ESTHER 4
1 A saii boeih te Mordekai loh a ming. Te dongah Mordekai loh a himbai te a phen tih tlamhni neh hmaiphu a yil. Khopuei khui ah cet tih a pang khaw a len la hlut hlut pang.
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 Tedae tlamhni pueinak neh manghai vongka khuila a kun uh noek pawt dongah manghai vongka hmai hil tah cet.
He went as far as the king’s gate, but no one could enter the gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 A paeng, paeng boeih ah manghai kah ol neh a olkhan loh a pha nah hmuen kah Judah ham tah nguekcoinah muep om. Te dongah yaehnah, rhahnah rhaengsaelung neh, tlamhni, hmaiphu neh muep bol uh.
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 Te vaengah Esther kah hula rhoek neh a imkhoem te cet tih a taengah a puen pah dongah manghainu khaw sut poi. Te dongah Mordekai te himbai bai sak ham neh a pum dongkah a tlamhni te dul pah ham a tueih pah dae doe pawh.
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 Esther loh a mikhmuh ah aka thotat manghai imkhoem Hathakh te a khue tih Mordekai kawng te metla om tih mebang khaw ming hamla a uen.
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 Hathakh khaw khopuei toltung ah manghai vongka hmai kah Mordekai taengla cet.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square in front of the king’s gate.
7 Te vaengah Mordekai loh amah aka mah boeih khaw, amih Judah, Judah milh sak ham Haman loh manghai baiphaih khuiah a paek ham tangka ciim a thui te khaw,
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 amih mitmoeng sak ham Shushan ah olkhan catlaep ca a paek te Esther tueng ham neh a taengah thui pah ham khaw Hathakh taengah a paek. Esther te manghai taengah amah hloep ham aka kun la, a pilnam ham a mikhmuh ah a moeh la uen ham khaw a taengah a thui pah.
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 Hathakh te mael tih Mordekai ol te Esther taengah a thui pah.
When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,
10 Esther loh Hathakh te a voek tih Mordekai ham te anih taengah,
she instructed Hathach to go and say to Mordecai,
11 “Manghai kah sal rhoek boeih neh pilnam khaw, manghai kah paeng long khaw, huta neh tongpa boeih khaw, a olkhan pakhat nen khaw a khue pawt ah vongup khui la manghai taengla aka mop tah a duek ham coeng ni, manghai loh a taengah sui mancai a doe bueng ni dawk a hing khaw na ming uh. Tedae kamah he manghai taengla kun ham akhaw khohnin sawmthum khuiah n'khue moenih,” tila a uen.
‘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 Esther kah ol te Mordekai taengla a puen pa uh.
When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,
13 Mordekai loh Esther taengla ol a mael hamla, “Judah boeih akhaw manghai im kah tah loeih ni tila na hinglu khuiah lutlat boeh.
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 Tahae tue ah he kholak ah na ngam khaw na ngam mai khaming. Judah ham khangnah he hmuen tloe lamloh ha pai bitni. Tedae namah neh na pa imkhui loh na milh uh khaw u long a ming. Tedae tahae tue vaengkah ham manghai la na poeh?” a ti nah.
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 Te dongah Esther loh Mordekai taengla ol a mael tih,
Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai:
16 “Cet laeh, Shushan ah aka phoe Judah pum te calui lamtah kai hamla yaeh uh laeh. Khoyin khothaih hnin thum khuiah caak ca uh boeh, tui khaw o uh boeh. Kai neh ka tanu rhoek khaw te tlam te ka yaeh uh eh. Te phoeiah tah olkhan bangla a om pawt akhaw manghai taengla ka cet vetih a milh khaw ka milh mai bitni,” a ti nah.
‘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 Te dongah Mordekai te cet tih Esther loh a taengah a uen bangla boeih a saii.
Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.
