< Esther 4 >

1 When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
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.
2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
Tedae tlamhni pueinak neh manghai vongka khuila a kun uh noek pawt dongah manghai vongka hmai hil tah cet.
3 In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
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.
4 When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
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 dongkah a tlamhni te dul pah ham a tueih pah dae doe pawh.
5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.
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.
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
Hathakh khaw khopuei toltung ah manghai vongka hmai kah Mordekai taengla cet.
7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.
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,
8 Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
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.
9 So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
Hathakh te mael tih Mordekai ol te Esther taengah a thui pah.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
Esther loh Hathakh te a voek tih Mordekai ham te anih taengah,
11 “All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
“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.
12 When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
Esther kah ol te Mordekai taengla a puen pauh.
13 he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
Mordekai loh Esther taengla ol a mael hamla, “Judah boeih akhaw manghai im kah tah loeih ni tila na hinglu khuiah lutlat boeh.
14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
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 hae tue vaengkah ham manghai la na poeh?” a ti nah.
15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
Te dongah Esther loh Mordekai taengla ol a mael tih,
16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
“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.
17 So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.
Te dongah Mordekai te cet tih Esther loh a taengah a uen bangla boeih a saii.

< Esther 4 >