< Ester 4 >

1 Esi Mordekai se nya si dzɔ la, edze eƒe awuwo, ta akpanya, si dzowɔ ɖe ŋuti, eye wòyi dua me henɔ avi fam sesĩe nublanuitɔe.
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 Etsi tsitre ɖe fiasã la ƒe agbo nu, elabena womeɖe mɔ be ame aɖeke nanɔ akpanya me age ɖe fiasã la me o.
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 Yudatɔwo ta akpanya mlɔ afi ma, tsi nu dɔ, fa avi kple ɣli, eye dzi ɖe le wo ƒo le nutowo katã me le anyigba blibo la dzi le ɖoɖo si fia la wɔ la ta.
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 Esi Ester ƒe nyɔnudɔlawo kple ŋutsu tata siwo le edzi kpɔm la va gblɔ nu si Mordekai nɔ wɔwɔm nɛ la, exa nu, eye wòɖo awuwo ɖee be wòatsɔ aɖɔli akpanya si wòta la, gake melɔ̃ o.
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 Azɔ Ester ɖo Hatak, ŋutsu tata si wotia be wòasubɔe la ɖa be wòayi Mordekai gbɔ, abia nu si le fu ɖem nɛ kple nu si tae.
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 Ale Hatak do go yi ablɔ dzi, eye wòkpɔ Mordekai le fiasã la ƒe agboa godo.
So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai, —in the broadway of the city, which was before the gate of the king.
7 Tete Mordekai gblɔ nu siwo katã dzɔ la nɛ kple ga home si ŋugbe Haman do be yeatsɔ ade fia la ƒe gadzraɖoƒe me hena Yudatɔwo wuwu.
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 Mordekai tsɔ agbalẽ si me fia la ƒe se si wòde le Susa be woatsrɔ̃ Yudatɔwo katã le la na Hatak, eye wòbia tso esi be wòatsɔe afia Ester. Egblɔ na Hatak be wòagblɔ nya si dzɔ la na Ester, eye wòabia tso esi be wòayi fia la gbɔ, aɖe kuku nɛ be wòakpɔ nublanui na eƒe amewo.
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 Ale Hatak trɔ yi Ester gbɔ, eye wògblɔ nya si Mordekai be wòagblɔ nɛ la nɛ.
And Hathach came in and told Esther, the words of Mordecai.
10 Ester gblɔ na Hatak be wòayi aɖagblɔ na Mordekai be,
Then spake Esther unto Hathach, —and gave him charge, unto Mordecai: —
11 “Fia la ƒe dɔnunɔlawo katã kple ame siwo katã le nutowo me la nya be ne ŋutsu alo nyɔnu aɖe yi ɖe fia la gbɔ le xɔ titinatɔ me, evɔ fia la meyɔe o la, se ɖeka si le nu sia ŋuti koe nye be woawu amea. Negbe ɖeko fia la tsɔ eƒe sikatikplɔ ɖo ɖee hafi wòaɖe eƒe agbe. Ke ŋkeke blaetɔ̃e nye esi fia la meɖo du ɖem o.”
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 Ale Hatak yi ɖagblɔ Ester ƒe nya la na Mordekai,
And they told Mordecai, the words of Esther.
13 eye Mordekai ɖo eŋu ɖo ɖe Ester be, “Ɖe nèbu be ye ya yeanɔ dedie le afi ma, le fiasã la me, ne wowu Yudatɔwo katã?
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 Ne èzi ɖoɖoe le ɣeyiɣi sia tɔgbi me la, Mawu ato mɔ bubu aɖe dzi aɖe Yudatɔwo, ke wò kple fofowò ƒe aƒemetɔwo miatsrɔ̃. Gawu la, ame kae nya be Mawu ŋutɔe da wò ɖe teƒe sia le fiasã la me le ɣeyiɣi sia tɔgbi me?”
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 Ester ɖo ame ɖa be woagblɔ na Mordekai be:
Then Esther commanded, to answer Mordecai: —
16 “Yi nàƒo Yudatɔ siwo katã le Susa la nu ƒu, eye miatsi nu dɔ ɖe tanye, migaɖu nu alo miano nu o, ŋkeke etɔ̃ kple zã etɔ̃. Nye kple nye subɔlawo hã míawɔ nenema ke. Ekema, togbɔ be wode se sesẽ aɖe ɖe eŋu hã la, mayi aɖakpɔ fia la kpɔ. Ne meku la, maku faa!”
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 Ale Mordekai wɔ nu si Ester ɖo nɛ.
So Mordecai departed, —and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.

< Ester 4 >