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 all that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and strewed ashes on his head, and went out into the city and raised a loud and bitter cry of lamentation.
2 Ɔgyinaa ahemfie no ɛpono akyi, ɛfiri sɛ wɔmma obi a ɔhyɛ ayitadeɛ no nkɔ mu.
He went as far as the king’s gate, but no one could enter the gate clothed with sackcloth.
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, wherever the king’s command and decree went, there was great mourning, fasting, weeping, and wailing among the Jews. Many of them sat 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 maids and attendants told her about Mordecai’s behaviour, she was greatly troubled. She sent garments for Mordecai to put on, so that he could take off his sack-cloth, 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.
So Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what it all meant and the reason for it.
6 Enti, Hatak kɔɔ Mordekai nkyɛn wɔ adwaberem a ɛwɔ ahemfie no ɛpono ano.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to 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.
Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasury for the destruction of 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.
Also he gave him a copy of the decree to destroy them, that had been published in Susa, to show to Esther for her information. He also told her to go to the king and implore his mercy and to plead with him in behalf of her people.
9 Enti, Hatak sane kɔɔ Ɛster nkyɛn kɔkaa Mordekai nkra no.
When Hathach came and told Esther what Mordecai had said,
10 Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ Hatak sɛ, ɔnsane mfa nkra nkɔma Mordekai sɛ,
she instructed Hathach to go and say to 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 king’s courtiers and the people of the king’s provinces know that for every man or woman who goes to the king into the inner court without being called there is one penalty, death, unless the king holds out the golden sceptre signifying that they may live. It has been thirty days since I have been called to go in to the king.’
12 Enti, Hatak de Ɛster nkra no kɔmaa Mordekai.
When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,
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 this reply to Esther, ‘Don’t imagine that you alone of all the Jews will escape because you belong to the king’s household.
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.”
If you persist in remaining silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, but you and your family will perish. Who knows? Maybe you have been raised to the throne for a time like this!’
15 Na Ɛster de mmuaeɛ yi kɔmaa Mordekai sɛ,
Then Esther sent this message 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, gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat nor drink anything for three days and nights. My maids and I will fast as well. Then I will go in to the king, although it is contrary to the law, and if I die, I die.’
17 Enti, Mordekai kɔyɛɛ sɛdeɛ Ɛster ka kyerɛɛ no no.
Mordecai did everything Esther had directed.
