< Esta 4 >

1 Mgbe Mọdekai nụrụ ihe mere, ọ dọwara uwe ya, yikwasị onwe ya akwa mkpe, werekwa ntụ kpokwasị onwe ya, pụọ baa nʼime obodo, na-eti mkpu akwa.
When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
2 Ọ bịaruru nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nke ụlọeze guzo nʼebe ahụ, nʼihi na ọ dịghị onye a na-ekwe ka o yiri akwa mkpe banye nʼogige ụlọeze.
But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
3 Nʼalaeze ahụ ndị Juu niile, nọ nʼiru ụjụ na ibu ọnụ na ịkwa akwa na iti aka nʼobi nʼihi iwu eze ahụ. Ọtụtụ yikwa akwa mkpe ha, dinarakwa na ntụ.
In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 Mgbe ụmụ agbọghọ na ndị onozi Esta gwara ya ihe banyere Mọdekai, o wutere ya nke ukwuu. O zigaara Mọdekai uwe, ka o nwee ike gbanwee uwe mkpe ahụ o yi, ma ọ naraghị ha.
When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
5 Mgbe ahụ, Esta ziri ka a kpọọ Hatak, otu nʼime ndị onozi eze, onye nke ọ bụ ọrụ ya ijere Esta ozi, gwa ya ka o jekwuru Mọdekai jụọ ya ihe kpatara nke a, na ihe mere o ji na-eme otu a.
Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.
6 Hatak jere nʼama obodo ahụ ebe ọ hụrụ Mọdekai nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọeze.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
7 Mọdekai kọọrọ ya ihe niile, na otu Heman si kwee nkwa ịkwụnye ego nʼụlọakụ eze ka e were laa ndị Juu nʼiyi.
and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.
8 O nyekwara ya akwụkwọ iwu eze ebe e dere maka ịla ha nʼiyi, bụ nke akpọsara na Susa, ka o gosi ya Esta, kọwaakwa ya nye ya. Ọ gwara ya ka o nye ya iwu ka ọ bakwuru eze rịọ ya arịrịọ amara, rịọkwa ya ebere nʼihi ndị ya.
Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
9 Hatak lọghachiri zie Esta ihe niile Mọdekai kwuru.
So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
10 Ma Esta gwara Hatak ka o jeghachi gwa Mọdekai sị,
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
11 “Ụwa niile maara nke ọma na onye ọbụla, maọbụ nwoke maọbụ nwanyị, banyere nʼime ime ụlọeze mgbe eze na-akpọghị ya, ga-anwụ, karịakwa ma eze o setịpụrụ mkpara ọlaedo ya gosi onye ahụ na ọ nabatara ọbịbịa ya. Ugbu a, o meela ihe dị ka otu ọnwa kemgbe eze na-ezibeghị ozi ka a kpọọ m.”
“All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
12 Mgbe ha gwara Mọdekai ihe Esta zara,
When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
13 o zighachiri ọsịsa a, “Echela nʼihi na i bi nʼụlọeze na naanị gị ga-afọdụ ndụ nʼetiti ndị Juu niile.
he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
14 Ọ bụrụ na ị gba nkịtị nʼoge a, oghere na napụta ndị Juu ga-esite nʼụzọ ọzọ bịa, ma gị onwe gị na ụlọ nna gị ga-ala nʼiyi. Onye makwanụ ihe mere i ji nọrọ nʼụlọeze nʼoge dị otu a?”
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 Mgbe ahụ, Esta zara Mọdekai sị;
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 “Gaa kpọkọtaa ndị Juu niile bi na Susa, bukwaaranụ m ọnụ. Unu erila ihe ọbụla, maọbụ ṅụọ ihe ọbụla abalị atọ, ehihie na abalị. Mụ onwe m kwa, na ụmụ agbọghọ na-ejere m ozi, ga-emekwa otu ihe ahụ. Emesịa, ọ bụ ezie na ọ bụ ihe megidere iwu, ma aga m aga hụ eze anya. Ihe ọ pụtara ya pụta. Ọ pụtara m ọnwụ, ka m nwụọ!”
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
17 Mọdekai pụrụ, gaa mee dịka Esta gwara ya.
So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.

< Esta 4 >