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 found out about those [letters, he was so anguished that] he tore his clothes and put on [rough] sackcloth and [threw] ashes over himself. Then he went into the city, crying very loudly.

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.

He stood outside the gate of the palace, because no one who was wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter the palace.

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 [of the empire], when the letter from the king was read to the Jewish people, they cried and mourned. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), and wailed loudly. Many of them also put on sackcloth and threw ashes on themselves and lay [on the ground].

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 maids and other officials came to her and told her what Mordecai had done, she was very distressed. So she sent to Mordecai [some good] clothes to wear instead of the sackcloth, but he refused to take 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 officials whom he had appointed to help take care of Esther. She told him to go [out and talk] to Mordecai to find out what was distressing him and why [he was wearing sackcloth to show] that he was grieving.

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

Hathach went to Mordecai, who was in the plaza in front of the palace 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.

Mordecai told him everything that had happened. He told him how much money Haman had promised to give to the government if the king commanded that all the Jews be killed.

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 to Hathach a copy of the decree that had been read in Susa, [in which it was stated] that all the Jews must be killed. He told Hathach to show the copy to Esther. He told Hathach to explain to Esther what (it meant/would happen). Then he told him to urge her to go to the king and request the king to act mercifully to her people.

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

So Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai said.

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

Then Esther told Hathach to [return to] Mordecai [and] tell this [to him]:

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.

“There is a law [about people going to talk to the king]. All the king’s officials and all the people in the empire know this law. [In that law it states that] anyone who goes to the king in his inner court without having been summoned by the king must be executed. Only those to whom the king has extended his scepter/staff will not be executed. And a month has passed since the king has summoned me, [so what will happen to me if I try to see him and he doesn’t want to see me?]”

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

So Hathach [went back to] Mordecai [and] told [him] what Esther had said.

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

Mordecai replied, “[Go back and] tell this to Esther: 'Do not think that just because you live there in the palace, you will escape when all the other Jews [are killed].

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.

If you say nothing now, someone from some other place will rescue [many of] us Jews, but you and your relatives will be killed. Furthermore, (perhaps [God]/who knows if [God]) has put you here [as queen] (for a situation like this/to prevent this from happening to us)!'” [RHQ]

15 To pacoengah Esther mah Mordekai khaeah,

Then [after Hathach told this to] Esther, [she] told him to return to Mordecai and say this to him:

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.

“Gather together all the Jews here in Susa, and tell them to (fast/abstain from food) for my sake. Tell them to not eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My maids and I will also fast. Then, I will go to talk to the king. Even if (I am executed/they execute me) for disobeying the law [by seeing him when he does not hold out the scepter/staff toward me, I am willing for that to happen”].

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

So [after Hathach told this to Mordecai, ] Mordecai went and did what Esther told him to do.