Esther 4
1 Now when Mordecai saw what was done, pulling off his robe, he put on haircloth, with dust on his head, and went out into the middle of the town, crying out with a loud and bitter cry.
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。
2 And he came even before the king's doorway; for no one might come inside the king's door clothed in haircloth.
到了朝門前停住腳步，因為穿麻衣的不可進朝門。
3 And in every part of the kingdom, wherever the king's word and his order came, there was great sorrow among the Jews, and weeping and crying and going without food; and numbers of them were stretched on the earth covered with dust and haircloth.
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。
4 And Esther's women and her servants came and gave her word of it. Then great was the grief of the queen: and she sent robes for Mordecai, so that his clothing of haircloth might be taken off; but he would not have them.
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。
5 Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king's unsexed servants whom he had given her for waiting on her, and she gave him orders to go to Mordecai and see what this was and why it was.
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。
6 So Hathach went out and saw Mordecai in the open square of the town before the king's doorway.
於是哈他革出到朝門前的寬闊處見末底改。
7 And Mordecai gave him an account of what had taken place, and of the amount of money which Haman had said he would put into the king's store for the destruction of the Jews.
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；
8 And he gave him the copy of the order which had been given out in Shushan for their destruction, ordering him to let Esther see it, and to make it clear to her; and to say to her that she was to go in to the king, requesting his mercy, and making prayer for her people.
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。
9 And Hathach came back and gave Esther an account of what Mordecai had said.
哈他革回來，將末底改的話告訴以斯帖；
10 Then Esther sent Hathach to say to Mordecai:
以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去見末底改，說：
11 It is common knowledge among all the king's servants and the people of every part of the kingdom, that if anyone, man or woman, comes to the king in his inner room without being sent for, there is only one law for him, that he is to be put to death; only those to whom the king's rod of gold is stretched out may keep their lives: but I have not been sent for to come before the king these thirty days.
「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。」
12 And they said these words to Mordecai.
人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。
13 Then Mordecai sent this answer back to Esther: Do not have the idea that you in the king's house will be safe from the fate of all the Jews.
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。
14 If at this time you say nothing, then help and salvation will come to the Jews from some other place, but you and your father's family will come to destruction: and who is to say that you have not come to the kingdom even for such a time as this?
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？」
15 Then Esther sent them back to Mordecai with this answer:
以斯帖就吩咐人回報末底改說：
16 Go, get together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and go without food for me, taking no food or drink night or day for three days: and I and my women will do the same; and so I will go in to the king, which is against the law: and if death is to be my fate, then let it come.
「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！」
17 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had said.
於是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。
