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.

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 he went to before [the] gate of the king for not to go into [the] gate of the king in clothing of 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 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, 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 (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].

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

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

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

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

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

Then spake Esther unto Hathach, —and gave him charge, unto 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 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 [the] words of Esther.

And they told Mordecai, the words of Esther.

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.

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 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.

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 And she said Esther to bring back to Mordecai.

Then Esther commanded, to answer 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.

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

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