以斯帖記 4
1 末底改知道所做的這一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰塵，在城中行走，痛哭哀號。
When Mordecai found out all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and walked through the city, crying and wailing in grief.
2 到了朝門前停住腳步，因為穿麻衣的不可進朝門。
He went as far as the palace gate, because no one was allowed to enter the palace gate wearing sackcloth.
3 王的諭旨所到的各省各處，猶大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀號，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
When the king's decree and orders reached all the different provinces the Jews began to mourn in terrible distress. They fasted, they wept, and they wailed; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 王后以斯帖的宮女和太監來把這事告訴以斯帖，她甚是憂愁，就送衣服給末底改穿，要他脫下麻衣，他卻不受。
Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was very upset. She sent clothes to him so he could take off his sackcloth, but he refused to accept them.
5 以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一個太監，名叫哈他革召來，吩咐他去見末底改，要知道這是甚麼事，是甚麼緣故。
She called Hathatch, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what he was doing and why.
6 於是哈他革出到朝門前的寬闊處見末底改。
Hathatch went to Mordecai in the city square in front of the palace gate.
7 末底改將自己所遇的事，並哈曼為滅絕猶大人應許捐入王庫的銀數都告訴了他；
Mordecai explained to him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.
8 又將所抄寫傳遍書珊城要滅絕猶大人的旨意交給哈他革，要給以斯帖看，又要給她說明，並囑咐她進去見王，為本族的人在王面前懇切祈求。
Mordecai also gave him a copy of the decree that had been issued in Susa for their destruction to show Esther and explain it to her, and asked him to instruct her to go to the king and appeal for mercy and plead before him for her people.
9 哈他革回來，將末底改的話告訴以斯帖；
Hathatch went back and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
10 以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去見末底改，說：
Then Esther spoke with Hathatch and ordered him to deliver this message to Mordecai.
11 「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例：若不蒙召，擅入內院見王的，無論男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」
“All the king's officials, and even the people in the provinces of the king's empire, know that any man or any woman who goes to the king, entering his inner court without being summoned, is sentenced to death—that is the king's one law—unless the king holds out his golden scepter to them so they can live. In my case, I have not been called to go to the king for thirty days.”
12 人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。
When Mordecai was told what Esther said,
13 末底改託人回覆以斯帖說：「你莫想在王宮裏強過一切猶大人，得免這禍。
Mordecai sent a message back to Esther, saying, “Don't think that just because you live in the king's palace that your life is the only one that will be saved of all the Jews!
14 此時你若閉口不言，猶大人必從別處得解脫，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致滅亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是為現今的機會嗎？」
If you stay silent right now, help and rescue will come to the Jews from some other place, and you and your relatives will die. Who knows—it could be you came to be queen for such a time as this!”
15 以斯帖就吩咐人回報末底改說：
Esther replied to Mordecai, saying,
16 「你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶大人，為我禁食三晝三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宮女也要這樣禁食。然後我違例進去見王，我若死就死吧！」
“Have all the Jews in Susa meet together and fast for me. Don't eat or drink anything for three days and nights. I and my girls will also fast. After that, I will go to the king, even though it's against the law, and if I die, I die.”
17 於是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
Mordecai went and did everything Esther had told him to do.
