Esther 4

1 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;

When, Mordecai, came to know all that had been done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, and ashes, —and went forth into the midst of the city, and cried out with an outcry loud and bitter;

2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

and went in as far as before the gate of the king, —for, none, might enter into the gate of the king, clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, anywhere 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.

And, throughout every province, whithersoever the word of the king and his edict came, was great mourning to the Jews, and fasting and weeping, and lamentation, —sackcloth and ashes, were spread out for many.

4 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.

So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish, —and sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from off him, but he accepted them not.

5 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.

Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the eunuchs of the king whom he had stationed before her, and charged him, concerning Mordecai, —to get to know what this was, and why this was.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai, —in the broadway of the city, which was before the gate of the king.

7 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.

And Mordecai told him all that had befallen him, —and an exact statement of the silver, that Haman had promised to weigh out unto the treasuries of the king, for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show 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.

Also, a copy of the writing of the edict which had been given in Shusan to destroy them, gave he unto him, to shew unto Esther, and to tell her, —and to lay charge upon her, to go in unto the king—to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.

9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

And Hathach came in and told Esther, the words of Mordecai.

10 Again Esther spoke unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

Then spake Esther unto Hathach, —and gave him charge, unto Mordecai: —

11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, 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.

All the servants of the king, and the people of the provinces of the king, do know, that, whatsoever man or woman shall go in unto the king—into the inter court—who hath not been called, one, is his law, to put him to death, saving any to whom the king may hold out the golden sceptre, who then shall live, —but, I, have not been called to go in unto the king, these thirty days.

12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

And they told Mordecai, the words of Esther.

13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, —Do not think in thine own soul, to escape in the house of the king from among all the Jews.

14 For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but you and your father's house shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

But, if thou, do indeed hold thy peace, at this time, respite and deliverance, will be appointed for the Jews, from another place, but, thou, and thy father’s house, will perish, —and who knoweth whether, for a time such as this, thou hast attained unto the royal estate?

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

Then Esther commanded, to answer Mordecai: —

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast all of you 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.

Go! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan, and fast ye for me—and neither eat nor drink—three days, night nor day, and, I and my maidens, will fast so, —and, in this manner, will I go in unto the king, though it is not according to the law, and, when I have perished, I have perished!

17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

So Mordecai departed, —and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.