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 Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry:

2 Ogyinaa ahemfi no pon akyi, efisɛ na wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ atweaatam no nkɔ mu.

and he came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter within the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

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 every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

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.

And Esther’s maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him: but he received it not.

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.

Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was.

6 Enti Hatak kɔɔ Mordekai nkyɛn wɔ aguabɔbea a ɛwɔ ahemfi no pon ano.

So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city, which was before the king’s 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 Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

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.

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in 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 Enti Hatak san kɔɔ Ɛster nkyɛn kɔkaa Mordekai nkra no.

And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ Hatak sɛ, ɔnsan mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai se:

Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai, [saying]:

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 the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 Enti Hatak de Ɛster nkra no kɔmaa Mordekai.

And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.

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.

Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s 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 altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father’s house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 Na Ɛster de mmuae yi kɔmaa Mordekai se,

Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai,

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, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 Enti Mordekai kɔyɛɛ sɛnea Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.