Esther 4
1 But Mardochaeus having perceived what was done, tore his garments, and put on sackcloth, and sprinkled dust upon himself; and having rushed forth through the open street of the city, he cried with a loud voice, A nation that has done no wrong is going to be destroyed.
Quae cum audisset Mardochaeus, scidit vestimenta sua, et indutus est sacco, spargens cinerem capiti: et in platea mediae civitatis voce magna clamabat, ostendens amaritudinem animi sui,
2 And he came to the king's gate, and stood; for it was not lawful for him to enter into the palace, wearing sackcloth and ashes.
et hoc eiulatu usque ad fores palatii gradiens. Non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare.
3 And in every province where the letters were published, [there was] crying and lamentation and great mourning on the part of the Jews: they spread for themselves sackcloth and ashes.
In omnibus quoque provinciis, oppidis, ac locis, ad quae crudele regis dogma pervenerat, planctus ingens erat apud Iudaeos, ieiunium, ululatus, et fletus, sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus.
4 And the queen's maids and chamberlains went in and told her: and when she had heard what was done, she was disturbed; and she sent to clothe Mardochaeus, and take away his sackcloth; but he consented not.
Ingressae autem sunt puellae Esther et eunuchi, nunciaveruntque ei. Quod audiens consternata est: et vestem misit, ut ablato sacco indueret eam: quam accipere noluit.
5 So Esther called for her chamberlain Achrathaeus, who waited upon her; and she sent to learn the truth from Mardochaeus.
Accitoque Athach eunucho, quem rex ministrum ei dederat, praecepit ei ut iret ad Mardochaeum, et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret.
Egressusque Athach, ivit ad Mardochaeum stantem in platea civitatis, ante ostium palatii:
7 And Mardochaeus showed him what was done, and the promise which Aman had made the king of ten thousand talents [to be paid] into the treasury, that he might destroy the Jews.
qui indicavit ei omnia, quae acciderant, quo modo Aman promisisset, ut in thesauros regis pro Iudaeorum nece inferret argentum.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew [it] unto Esther, and to declare [it] unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
exemplar quoque edicti, quod pendebat in Susan, dedit ei, ut reginae ostenderet, et moneret eam, ut intraret ad regem, et deprecaretur eum pro populo suo.
9 So Achrathaeus went in and told her all these words.
Regressus Athach, nunciavit Esther omnia, quae Mardochaeus dixerat.
10 And Esther said to Achrathaeus, Go to Mardochaeus, and say,
Quae respondit ei, et iussit ut diceret Mardochaeo:
11 All the nations of the empire know, that whoever, man or woman, shall go in to the king into the inner court uncalled, that person can’t live: only to whoever the king shall stretch out [his] golden sceptre, he shall live: and I have not been called to go into the king, for these thirty days.
Omnes servi regis, et cunctae, quae sub ditione eius sunt, norunt provinciae, quod sive vir, sive mulier non vocatus, interius atrium regis intraverit, absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur: nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiae, atque ita possit vivere. Ego igitur quo modo ad regem intrare potero, quae triginta iam diebus non sum vocata ad eum?
12 And Achrathaeus reported to Mardochaeus all the words of Esther.
Quod cum audisset Mardochaeus,
13 Then Mardochaeus said to Achrathaeus, Go, and say to her, Esther, say not to yourself that you alone will escape in the kingdom, more than all the [other] Jews.
rursum mandavit Esther, dicens: Ne putes quod animam tuam tantum liberes, quia in domo regis es prae cunctis Iudaeis:
14 For if you shall refuse to listen on this occasion, help and protection will be to the Jews from another quarter; but you and your father's house will perish: and who knows, if you have been made queen for this [very] occasion?
si enim nunc silueris, per aliam occasionem liberabuntur Iudaei: et tu, et domus patris tui peribitis. Et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris, ut in tali tempore parareris?
15 And Esther sent the [man] that came to her to Mardochaeus, saying,
Rursumque Esther haec Mardochaeo verba mandavit:
16 Go and assemble the Jews that are in Susa, and fast you for me, and eat not and drink not for three days, night and day: and I also and my maidens will fast; and then I will go in to the king contrary to the law, even if I must die.
Vade et congrega omnes Iudaeos, quos in Susan repereris, et orate pro me. Non comedatis, et non bibatis tribus diebus, et tribus noctibus: et ego cum ancillis meis similiter ieiunabo, et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens, non vocata, tradensque me morti et periculo.
17 So Mardochaeus went and did all that Esther commanded him.
Ivit itaque Mardochaeus, et fecit omnia, quae ei Esther praeceperat.
