Ester 4
1 Da Mordokaj fik at vide alt, hvad der var sket, sønderrev han sine Klæder, klædte sig i Sæk og Aske og gik ud i Byen og udstødte høje Veråb;
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2 og han kom hen på Pladsen foran Kongens Port, men heller ikke længere, fordi det ikke var tilladt at gå ind i Kongens Port, når man var klædt i Sæk.
And came even before the king’s gate: for none [might] enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3 Og i hver eneste Landsdel, overalt, hvor Kongens Bud og Forordning nåede hen, var der blandt Jøderne stor Sorg og Faste, Gråd og Klage, og mange af dem redte sig et Leje af Sæk og Aske.
And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, [there was] great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 Da nu Esters Piger og Hofmænd kom og fortalte hende det, grebes Dronningen af heftig Smerte; og hun sendte Klæder ud til Mordokaj, for at man skulde give ham dem på og tage Sørgeklæderne af ham; men han tog ikke imod dem.
So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told [it] her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received [it] not.
5 Da lod Ester Hatak, en af Kongens Hofmænd, som han havde stillet til hendes Tjeneste, kalde, og sendte ham til Mordokaj for at få at vide, hvad det skulde betyde, og hvad Grunden var dertil.
Then called Esther for Hatach, [one] of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it [was], and why it [was].
6 Da Hatak kom ud til Mordokaj på Byens Torv foran Kongens Port,
So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which [was] before the king’s gate.
7 fortalte Mordokaj ham alt, hvad der var hændt ham, og opgav ham nøje, hvor meget Sølv Haman havde lovet at tilveje Kongens Skatkamre for at få Lov til at tilintetgøre Jøderne.
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Desuden gav han ham en Afskrift af Skrivelsen med den den i Susan udgåede Forordning om at udrydde dem, for at han skulde vise Ester den og tilkendegive hende det og pålægge hende at gå ind til Kongen og bede ham om Nåde og gå i Forbøn hos ham for sit Folk.
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.
9 Halak gik så ind og lod Ester vide, hvad Mordokaj havde sagt.
And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Men Ester sendte Halak til Mordokaj med følgende Svar:
Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11 Alle Kongens Tjenere og Folkene i Kongeos Lande ved, at der for enhver, Mand eller Kvinde, som ukaldet går ind til Kongen i den inderste Gård, kun gælder een Lov, den, at han skal lide Døden, medmindre Kongen rækker sit gyldne Septer ud imod ham; i så Fald beholder han Livet. Men jeg har nu i tredive Dage ikke været kaldt til Kongen!
All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, [there is] one law of his to put [him] to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12 Da han havde meddelt Mordokaj Esters Ord,
And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.
13 bød Mordokaj ham svare Ester: "Tro ikke, at du alene af alle Jøder skal undslippe, fordi du er i Kongens Hus!
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
14 Nej, dersom du virkelig tier ved denne Lejlighed, så kommer der andetsteds fra Hjælp og Redning til Jøderne; men du og din Slægt skal omkomme. Hvem ved, om det ikke netop er for sligt Tilfældes Skyld, at du er kommet til kongelig Værdighed!
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, [then] shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for [such] a time as this?
15 Da sendte Ester Mordokaj det Svar:
Then Esther bade [them] return Mordecai [this answer],
16 Gå hen og kald alle Susans Jøder sammen og hold Faste for mig, således at I hverken spiser eller drikker Dag eller Nat i tre Døgn; på samme Måde vil også jeg og mine Terner faste; og derefter vil jeg gå ind til Kongen, skønt det er imod Loven; skal jeg omkomme, så lad mig da omkomme!
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which [is] not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 Så gik Mordokaj hen og gjorde ganske som Ester havde pålagt ham.
So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
