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.
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 Ɔgyinaa ahemfie no ɛpono akyi, ɛfiri sɛ wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ ayitadeɛ 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 adwaberem a ɛwɔ ahemfie no ɛpono 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 bɛgu adehyeɛ fotoɔ no mu, nam so de atɔre Yudafoɔ 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 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.
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 sane 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, ɔnsane mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai sɛ,
She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:
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 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 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 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 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 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 mmuaeɛ yi kɔmaa Mordekai sɛ,
And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:
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 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 sɛdeɛ Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.
So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.
