< Ɛster 4 >

1 Ɛberɛ a Mordekai hunuu asɛm a asi no, ɔtetee ne ntadeɛ mu, hyɛɛ ayitadeɛ, de nsõ huraa ne ho, de agyaadwoɔ denden faa kuropɔn no mu.
When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.
2 Ɔgyinaa ahemfie no ɛpono akyi, ɛfiri sɛ wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ ayitadeɛ no nkɔ mu.
But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.
3 Na ɛberɛ a ɔhene no mmara no duruu amantam no nyinaa so no, na ɛyɛ osu ne agyaadwoɔ wɔ Yudafoɔ no mu. Wɔdii mmuada, suiɛ, twaa agyaadwoɔ a wɔn mu bebree hyehyɛ ayitadeɛ de nsõ ahura wɔn ho.
In every province to which the king’s command and edict came, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4 Ɛberɛ a ɔhemmaa Ɛster mmaawa ne nʼapiafoɔ bɛkaa Mordekai ho asɛm kyerɛɛ no no, ɛhaa no yie. Ɔbrɛɛ no ntadeɛ sɛ ɔmfa nsi ayitadeɛ no anan nanso, ɔpoeɛ.
When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
5 Na Ɛster soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Hatak a ɔyɛ ɔhene apiafoɔ no mu baako a wɔayi no sɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ. Ɔhyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnkɔ Mordekai nkyɛn nkɔbisa no deɛ ɛreha no, ne deɛ enti a ɔretwa agyaadwoɔ saa.
Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.
6 Enti, Hatak kɔɔ Mordekai nkyɛn wɔ adwaberem a ɛwɔ ahemfie no ɛpono ano.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate,
7 Mordekai kaa asɛm no nyinaa kyerɛɛ no, kaa sika a Haman ahyɛ bɔ sɛ ɔde bɛgu adehyeɛ fotoɔ no mu, nam so de atɔre Yudafoɔ no ase.
and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury in order to destroy the Jews.
8 Mordekai de mmara no sɛso a wɔyii no Susa a ɛkyerɛ sɛ wɔnkum Yudafoɔ nyinaa no baeɛ, na ɔde maa Hatak sɛ ɔmfa nkɔma Ɛster. Ɔsane frɛɛ Hatak sɛ ɔnkyerɛ mu nkyerɛ Ɛster, na ɔnsrɛ no sɛ, ɔnkɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn nkɔsrɛ no ahummɔborɔ, na ɔnka bi mma ne nkurɔfoɔ.
Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.
9 Enti, Hatak sane kɔɔ Ɛster nkyɛn kɔkaa Mordekai nkra no.
So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.
10 Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ Hatak sɛ, ɔnsane mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai sɛ,
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,
11 “Ewiase nyinaa nim sɛ, obiara a wobɛkɔ ɔhene anim wɔ nʼasɛnnipiamu a wɔntoo nsa mfrɛɛ wo no, owuo na wobɛwuo gye sɛ, ɔde ne sika ahempoma no kyerɛ wo so. Na ɛbɛyɛ bosome nie no, ɔhene no nsomaa sɛ wɔmmɛfrɛ me.”
“All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
12 Enti, Hatak de Ɛster nkra no kɔmaa Mordekai.
When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,
13 Mordekai nso de saa mmuaeɛ yi maa Ɛster sɛ, “Ɛnsusu da biara da sɛ, sɛ wɔkunkum Yudafoɔ no nyinaa a, wobɛnya wo tiri adidi mu wɔ ahemfie hɔ.
he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
14 Na sɛ woyɛ komm wɔ ɛberɛ a ɛte sei mu a, Yudafoɔ no gyeɛ bɛtumi afiri baabi aba, nanso wo ne wʼabusuafoɔ bɛwuwu. Deɛ ɛka ho ne sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wohunu sɛ, ɛberɛ a ɛte sɛɛ yi enti na wɔasi wo hemaa wɔ ahemfie.”
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15 Na Ɛster de mmuaeɛ yi kɔmaa Mordekai sɛ,
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16 “Kɔ na kɔboaboa Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Susa no nyinaa ano ntɛm. Nnidi anaa nnom nnansa, anadwo anaa awia. Me ne me mmaawa nso bɛyɛ saa ara. Ɛwom sɛ, ɛtia mmara deɛ, nanso, mɛkɔ akɔhunu ɔhene no na sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ mɛwu koraa a, mɛwu.”
“Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!”
17 Enti, Mordekai kɔyɛɛ sɛdeɛ Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.
So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.

< Ɛster 4 >