Ɛster 4
1 Bere a Mordekai huu nea wɔayɛ no nyinaa no, ɔtetew ne ntade mu, hyɛɛ atweaatam, de nsõ yɛɛ ne ho, de agyaadwotwa a ano yɛ den faa kuropɔn no mu.
Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.
2 Ogyinaa ahemfi no pon akyi, efisɛ na wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ atweaatam no nkɔ mu.
And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king’s court.
3 Na bere a ɔhene no mmara no duu amantam no nyinaa so no, na ɛyɛ osu ne agyaadwo wɔ Yudafo no mu. Wodii mmuada, su twaa agyaadwo a wɔn mu bebree hyehyɛ atweaatam de nsõ ahura wɔn ho.
And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king’s cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.
4 Bere a ɔhemmea Ɛster mmaawa ne ne piamfo bɛkaa Mordekai ho asɛm kyerɛɛ no no, ɛhaw no yiye. Ɔbrɛɛ no ntade sɛ ɔmfa nsi atweaatam no anan, nanso ɔpoe.
Then Esther’s maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation: and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.
5 Na Ɛster soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Hatak a ɔyɛ ɔhene piamfo no mu baako a wɔayi no sɛ ne somfo no. Ɔhyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnkɔ Mordekai nkyɛn nkobisa no nea ɛrehaw no, ne nea enti a ɔretwa agyaadwo saa.
And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.
6 Enti Hatak kɔɔ Mordekai nkyɛn wɔ aguabɔbea a ɛwɔ ahemfi no pon ano.
And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:
7 Mordekai kaa asɛm no nyinaa kyerɛɛ no, kaa sika a Haman ahyɛ bɔ sɛ ɔde begu adehye foto mu no, nam so de atɔre Yudafo no ase.
And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king’s treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.
8 Mordekai de mmara no sɛso a woyii no Susa a ɛkyerɛ sɛ wonkum Yudafo nyinaa no bae, na ɔde maa Hatak sɛ ɔmfa nkɔma Ɛster. Ɔsan frɛɛ Hatak sɛ ɔnkyerɛ mu nkyerɛ Ɛster, na ɔnsrɛ no sɛ, ɔnkɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn nkɔsrɛ no ahummɔbɔ, na ɔnka bi mma ne nkurɔfo.
He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.
9 Enti Hatak san kɔɔ Ɛster nkyɛn kɔkaa Mordekai nkra no.
And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.
10 Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ Hatak sɛ, ɔnsan mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai se:
She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:
11 “Wiase nyinaa nim sɛ obiara a wobɛkɔ ɔhene anim wɔ nʼasennipia mu a wɔntoo nsa mfrɛɛ wo no, owu na wubewu, gye sɛ ɔde ne sika ahempema no kyerɛ wo so. Na ɛbɛyɛ ɔsram ni no, ɔhene no nsomaa sɛ wɔmmɛfrɛ me.”
All the king’s servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king’s inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?
12 Enti Hatak de Ɛster nkra no kɔmaa Mordekai.
And when Mardochai had heard this,
13 Mordekai nso de saa mmuae yi maa Ɛster se, “Nsusuw da biara da sɛ, sɛ wokunkum Yudafo no nyinaa a, wubenya wo ti adidi mu wɔ ahemfi hɔ.
He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:
14 Na sɛ woyɛ komm bere a ɛte sɛɛ mu a, Yudafo no gye betumi afi baabi aba, nanso wo ne wʼabusuafo bewuwu. Nea ɛka ho ne sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wuhu sɛ, bere a ɛte sɛɛ yi nti na wɔasi wo hemmea wɔ ahemfi hɔ.”
For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father’s house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?
15 Na Ɛster de mmuae yi kɔmaa Mordekai se,
And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:
16 “Kɔ na kɔboaboa Yudafo a wɔwɔ Susa no nyinaa ano ntɛm. Nnidi anaa nnom nnansa, anadwo anaa awia. Me ne me mmaawa nso bɛyɛ saa ara. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ, etia mmara de, nanso mɛkɔ akohu ɔhene no na sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ mewu koraa a, mewu.”
Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.
17 Enti Mordekai kɔyɛɛ sɛnea Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.
So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.
