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.
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 Ogyinaa ahemfi no pon akyi, efisɛ na wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ atweaatam no nkɔ mu.
He stood outside the gate of the palace, because no one who was wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter the palace.
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.
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 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.
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 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 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 Enti Hatak kɔɔ Mordekai nkyɛn wɔ aguabɔbea a ɛwɔ ahemfi no pon ano.
Hathach went to Mordecai, who was in the plaza in front of 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.
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 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.
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 Enti Hatak san kɔɔ Ɛster nkyɛn kɔkaa Mordekai nkra no.
So Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai said.
10 Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ Hatak sɛ, ɔnsan mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai se:
Then Esther told Hathach to [return to] Mordecai [and] tell this [to him]:
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.”
“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 Enti Hatak de Ɛster nkra no kɔmaa Mordekai.
So Hathach [went back to] Mordecai [and] told [him] what Esther had said.
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.
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 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.”
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 Na Ɛster de mmuae yi kɔmaa Mordekai se,
Then [after Hathach told this to] Esther, [she] told him to return to Mordecai and say this to him:
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.”
“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 Enti Mordekai kɔyɛɛ sɛnea Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.
So [after Hathach told this to Mordecai, ] Mordecai went and did what Esther told him to do.
