Esther 4

1 And whanne Mardochee hadde herd these thingis, he to-rente hise clothis, and he was clothid in a sak, and spreynt aische on the heed, and he criede with greet vois in the street of the myddis of the citee, and schewide the bitternesse of his soule,

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and strewed ashes on his head, and went out into the city and raised a loud and bitter cry of lamentation.

2 and he yede with this yellyng `til to the yatis of the paleis; for it was not leueful a man clothid with a sak to entre in to the halle of the kyng.

He went as far as the king’s gate, but no one could enter the gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 Also in alle prouynces, citees, and places, to which the cruel sentence of the king was comun, was greet weilyng, fastyng, yellyng, and wepyng anentis the Jewis, and many Jewis vsiden sak and aische for bed.

In every province, wherever the king’s command and decree went, there was great mourning, fasting, weeping, and wailing among the Jews. Many of them sat in sackcloth and ashes.

4 Sotheli the dameselis and onest seruauntis and chast of Hester entriden, and telden to hir; which thing sche herde, and was astonyed; and sche sente a cloth to Mardochee, that whanne the sak was takun a wei, he schulde clothe hym therynne; which cloth he nolde take.

When Esther’s maids and attendants told her about Mordecai’s behaviour, she was greatly troubled. She sent garments for Mordecai to put on, so that he could take off his sack-cloth, but he would not accept them.

5 And aftir that Athac, the onest seruaunt and chast, `was clepid, whom the kyng hadde youe a mynystre to hir, sche comaundide, that he schulde go to Mardochee, and lerne of hym, whi he dide this thing.

So Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what it all meant and the reason for it.

6 And Athac yede out, and yede to Mardochee stondynge in the street of the citee, bifor the dore of the paleis;

So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square in front of the king’s gate.

7 which schewide to Athac alle thingis that bifelden, hou Aaman hadde bihiyt to bryng siluer in to tresours of the kyng for the deeth of Jewis.

Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasury for the destruction of the Jews.

8 Also he yaf to Athac the copie of the comaundement, that hangide in Susa, to schewe to the queen, and to moneste hir for to entre to the kyng, and to biseche hym for hir puple.

Also he gave him a copy of the decree to destroy them, that had been published in Susa, to show to Esther for her information. He also told her to go to the king and implore his mercy and to plead with him in behalf of her people.

9 And Athac yede ayen, and telde to Hester alle thingis, whiche Mardochee hadde seid.

When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,

10 And sche answeryde to hym, and seide, that he schulde seie to Mardochee, Alle the seruauntis of the kyng,

she instructed Hathach to go and say to Mordecai,

11 and alle prouyncis that ben vndur his lordschip, knowen, that whether a man ether a womman not clepid entrith in to the ynnere halle of the kyng, he schal be slayn anoon with outen ony tariyng, no but in hap the kyng holdith forth the goldun yerde `to hym for `the signe of merci, and he mai lyue so; therfor hou mai Y entre to the kyng, which am not clepid to hym now bi thritti daies?

‘All the king’s courtiers and the people of the king’s provinces know that for every man or woman who goes to the king into the inner court without being called there is one penalty, death, unless the king holds out the golden sceptre signifying that they may live. It has been thirty days since I have been called to go in to the king.’

12 And whanne Mardochee hadde herd `this thing, he sente efte to Hester,

When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,

13 and seide, Gesse thou not, that thou schalt delyuer oonli thi lijf, for thou art in the hows of the kyng, bifor alle Jewis;

he sent back this reply to Esther, ‘Don’t imagine that you alone of all the Jews will escape because you belong to the king’s household.

14 for if thou art stille now, Jewis schulen be delyuered bi another occasioun, and thou and the hows of thi fadir schulen perische; and who knowith, whether herfor thou camist to the rewme, that thou schuldist be maad redi in sich a tyme?

If you persist in remaining silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, but you and your family will perish. Who knows? Maybe you have been raised to the throne for a time like this!’

15 And eft Hester sente these wordis to Mardochee,

Then Esther sent this message to Mordecai:

16 Go thou, and gadere togidere alle Jewis, whiche thou fyndist in Susa, and preie ye for me; ete ye not, nether drynke ye in thre daies and thre nyytis, and Y with myn handmaydis schal fast in lijk maner; and thanne Y not clepid schal entre to the kyng, and Y schal do ayens the lawe, and Y schal bitake me to deth and to perel.

‘Go, gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat nor drink anything for three days and nights. My maids and I will fast as well. Then I will go in to the king, although it is contrary to the law, and if I die, I die.’

17 Therfor Mardochee yede, and dide alle thingis, whiche Hester hadde comaundid to hym.

Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.