Asteer 4
1 Mordekaayi yeroo waan hojjetame sana hunda beeketti uffata isaa tarsaasee, wayyaa gaddaa uffatee, daaraa ofitti firfirsee, sagalee guddaadhaan wawwaachaa hiqqifatees booʼaa gara walakkaa magaalaatti gad baʼe.
When Mordecai found out about those [letters, he was so anguished that] he tore his clothes and put on [rough] sackcloth and [threw] ashes over himself. Then he went into the city, crying very loudly.
2 Inni garuu sababii namni uffata gaddaa uffate tokko iyyuu akka ol seenu hin eeyyamamneef hamma karra mootichaa qofatti deeme.
He stood outside the gate of the palace, because no one who was wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter the palace.
3 Kutaalee biyyaa hunda iddoo ajajnii fi labsiin mootichaa gaʼetti gaddi guddaan, soomni booʼichii fi wawwaannaan Yihuudoota gidduu ture; baayʼeen isaanii uffata gaddaa uffatanii daaraa keessa ciisan.
In every province [of the empire], when the letter from the king was read to the Jewish people, they cried and mourned. They (fasted/abstained from eating food), and wailed loudly. Many of them also put on sackcloth and threw ashes on themselves and lay [on the ground].
4 Yeroo dubartoonni tajaajiltoonni Asteerii fi xuʼaashiiwwan dhufanii waaʼee Mordekaayi isheetti himanitti Asteer akka malee gaddite. Isheenis qooda uffata gaddaa wayyaa inni uffatu ergiteef; inni garuu isaan harkaa fudhachuu dide.
When Esther’s maids and other officials came to her and told her what Mordecai had done, she was very distressed. So she sent to Mordecai [some good] clothes to wear instead of the sackcloth, but he refused to take them.
5 Kana irratti Asteer xuʼaashiiwwan mootichaa keessaa Hataak isa ishee tajaajiluuf ramadame sana waamtee akka inni Mordekaayi bira deemee, rakkoo uumamee fi rakkoon sun maaliif akka uumame beekuuf ajajje.
Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s officials whom he had appointed to help take care of Esther. She told him to go [out and talk] to Mordecai to find out what was distressing him and why [he was wearing sackcloth to show] that he was grieving.
6 Kanaafuu Hataak gara oobdii magaalattii kan karra mootichaa duraa sanaatti Mordekaayiitti baʼe.
Hathach went to Mordecai, who was in the plaza in front of the palace gate.
7 Mordekaayi waan isa irra gaʼe hunda, maallaqa Haamaan Yihuudoota balleessuudhaaf mankuusa qabeenya mootichaatti galchuuf waadaa gale isatti hima.
Mordecai told him everything that had happened. He told him how much money Haman had promised to give to the government if the king commanded that all the Jews be killed.
8 Akkasumas Mordekaayi akka inni Asteeritti argisiisee isheedhaaf ibsuuf garagalcha barreeffama labsii kan isaan balleessuudhaaf Suusaa keessatti labsame sana isatti kenne; akka inni akka isheen mooticha bira dhaqxee itti boossee saba isheetiif araara kadhattu itti himuufis isa ajaje.
Mordecai also gave to Hathach a copy of the decree that had been read in Susa, [in which it was stated] that all the Jews must be killed. He told Hathach to show the copy to Esther. He told Hathach to explain to Esther what (it meant/would happen). Then he told him to urge her to go to the king and request the king to act mercifully to her people.
9 Hataak deebiʼee waan Mordekaayi jedhe Asteeritti hime.
So Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai said.
10 Asteer immoo akka inni akkana jedhee Mordekaayiitti himu isa ajajje;
Then Esther told Hathach to [return to] Mordecai [and] tell this [to him]:
11 “Qondaaltonni mootichaa hundii fi sabni kutaalee biyyaa mootichaa akka mootichi yoo namni kam iyyuu dhiiras taʼu dubartiin utuu hin waamamin kutaa manaa isa gara keessaa ol seenee fuula mootichaa duratti dhiʼaate akka mootichi seera tokko qofa qabu jechuunis akka ajjeefamu ni beeku. Namni tokko yoo mootichi bokkuu mootummaa kan warqee sana diriirseef qofa ajjeefamuu oola. Ani mataan koo iyyuu guyyoota soddomman kana keessaa akkan fuula mootichaa duratti dhiʼaadhuuf waamamee hin beeku.”
“There is a law [about people going to talk to the king]. All the king’s officials and all the people in the empire know this law. [In that law it states that] anyone who goes to the king in his inner court without having been summoned by the king must be executed. Only those to whom the king has extended his scepter/staff will not be executed. And a month has passed since the king has summoned me, [so what will happen to me if I try to see him and he doesn’t want to see me?]”
12 Yommuu dubbiin Asteer Mordekaayiitti himametti,
So Hathach [went back to] Mordecai [and] told [him] what Esther had said.
13 inni akkana jedhee deebii kana erge: “Ati sababii mana mootichaa keessa jirtuuf Yihuudoota hunda keessaa waan ati qofti baraaramtu hin seʼin.
Mordecai replied, “[Go back and] tell this to Esther: 'Do not think that just because you live there in the palace, you will escape when all the other Jews [are killed].
14 Yoo ati yeroo kanatti calʼifte gargaarsaa fi furamni Yihuudootaa iddoo biraatii ni dhufa; atii fi manni abbaa keetii garuu ni baddu. Maaltu beeka? Ati taayitaa mootummaa qabachuun kee yeroo akkanaatiif taʼaatii.”
If you say nothing now, someone from some other place will rescue [many of] us Jews, but you and your relatives will be killed. Furthermore, (perhaps [God]/who knows if [God]) has put you here [as queen] (for a situation like this/to prevent this from happening to us)!'” [RHQ]
15 Kana irratti Asteer akkana jettee deebii kana Mordekaayiitti ergite:
Then [after Hathach told this to] Esther, [she] told him to return to Mordecai and say this to him:
16 “Dhaqiitii Yihuudoota Suusaa keessa jiran hunda walitti qabiitii naa soomaa. Bultii sadii, guyyaa yookaan halkan illee homaa hin nyaatinaa yookaan homaa hin dhuginaa. Anii fi dubartoonni tajaajiltoonni koo iyyuu akkuma keessan ni soomna. Yoo akkas taʼe wanni kun seeraan ala taʼu illee ani gara mootichaa nan dhaqa. Ani yoon bades nan bada.”
“Gather together all the Jews here in Susa, and tell them to (fast/abstain from food) for my sake. Tell them to not eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My maids and I will also fast. Then, I will go to talk to the king. Even if (I am executed/they execute me) for disobeying the law [by seeing him when he does not hold out the scepter/staff toward me, I am willing for that to happen”].
17 Kanaafuu Mordekaayi deemee waan Asteer isa ajajje hunda hojii irra oolche.
So [after Hathach told this to Mordecai, ] Mordecai went and did what Esther told him to do.
