Esther 4

1 quae cum audisset Mardocheus scidit vestimenta sua et indutus est sacco spargens cinerem capiti et in platea mediae civitatis voce magna clamabat ostendens amaritudinem animi sui

But Mardochaeus having perceived what was done, tore his garments, and put on sackcloth, and sprinkled dust upon himself; and having rushed forth through the open street of the city, he cried with a loud voice, A nation that has done no wrong is going to be destroyed.

2 et hoc heiulatu usque ad fores palatii gradiens non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare

And he came to the king's gate, and stood; for it was not lawful for him to enter into the palace, wearing sackcloth and ashes.

3 in omnibus quoque provinciis oppidis ac locis ad quae crudele regis dogma pervenerat planctus ingens erat apud Iudaeos ieiunium ululatus et fletus sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus

And in every province where the letters were published, [there was] crying and lamentation and great mourning on the part of the Jews: they spread for themselves sackcloth and ashes.

4 ingressae sunt autem puellae Hester et eunuchi nuntiaveruntque ei quod audiens consternata est et misit vestem ut ablato sacco induerent eum quam accipere noluit

And the queen's maids and chamberlains went in and told her: and when she had heard what was done, she was disturbed; and she sent to clothe Mardochaeus, and take away his sackcloth; but he consented not.

5 accitoque Athac eunucho quem rex ministrum ei dederat praecepit ut iret ad Mardocheum et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret

So Esther called for her chamberlain Achrathaeus, who waited upon her; and she sent to learn the truth from Mardochaeus.

6 egressusque Athac ivit ad Mardocheum stantem in platea civitatis ante ostium palatii

7 qui indicavit ei omnia quae acciderant quomodo Aman promisisset ut in thesauros regis pro Iudaeorum nece inferret argentum

And Mardochaeus showed him what was done, and the promise which Aman had made the king of ten thousand talents [to be paid] into the treasury, that he might destroy the Jews.

8 exemplarque edicti quod pendebat in Susis dedit ei ut reginae ostenderet et moneret eam ut intraret ad regem et deprecaretur eum pro populo suo

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew [it] unto Esther, and to declare [it] unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

9 regressus Athac nuntiavit Hester omnia quae Mardocheus dixerat

So Achrathaeus went in and told her all these words.

10 quae respondit ei et iussit ut diceret Mardocheo

And Esther said to Achrathaeus, Go to Mardochaeus, and say,

11 omnes servi regis et cunctae quae sub dicione eius sunt norunt provinciae quod sive vir sive mulier invocatus interius atrium regis intraverit absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiae atque ita possit vivere ego igitur quomodo ad regem intrare potero quae triginta iam diebus non sum vocata ad eum

All the nations of the empire know, that whoever, man or woman, shall go in to the king into the inner court uncalled, that person can’t live: only to whoever the king shall stretch out [his] golden sceptre, he shall live: and I have not been called to go into the king, for these thirty days.

12 quod cum audisset Mardocheus

And Achrathaeus reported to Mardochaeus all the words of Esther.

13 rursum mandavit Hester dicens ne putes quod animam tuam tantum liberes quia in domo regis es prae cunctis Iudaeis

Then Mardochaeus said to Achrathaeus, Go, and say to her, Esther, say not to yourself that you alone will escape in the kingdom, more than all the [other] Jews.

14 si enim nunc silueris per aliam occasionem liberabuntur Iudaei et tu et domus patris tui peribitis et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris ut in tali tempore parareris

For if you shall refuse to listen on this occasion, help and protection will be to the Jews from another quarter; but you and your father's house will perish: and who knows, if you have been made queen for this [very] occasion?

15 rursumque Hester haec Mardocheo verba mandavit

And Esther sent the [man] that came to her to Mardochaeus, saying,

16 vade et congrega omnes Iudaeos quos in Susis reppereris et orate pro me non comedatis et non bibatis tribus diebus ac noctibus et ego cum ancillulis meis similiter ieiunabo et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens invocata tradensque me morti et periculo

Go and assemble the Jews that are in Susa, and fast you for me, and eat not and drink not for three days, night and day: and I also and my maidens will fast; and then I will go in to the king contrary to the law, even if I must die.

17 ivit itaque Mardocheus et fecit omnia quae ei Hester praeceperat

So Mardochaeus went and did all that Esther commanded him.