< 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 been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the middle of the city, and cried out with a loud and a bitter cry.
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.
He went up only as far as the king's gate, because no one was allowed to go through it clothed in sackcloth.
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, wherever the king's command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and lamenting. Many of them 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 young women and her servants came and told her, the queen was in great distress. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai (so he could take off 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 called for Hathak, one of the king's officials who had been assigned to serve her. She ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what had happened and what it meant.
6 Hatak jere nʼama obodo ahụ ebe ọ hụrụ Mọdekai nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọeze.
So Hathak went 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.
Mordecai reported to him all that had happened to him, and the total amount of the silver that Haman had promised to weigh out and put into the king's treasuries in order to put the Jews to death.
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.
He also gave him a copy of the decree that was issued in Susa for the Jews' destruction. He did this so that Hathak could show it to Esther, and that he should give her the responsibility of going to the king to beg for his favor, and to plead with him on behalf of her people.
9 Hatak lọghachiri zie Esta ihe niile Mọdekai kwuru.
So Hathak went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
10 Ma Esta gwara Hatak ka o jeghachi gwa Mọdekai sị,
Then Esther spoke to Hathak and told him to go back to 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.”
She said, “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner courtyard without being summoned, there is only one law: That he must be put to death—except for anyone to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. I have not been called to come to the king these thirty days.”
12 Mgbe ha gwara Mọdekai ihe Esta zara,
So Hathak reported Esther's words to Mordecai.
13 o zighachiri ọsịsa a, “Echela nʼihi na i bi nʼụlọeze na naanị gị ga-afọdụ ndụ nʼetiti ndị Juu niile.
Mordecai sent back this message: “You must not think that in the king's palace, you will escape any more than all the other 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?”
If you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will rise up for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows whether you have come to this royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Mgbe ahụ, Esta zara Mọdekai sị;
Then Esther sent this message 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, gather together all the Jews who live in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My young girls and I will fast in the same way. Then 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.
Mordecai went and did all that Esther told him to do.

< Esta 4 >