< Ester 4 >

1 Idi naammoan amin ni Mardokeo ti naaramid, rinay-abna ti pagan-anayna ket nagkawes iti nakirsang a lupot ken nagikabil kadagiti dapo. Napan isuna iti tengnga ti siudad, ket naganug-og isuna iti napigsa ken nasaem.
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 Nagpatingga laeng isuna iti ruangan ti palasio ti ari, gapu ta awan ti mapalubusan nga sumrek a nakakawes iti nakirsang a lupot.
He went as far as the king’s gate, but no one could enter the gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 Kadagiti amin a probinsia a nakadanunan ti bilin ken linteg ti ari, adda iti kasta unay a panagladingit kadagiti Judio, a nabuyogan iti panagayunar, panagsangit, ken panagladingit. Adu kadakuada iti nagidda iti nakirsang a lupot ken kadagiti dapo.
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 Idi napan dagiti babbalasitang ken dagiti adipen ni Ester nga imbaga kenkuana, nagledaang ti reyna. Nangipatulod isuna iti lupot a pagkawes ni Mardokeo (tapno ussobenna ti nakirsang a lupot), ngem saanna nga inawat dagitoy.
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 Ket pinaayaban ni Ester ni Hatak, maysa kadagiti opisial ti ari, a nadutokan nga agserbi kenkuana. Binilinna isuna a mapan kenni Mardokeo tapno ammoenna ti napasamak ken no ania ti kayatna a sawen iti ar-aramidenna.
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 Napan ngarud ni Hatak iti ayan ni Mardokeo iti plasa iti siudad iti sangoanan iti ruangan ti palasio ti ari.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square in front of the king’s gate.
7 Impadamag ni Mardokeo kenkuana amin a napasamak kenkuana, ken no mano ti bilang ti pirak nga ingkari ni Haman a maikilo ken maikabil iti pagiduldulinan iti kinabaknang ti ari tapno maibilin a mapapatay dagiti Judio.
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 Nangted pay ni Mardokeo kenni Hatak iti kopya ti bilin a naited iti Susa para iti pannakadadael dagiti Judio. Inaramidna daytoy tapno ipakita ni Hatak daytoy kenni Ester, ken tapno maitedna kenni Ester ti pagrebbengan a mapan iti ari tapno agkiddaw iti paborna, ken makipagpakpakaasi kenkuana para kadagiti tattaona.
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 Napan ngarud ni Hatak ken imbagana kenni Ester ti imbaga ni Mardokeo.
When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,
10 Kalpasanna nakisarita ni Ester kenni Hatak ket imbagana nga agsubli isuna kenni Mardokeo.
she instructed Hathach to go and say to Mordecai,
11 Kinuna ni Ester, “Amin dagiti adipen ken dagiti tattao kadagiti probinsia ti ari ket ammoda a siasinoman a lalaki wenno babai iti mapan iti akin uneg a paraangan ti ari a saan a napaayaban, adda iti maymaysa laeng a linteg: a masapul a mapapatay isuna-malaksid iti siasinoman a pangiturungan ti ari ti balitok a setro tapno agbiag dayta a tao. Saanak a napaayaban a mapan iti ayan ti ari kadagitoy tallo-pulo nga aldaw.”
“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 Isu nga impadamag ni Hatak kenni Mardokeo dagiti imbaga ni Ester.
When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,
13 Sinungbatan ni Mardokeo daytoy a mensahe: “Saanmo a panunoten nga iti palasio ti ari, ket makalibaskanto ngem kadagiti dadduma a Judio.
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 No agtalinaedka a naulimek kadagitoy a tiempo, aggapu iti sabali a lugar ti tulong ken panangispal kadagiti Judio, ngem sika ken ti balay ni amam ket mapukawto. Siasino ti makaammo a nalabit a naitan-okka a reyna para iti kastoy a gundaway?”
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 Kalapasanna, impatulod ni Ester daytoy a mensahe kenni Mardokeo,
Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai:
16 “Mapanka, ummongem dagiti amin a Judio nga agnanaed iti Susa, ket agayunarkayo para kaniak. Saankayo a mangan wenno uminum iti tallo nga aldaw, ti rabii wenno aldaw. Dagiti babbalasitangko ken siak ket agayunar iti isu met laeng a wagas. Ket mapanakto iti ayan ti ari, uray no maibusor daytoy iti linteg. Ket no mapukawak, mapukawak.”
“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 Napan ni Mardokeo ket inaramidna amin nga imbaga ni Ester nga aramidenna.
Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.

< Ester 4 >