Esta 4
1 Kane Modekai owinjo gigo duto mane osetimore, noyiecho lepe morwako pien gugru mobukore gi buru, kodhi e dala maduongʼ koywak kendo kogoyo nduru matek ka chunye lit.
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 To nodhi mana nyaka e dhoranga ruoth nikech ne ok oyiene ngʼat morwako pien gugru mondo odonji.
He stood outside the gate of the palace, because no one who was wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter the palace.
3 E piny ka piny mane wach ruoth ochopoe, kuyo nomako jo-Yahudi, ka gitweyo chiemo, ka giywak kendo ka gidengo. Thothgi nonindo e piende gugru ka gibukore gi buru.
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 Kane jotich Esta ma nyiri gi mago machwo mabwoch okelone wach mar Modekai nokuyo ahinya. Noorone lewni mondo orwaki kar rwako pien gugru, to notamore kawogi.
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 Eka Esta noluongo Hathak, achiel kuom jotich ruoth mabwoch manoketi mondo otine, noore ir Modekai mondo onone kuom gima chande.
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 Omiyo Hathak nowuok modhi ir Modekai e paw dala maduongʼ mane ni e nyim dhoranga ruoth.
Hathach went to Mordecai, who was in the plaza in front of the palace gate.
7 Modekai nonyise gik moko duto mosetimorene, nonyise koda kar romb pesa ma Haman nosesingore nodhi chulo e kar keno mar joka ruoth mondo otiekgo jo-Yahudi.
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 Nomiye kalatas mondikie weche mag tiekogi ma nondiki e dala mar Susa, mondo onyis Esta kendo olerne weche mondikgo, nowachone ni mondo okwaye mondo odhi e nyim ruoth kendo ohomb ruoth ongʼwon ne ogandane.
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 nodok ir Esta monyise weche mane Modekai owacho.
So Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai said.
10 Eka nonyiso ngʼatno mondo owach ne Modekai niya,
Then Esther told Hathach to [return to] Mordecai [and] tell this [to him]:
11 “Jotelo duto mag ruoth to gi ji duto moa e gwenge mag pinyruoth, ongʼeyo ni onge ngʼato angʼata madichwo kata ma dhako manyalo donjo ir ruoth e laru maiye ka ok ruoth ema oluonge to oket chik achiel kende ni nyaka nege. Makmana ka ruoth orieyo ludhe mar dhahabu kochomo ngʼatno eka ok nonege. Koro to osekawo ndalo piero adek kapok ruoth oluonga.”
“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 Kane onyis Modekai weche mane Esta owacho,
So Hathach [went back to] Mordecai [and] told [him] what Esther had said.
13 nodwoko kowacho niya, “Kik ipar ni in kendi ema inikwo e dhood jo-Yahudi duto nikech in e od ruoth.
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 To nikech ka ilingʼ e kinde ma kama, to jo-Yahudi noyud resruok e yo moro machielo, to in kod jood wuonu notieku. To ngʼama dingʼe ni ne ibiro e od ruoth e sa ma kama mana ni mondo ikonywa?”
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 Eka Esta nooro dwoko ne Modekai kama:
Then [after Hathach told this to] Esther, [she] told him to return to Mordecai and say this to him:
16 “Dhi ichok jo-Yahudi duto man Susa, mondo utwe chiemo kulemona. Kik uchiem kata metho kuom ndalo adek otieno gi odiechiengʼ. An gi nyiri matiyona bende wabiro tweyo chiemo kendo metho mana kaka un. Ka usetimo kamano, to abiro dhi ir ruoth, kata obedo ni chik ok oyie kamano. Ka ochuno ni nyaka atho, to anatho.”
“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 Omiyo Modekai nodhi motimo duto mane Esta ochiko mondo otim.
So [after Hathach told this to Mordecai, ] Mordecai went and did what Esther told him to do.
