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

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

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

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

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

So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai, —in the broadway of the city, which was before the gate of the king.

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

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 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, 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 regressus Athac nuntiavit Hester omnia quae Mardocheus dixerat

And Hathach came in and told Esther, the words of Mordecai.

10 quae respondit ei et iussit ut diceret Mardocheo

Then spake Esther unto Hathach, —and gave him charge, unto Mordecai: —

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 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 quod cum audisset Mardocheus

And they told Mordecai, 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 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 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

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 rursumque Hester haec Mardocheo verba mandavit

Then Esther commanded, to answer Mordecai: —

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! 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 ivit itaque Mardocheus et fecit omnia quae ei Hester praeceperat

So Mordecai departed, —and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.