Esther 4

1 Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.

And Mordecai he knew all that it had been done and he tore Mordecai clothes his and he put on sackcloth and ash[es] and he went out in [the] midst of the city and he cried a cry loud and bitter.

2 And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king’s court.

And he went to before [the] gate of the king for not to go into [the] gate of the king in clothing of sackcloth.

3 And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king’s cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.

And in every province and province [the] place where [the] word of the king and law his [were] reaching mourning great [belonged] to the Jews and fasting and weeping and wailing sackcloth and ash[es] it was spread as a bed by many [people].

4 Then Esther’s maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation: and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.

(And they came *Qk) [the] maids of Esther and eunuchs her and they told to her and she agonized the queen exceedingly and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to remove sackcloth his from on him and not he accepted [them].

5 And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.

And she summoned Esther Hathach one of [the] eunuchs of the king whom he had made stand before her and she commanded him on Mordecai to know what? [was] this and concerning what? [was] this.

6 And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:

And he went out Hathach to Mordecai to [the] open place of the city which [was] before [the] gate of the king.

7 And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king’s treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.

And he told to him Mordecai all that it had happened to him and - [the] exact amount of the silver which he had said Haman to weigh out to [the] treasuries of the king (for the Jews *Qk) to destroy them.

8 He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.

And copy of [the] writing of the law which it had been given in Susa to annihilate them he gave to him to show Esther and to tell to her and to command to her to go to the king to seek favor to him and to request from to before him on people her.

9 And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.

And he came Hathach and he told to Esther [the] words of Mordecai.

10 She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:

And she said Esther to Hathach and she commanded him to Mordecai.

11 All the king’s servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king’s inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?

All [the] servants of the king and [the] people of [the] provinces of the king [are] knowing that every man and woman who he goes to the king into the court inner who not he is summoned [is] one law his to put to death apart from that he extends to him the king [the] scepter of gold and he will live and I not I have been summoned to go to the king this thirty day[s].

12 And when Mardochai had heard this,

And they told to Mordecai [the] words of Esther.

13 He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:

And he said Mordecai to bring back to Esther may not you imagine in self your to escape [the] house of the king from all the Jews.

14 For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father’s house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?

That except certainly you will keep quiet at the time this relief and deliverance it will arise for the Jews from a place another and you and [the] house of father your you will perish and who? [is] knowing if for a time like this you have reached the queenhood.

15 And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:

And she said Esther to bring back to Mordecai.

16 Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.

Go gather all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast on me and may not you eat and may not you drink three days night and day also I and maids my I will fast thus and in such I will go to the king which not [is] according to the law and just as I have perished I have perished.

17 So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.

And he passed on Mordecai and he did according to all that she had commanded to him Esther.