Estè 4

1 Lè Madoche pran nouvèl tou sa ki t'ap pase, sa te fè l' lapenn anpil. Li chire rad sou li. Li mete yon rad sak anwo li ak sann dife sou tèt li, li pran lari pou li, li t'ap rele, li t'ap plenn byen fò.

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 Li rive devan pòtay palè a. Li pa antre, paske moun pa gen dwa antre anndan kay wa a ak rad sak sou yo.

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

3 Nan tout pwovens yo, toupatou kote yo te pibliye lòd wa a, se te yon gwo lafliksyon pou jwif yo. Yo fè jèn, yo t'ap kriye, yo t'ap plenn. Anpil ladan yo mete rad sak sou yo, yo kouche nan sann dife.

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 Lè sèvant Estè yo ansanm ak domestik konfyans li yo al di li sa Madoche t'ap fè, sa te boulvèse li anpil. Estè voye bon rad bay Madoche pou li te ka wete rad sak la sou li. Men Madoche derefize.

When Esther’s maids and attendants told her about Mordecai’s behaviour, 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 Lè sa a, Estè rele Atach, yonn nan domestik konfyans wa a te ba li pou sèvis li, li voye l' bò kote Madoche pou konnen sa k'ap pase ak poukisa l'ap fè sa.

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 Atach al jwenn Madoche sou plas piblik ki te devan pòtay palè wa a.

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

7 Madoche rakonte l' tou sa ki te rive l', ki jan Aman te pwomèt pou l' te bay anpil lajan pou mete nan kès wa a si wa a te dakò pou yo masakre tout jwif yo.

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 Li bay Atach yon kopi lòd wa a yo te pibliye lavil Souz la, ki te mande pou yo te detwi tout jwif yo. Madoche mande l' pou l' pote kopi piblikasyon an bay Estè, pou li esplike l' sitiyasyon an, lèfini pou Estè al bò kot wa a pou pale avè l', pou mande l' gras pou pèp li a.

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 Atach al di Estè tou sa Madoche te di l'.

When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,

10 Estè menm voye Atach di Madoche konsa: -Pèsonn, li te mèt fanm li te mèt gason, pa gen dwa antre nan lakou anndan palè a pou wè wa a, si se pa wa a ki voye chache l'. Si yon moun fè sa, y'ap touye l'. Se lalwa.

she instructed Hathach to go and say to Mordecai,

11 Tout moun k'ap travay ak wa a ansanm ak tout pèp lòt peyi ki sou lòd li yo konn sa. Sèl jan pou l' pa mouri se si wa a lonje baton an lò a bay moun lan. Mwen menm, gen yon mwa depi wa a pa mande pou mwen.

‘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 Lè Atach bay Madoche mesaj Estè a,

When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,

13 Madoche voye repons sa a bay Estè: -Pa mete nan tèt ou lè y'ap touye jwif yo w'ap chape paske se lakay wa a ou rete.

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 Si ou konprann pou fèmen bouch ou nan yon ka konsa, Bondye ap toujou delivre pèp jwif la. Y'a sove, men ou menm, w'ap mouri epi fanmi ou ap disparèt. Ou pa janm konnen si se pa pou move pa sa a ou larenn jounen jòdi a.

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 Estè voye reponn Madoche:

Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai:

16 -Ou mèt ale. Reyini dènye jwif ki nan lavil Souz; fè yo fè jèn pou mwen. N'a pase twa jou twa nwit san manje san bwè. Mwen menm bò pa m' ansanm ak sèvant mwen yo, nou pral fè jèn tou. Apre sa, m' aval kote wa a, atout lalwa defann sa. Si se pou m' mouri, m'a mouri.

‘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 Madoche ale, li fè tou sa Estè te di l' fè a.

Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.