Esther 4

1 And Mordecai he knew all that it had been done and he tore Mordecai clothes his and he put on sackcloth and ash[es] and he went out in [the] midst of the city and he cried a cry loud and bitter.

Now when Mordecai perceiued all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackecloth and ashes, and went out into the middes of the citie, and cryed with a great crye, and a bitter.

2 And he went to before [the] gate of the king for not to go into [the] gate of the king in clothing of sackcloth.

And he came euen before the Kings gate, but he might not enter within the Kings gate, being clothed with sackecloth.

3 And in every province and province [the] place where [the] word of the king and law his [were] reaching mourning great [belonged] to the Jews and fasting and weeping and wailing sackcloth and ash[es] it was spread as a bed by many [people].

And in euery prouince, and place, whither the Kings charge and his commission came, there was great sorowe among the Iewes, and fasting, and weeping and mourning, and many laye in sackecloth and in ashes.

4 (And they came *Q(k)*) [the] maids of Esther and eunuchs her and they told to her and she agonized the queen exceedingly and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to remove sackcloth his from on him and not he accepted [them].

Then Esters maydes and her eunuches came and tolde it her: therefore the Queene was very heauie, and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackecloth from him, but he receiued it not.

5 And she summoned Esther Hathach one of [the] eunuchs of the king whom he had made stand before her and she commanded him on Mordecai to know what? [was] this and concerning what? [was] this.

Then called Ester Hatach one of the Kings eunuches, whom he had appointed to serue her, and gaue him a commandement vnto Mordecai, to knowe what it was, and why it was.

6 And he went out Hathach to Mordecai to [the] open place of the city which [was] before [the] gate of the king.

So Hatach went foorth to Mordecai vnto the streete of the citie, which was before the Kings gate.

7 And he told to him Mordecai all that it had happened to him and - [the] exact amount of the silver which he had said Haman to weigh out to [the] treasuries of the king (for the Jews *Q(k)*) to destroy them.

And Mordecai tolde him of all that which had come vnto him, and of the summe of the siluer that Haman had promised to pay vnto the Kings treasures, because of the Iewes, for to destroy them.

8 And copy of [the] writing of the law which it had been given in Susa to annihilate them he gave to him to show Esther and to tell to her and to command to her to go to the king to seek favor to him and to request from to before him on people her.

Also he gaue him the copy of the writing and commission that was giuen at Shushan, to destroy them, that he might shewe it vnto Ester and declare it vnto her, and to charge her that she should goe in to the King, and make petition and supplication before him for her people.

9 And he came Hathach and he told to Esther [the] words of Mordecai.

So when Hatach came, he told Ester the wordes of Mordecai.

10 And she said Esther to Hathach and she commanded him to Mordecai.

Then Ester sayde vnto Hatach, and commanded him to say vnto Mordecai,

11 All [the] servants of the king and [the] people of [the] provinces of the king [are] knowing that every man and woman who he goes to the king into the court inner who not he is summoned [is] one law his to put to death apart from that he extends to him the king [the] scepter of gold and he will live and I not (I have been summoned *L(abh)*) to go to the king this thirty day[s].

All the Kings seruants and the people of the Kings prouinces doe knowe, that whosoeuer, man or woman, that commeth to the King into the inner court, which is not called, there is a law of his, that he shall dye, except him to whom the King holdeth out the golden rodde, that he may liue. Now I haue not bene called to come vnto the King these thirtie dayes.

12 And they told to Mordecai [the] words of Esther.

And they certified Mordecai of Esters wordes.

13 And he said Mordecai to bring back to Esther may not you imagine in self your to escape [the] house of the king from all the Jews.

And Mordecai saide, that they should answere Ester thus, Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the Kings house, more then all the Iewes.

14 That except certainly you will keep quiet at the time this relief and deliverance it will arise for the Jews from a place another and you and [the] house of father your you will perish and who? [is] knowing if for a time like this you have reached the queenhood.

For if thou holdest thy peace at this time, comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place, but thou and thy fathers house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time?

15 And she said Esther to bring back to Mordecai.

Then Ester commanded to answere Mordecai,

16 Go gather all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast on me and may not you eat and may not you drink three days night and day also I and maids my I will fast thus and in such I will go to the king which not [is] according to the law and just as I have perished I have perished.

Goe, and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and eate not, nor drinke in three dayes, day nor night. I also and my maydes will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the King, which is not according to the lawe: and if I perish, I perish.

17 And he passed on Mordecai and he did according to all that she had commanded to him Esther.

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