Esther 4
1 Now when Mordecai found out all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and wailed loudly and bitterly.
末底改知道所做的这一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，痛哭哀号。
2 He came even before the king’s gate, for no one is allowed inside the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
到了朝门前停住脚步，因为穿麻衣的不可进朝门。
3 In every province, wherever 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.
王的谕旨所到的各省各处，犹大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀号，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
4 Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth, but he did not receive it.
王后以斯帖的宫女和太监来把这事告诉以斯帖，她甚是忧愁，就送衣服给末底改穿，要他脱下麻衣，他却不受。
5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was.
以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一个太监，名叫哈他革召来，吩咐他去见末底改，要知道这是什么事，是什么缘故。
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square which was before the king’s gate.
于是哈他革出到朝门前的宽阔处见末底改。
7 Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
末底改将自己所遇的事，并哈曼为灭绝犹大人应许捐入王库的银数都告诉了他；
8 He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.
又将所抄写传遍书珊城要灭绝犹大人的旨意交给哈他革，要给以斯帖看，又要给她说明，并嘱咐她进去见王，为本族的人在王面前恳切祈求。
9 Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
哈他革回来，将末底改的话告诉以斯帖；
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai:
以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去见末底改，说：
11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
“王的一切臣仆和各省的人民都知道有一个定例：若不蒙召，擅入内院见王的，无论男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。”
12 They told Esther’s words to Mordecai.
人就把以斯帖这话告诉末底改。
13 Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: “Do not think to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews.
末底改托人回复以斯帖说：“你莫想在王宫里强过一切犹大人，得免这祸。
14 For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是为现今的机会吗？”
15 Then Esther asked them to answer Mordecai,
以斯帖就吩咐人回报末底改说：
16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
“你当去招聚书珊城所有的犹大人，为我禁食三昼三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宫女也要这样禁食。然后我违例进去见王，我若死就死吧！”
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
于是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
