Esther 4

1 To ih hmuen kawng to Mordekai mah panoek naah, angmah ih khukbuen to asih, kazii to angzaeng moe, vaipoep hoiah angphuih, vangpui thungah a caeh moe, thaa hoiah a hangh.

When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

2 Toe kazii angzaeng kami loe siangpahrang ih khongkha thungah akun o sak ai pongah, siangpahrang ih khongkha taeng khoek to khue ni a phak.

But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.

3 Siangpahrang lok takroekhaih hoi lokpaekhaih ca phakhaih prae kruek ih, Judahnawk loe buhzah o moe, qahhaih hoiah hangh o; paroeai kaminawk loe kazii angzaeng o moe, vaipoep nuiah angsong o.

In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 Esther khenzawnkung tanglanawk hoi anih han toksah kalah tamnanawk mah, Mordekai kawng to siangpahrang zu khaeah thuih pae o. To naah siangpahrang zu loe paroeai palungset; Mordekai mah kazii angkraih hanah, Mordekai hanah khukbuen to a paeksak, toe anih mah la pae ai.

When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

5 To naah Esther mah anih khenzawnkung ah siangpahrang mah suek ih angraeng Hathak to kawk moe, tih raihaih maw a tongh, tipongah maw Mordekai loe to tiah oh, tiah lok a duengsak.

Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.

6 To pongah Hathak loe Mordekai hnuk hanah, siangpahrang khongkha taeng, vangpui loklam ah caeh.

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

7 To naah Mordekai mah, a tongh ih hmuen kawng to a thuih pae boih, Judah kaminawk hum hanah, siangpahrang ih tangka nuiah, Haman mah tangka thap let hanah thuih ih loknawk boih to a thuih pae.

and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.

8 Judahnawk tamit boih hanah siangpahrang ohhaih ahmuen Susan vangpui ah takroek ih lokpaekhaih tarik pakong ih kawpi ca to Esther khaeah patuek hanah a paek. Esther mah siangpahrang khaeah caeh nasoe loe, angmah ih acaengnawk hanah tahmenhaih hni pae nasoe, tiah lok a pat pae.

Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.

9 Hathak loe caeh moe, Mordekai mah thuih ih loknawk to Esther khaeah thuih pae.

So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.

10 To pongah Esther mah Mordekai khaeah lokthuih hanah Hathak to patoeh let.

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,

11 Siangpahrang ih tamnanawk boih, anih mah ukhaih prae thung ih kaminawk boih, nongpa hoi nongpata, mi kawbaktih mah doeh, siangpahrang mah kawkhaih om ai ah siangpahrang ih imthung longhmaa ah akun kami loe, paduek han oh, tiah maeto khue kaom ukhaih daan to panoek o; siangpahrang mah angmah ih sui cunghet tadong kalah bangah paqoi ving ih kami ni hing tih: toe kai loe hae ni quithumto thung siangpahrang khaeah caeh hanah na kawk ai, tiah a naa.

“All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”

12 Esther mah thuih ih loknawk to Mordekai khaeah thuih pae o.

When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,

13 Mordekai mah Esther khaeah, siangpahrang im ah na oh pongah Judahnawk thung hoiah ka loih tih, tiah poek hmah.

he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.

14 Hae baktih atue thuemah nang hngai duem nahaeloe, Judahnawk loihaih loe ahmuen kalah bang hoiah angzo tih; toe nang hoi nam pa imthung takoh loe anghmaa angtaa o tih; hae baktih raihaih tong nathuem han ih na ai maw siangpahrang im ah na phak? tiah thui paeh, tiah a naa.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

15 To pacoengah Esther mah Mordekai khaeah,

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:

16 caeh ah loe Susan vangpui thungah kaom Judahnawk boih nawnto amkhuengsak ah, ni thumto thung, aqum athun, buhcaa ai, tui doeh nae ai ah, kai hanah buhzaa oh! Kaimah hoi kai khenzawnkung tanglanawk doeh buh ka zah o toeng han; to pacoengah daan baktih na ai ah, siangpahrang khaeah ka caeh han; ka duek nahaloe, duek ah ka om tih, tiah a thuih pae.

“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”

17 To naah Mordekai loe caeh moe, Esther mah anih han thuih pae ih lok baktih toengah a sak.

So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.