< 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.
Mgbe Mọdekai nụrụ ihe mere, ọ dọwara uwe ya, yikwasị onwe ya akwa mkpe, werekwa ntụ kpokwasị onwe ya, pụọ baa nʼime obodo, na-eti mkpu akwa.
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.
Ọ bịaruru nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nke ụlọeze guzo nʼebe ahụ, nʼihi na ọ dịghị onye a na-ekwe ka o yiri akwa mkpe banye nʼogige ụlọeze.
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.
Nʼalaeze ahụ ndị Juu niile, nọ nʼiru ụjụ na ibu ọnụ na ịkwa akwa na iti aka nʼobi nʼihi iwu eze ahụ. Ọtụtụ yikwa akwa mkpe ha, dinarakwa na ntụ.
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.
Mgbe ụmụ agbọghọ na ndị onozi Esta gwara ya ihe banyere Mọdekai, o wutere ya nke ukwuu. O zigaara Mọdekai uwe, ka o nwee ike gbanwee uwe mkpe ahụ o yi, ma ọ naraghị ha.
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.
Mgbe ahụ, Esta ziri ka a kpọọ Hatak, otu nʼime ndị onozi eze, onye nke ọ bụ ọrụ ya ijere Esta ozi, gwa ya ka o jekwuru Mọdekai jụọ ya ihe kpatara nke a, na ihe mere o ji na-eme otu a.
6 And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:
Hatak jere nʼama obodo ahụ ebe ọ hụrụ Mọdekai nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọeze.
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.
Mọdekai kọọrọ ya ihe niile, na otu Heman si kwee nkwa ịkwụnye ego nʼụlọakụ eze ka e were laa ndị Juu nʼiyi.
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.
O nyekwara ya akwụkwọ iwu eze ebe e dere maka ịla ha nʼiyi, bụ nke akpọsara na Susa, ka o gosi ya Esta, kọwaakwa ya nye ya. Ọ gwara ya ka o nye ya iwu ka ọ bakwuru eze rịọ ya arịrịọ amara, rịọkwa ya ebere nʼihi ndị ya.
9 And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.
Hatak lọghachiri zie Esta ihe niile Mọdekai kwuru.
10 She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:
Ma Esta gwara Hatak ka o jeghachi gwa Mọdekai sị,
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?
“Ụwa niile maara nke ọma na onye ọbụla, maọbụ nwoke maọbụ nwanyị, banyere nʼime ime ụlọeze mgbe eze na-akpọghị ya, ga-anwụ, karịakwa ma eze o setịpụrụ mkpara ọlaedo ya gosi onye ahụ na ọ nabatara ọbịbịa ya. Ugbu a, o meela ihe dị ka otu ọnwa kemgbe eze na-ezibeghị ozi ka a kpọọ m.”
12 And when Mardochai had heard this,
Mgbe ha gwara Mọdekai ihe Esta zara,
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:
o zighachiri ọsịsa a, “Echela nʼihi na i bi nʼụlọeze na naanị gị ga-afọdụ ndụ nʼetiti ndị Juu niile.
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?
Ọ bụrụ na ị gba nkịtị nʼoge a, oghere na napụta ndị Juu ga-esite nʼụzọ ọzọ bịa, ma gị onwe gị na ụlọ nna gị ga-ala nʼiyi. Onye makwanụ ihe mere i ji nọrọ nʼụlọeze nʼoge dị otu a?”
15 And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:
Mgbe ahụ, Esta zara Mọdekai sị;
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.
“Gaa kpọkọtaa ndị Juu niile bi na Susa, bukwaaranụ m ọnụ. Unu erila ihe ọbụla, maọbụ ṅụọ ihe ọbụla abalị atọ, ehihie na abalị. Mụ onwe m kwa, na ụmụ agbọghọ na-ejere m ozi, ga-emekwa otu ihe ahụ. Emesịa, ọ bụ ezie na ọ bụ ihe megidere iwu, ma aga m aga hụ eze anya. Ihe ọ pụtara ya pụta. Ọ pụtara m ọnwụ, ka m nwụọ!”
17 So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.
Mọdekai pụrụ, gaa mee dịka Esta gwara ya.

< Esther 4 >