangpahrang lok takroekhaih hoi lokpaekhaih ca phakhaih prae kruek ih, Judahnawk loe buhzah o moe, qahhaih hoiah hangh o; paroeai kaminawk loe kazii angzaeng o moe, vaipoep nuiah angsong o.

In every province, wherever the king’s command and decree went, there was great mourning, fasting, weeping, and wailing among the Jews. Many of them sat in sackcloth and ashes.

4 Esther khenzawnkung tanglanawk hoi anih han toksah kalah tamnanawk mah, Mordekai kawng to siangpahrang zu khaeah thuih pae o. To naah siangpahrang zu loe paroeai palungset; Mordekai mah kazii angkraih hanah, Mordekai hanah khukbuen to a paeksak, toe anih mah la pae ai.

When Esther’s maids and attendants told her about Mordecai’s behavior, she was greatly troubled. She sent garments for Mordecai to put on, so that he could take off his sack-cloth, but he would not accept them.

5 To naah Esther mah anih khenzawnkung ah siangpahrang mah suek ih angraeng Hathak to kawk moe, tih raihaih maw a tongh, tipongah maw Mordekai loe to tiah oh, tiah lok a duengsak.

So Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what it all meant and the reason for it.

6 To pongah Hathak loe Mordekai hnuk hanah, siangpahrang khongkha taeng, vangpui loklam ah caeh.

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

7 To naah Mordekai mah, a tongh ih hmuen kawng to a thuih pae boih, Judah kaminawk hum hanah, siangpahrang ih tangka nuiah, Haman mah tangka thap let hanah thuih ih loknawk boih to a thuih pae.

Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasury for the destruction of the Jews.

8 Judahnawk tamit boih hanah siangpahrang ohhaih ahmuen Susan vangpui ah takroek ih lokpaekhaih tarik pakong ih kawpi ca to Esther khaeah patuek hanah a paek. Esther mah siangpahrang khaeah caeh nasoe loe, angmah ih acaengnawk hanah tahmenhaih hni pae nasoe, tiah lok a pat pae.

Also he gave him a copy of the decree to destroy them, that had been published in Susa, to show to Esther for her information. He also told her to go to the king and implore his mercy and to plead with him in behalf of her people.

9 Hathak loe caeh moe, Mordekai mah thuih ih loknawk to Esther khaeah thuih pae.

When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,

10 To pongah Esther mah Mordekai khaeah lokthuih hanah Hathak to patoeh let.

she instructed Hathach to go and say to Mordecai,

11 Siangpahrang ih tamnanawk boih, anih mah ukhaih prae thung ih kaminawk boih, nongpa hoi nongpata, mi kawbaktih mah doeh, siangpahrang mah kawkhaih om ai ah siangpahrang ih imthung longhmaa ah akun kami loe, paduek han oh, tiah maeto khue kaom ukhaih daan to panoek o; siangpahrang mah angmah ih sui cunghet tadong kalah bangah paqoi ving ih kami ni hing tih: toe kai loe hae ni quithumto thung siangpahrang khaeah caeh hanah na kawk ai, tiah a naa.

“All the king’s courtiers and the people of the king’s provinces know that for every man or woman who goes to the king into the inner court without being called there is one penalty, death, unless the king holds out the golden sceptre signifying that they may live. It has been thirty days since I have been called to go in to the king.”

12 Esther mah thuih ih loknawk to Mordekai khaeah thuih pae o.

When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,

13 Mordekai mah Esther khaeah, siangpahrang im ah na oh pongah Judahnawk thung hoiah ka loih tih, tiah poek hmah.

he sent back this reply to Esther, “Don’t imagine that you alone of all the Jews will escape because you belong to the king’s household.

14 Hae baktih atue thuemah nang hngai duem nahaeloe, Judahnawk loihaih loe ahmuen kalah bang hoiah angzo tih; toe nang hoi nam pa imthung takoh loe anghmaa angtaa o tih; hae baktih raihaih tong nathuem han ih na ai maw siangpahrang im ah na phak? tiah thui paeh, tiah a naa.

If you persist in remaining silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, but you and your family will perish. Who knows? Maybe you have been raised to the throne for a time like this!”

15 To pacoengah Esther mah Mordekai khaeah,

Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai:

16 caeh ah loe Susan vangpui thungah kaom Judahnawk boih nawnto amkhuengsak ah, ni thumto thung, aqum athun, buhcaa ai, tui doeh nae ai ah, kai hanah buhzaa oh! Kaimah hoi kai khenzawnkung tanglanawk doeh buh ka zah o toeng han; to pacoengah daan baktih na ai ah, siangpahrang khaeah ka caeh han; ka duek nahaloe, duek ah ka om tih, tiah a thuih pae.

“Go, gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat nor drink anything for three days and nights. My maids and I will fast as well. Then I will go in to the king, although it is contrary to the law, and if I die, I die.”

17 To naah Mordekai loe caeh moe, Esther mah anih han thuih pae ih lok baktih toengah a sak.

Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.