Esther 4
1 Nígbà tí Mordekai gbọ́ gbogbo nǹkan tí ó ṣẹlẹ̀, ó fa aṣọ rẹ̀ ya, ó wọ aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀, ó sì fi eérú kun ara, ó jáde lọ sí inú ìlú ó kígbe sókè ó sì sọkún kíkorò.
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 Ṣùgbọ́n ó lọ sí ẹnu-ọ̀nà ọba nìkan, nítorí kò sí ẹnìkan tí ó wọ aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀ tì a gbà láààyè láti wọ ibẹ̀.
He stood outside the gate of the palace, because no one who was wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter the palace.
3 Ní gbogbo ìgbèríko tí àṣẹ ikú ọba dé, ọ̀fọ̀ ńlá dé bá àwọn Júù, pẹ̀lú àwẹ̀, ẹkún àti ìpohùnréré ẹkún. Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ wà nínú aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀ tí wọ́n fi eérú kúnra.
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 Nígbà tí àwọn ìránṣẹ́bìnrin àti àwọn ìwẹ̀fà Esteri wá, wọ́n sọ nípa Mordekai fún un, ayaba sì wà nínú ìbànújẹ́ ńlá. Ó fi aṣọ ránṣẹ́ sí i kí ó wọ̀ ọ́ dípò aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀ tí ó wọ̀, ṣùgbọ́n òun kò gbà wọ́n.
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 Nígbà náà ni Esteri pe Hataki, ọ̀kan nínú àwọn ìwẹ̀fà ọba tí a yàn láti máa jíṣẹ́ fún un, ó pàṣẹ fún un pé kí ó béèrè ohun tí ó ń dààmú Mordekai àti ohun tí ó ṣe é.
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 Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni Hataki jáde lọ bá Mordekai ní ìta gbangba ìlú níwájú ẹnu-ọ̀nà ọba.
Hathach went to Mordecai, who was in the plaza in front of the palace gate.
7 Mordekai sọ ohun gbogbo tí ó ṣẹlẹ̀ fún un, papọ̀ pẹ̀lú iye owó tí Hamani ti ṣe ìpinnu láti san sínú àpò ìṣúra ọba fún ìparun àwọn Júù.
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 Ó sì tún fún un ní ọ̀kan lára ìwé tí ó gbé jáde fún ìparun wọn, èyí tí a tẹ̀ jáde ní Susa, láti fihan Esteri kí ó sì ṣe àlàyé e rẹ̀ fún un, ó sì sọ fún un pé kí ó bẹ̀ ẹ́ kí ó lọ síwájú ọba láti bẹ̀bẹ̀ fún àánú, kí ó bẹ̀bẹ̀ nítorí àwọn ènìyàn rẹ̀.
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 Hataki padà ó sì lọ ṣàlàyé fún Esteri ohun tí Mordekai sọ.
So Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai said.
10 Nígbà náà ni Esteri pàṣẹ fún Hataki pé kí ó sọ fún Mordekai,
Then Esther told Hathach to [return to] Mordecai [and] tell this [to him]:
11 “Gbogbo àwọn ìjòyè ọba àti àwọn ènìyàn agbègbè ìjọba rẹ̀ mọ̀ wí pé: fún ẹnikẹ́ni ọkùnrin tàbí obìnrin kan tàbí tí ó bá bá ọba sọ̀rọ̀ láìjẹ́ pé a ránṣẹ́ pè é (ọba ti gbé òfin kan kalẹ̀ pé) kíkú ni yóò kú. Ohun kan tí ó le yẹ èyí ni pé, kí ọba na ọ̀pá wúrà rẹ̀ sí i kí ó sì dá ẹ̀mí rẹ sí. Ṣùgbọ́n, ọgbọ̀n ọjọ́ ti kọjá tí a ti pè mí láti lọ sí ọ̀dọ̀ ọba.”
“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 Nígbà tí a sọ ọ̀rọ̀ Esteri fún Mordekai,
So Hathach [went back to] Mordecai [and] told [him] what Esther had said.
13 nígbà náà ni Mordekai sọ kí a dá Esteri lóhùn pé, “Má ṣe rò nínú ara rẹ pé nítorí pé ìwọ wà ní ilé ọba ìwọ nìkan là láàrín gbogbo àwọn Júù.
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 Nítorí bí ìwọ bá dákẹ́ ní àkókò yìí, ìrànlọ́wọ́ àti ìtúsílẹ̀ fún àwọn Júù yóò dìde láti ibòmíràn, ṣùgbọ́n ìwọ àti àwọn ìdílé baba à rẹ yóò ṣègbé. Ta ni ó mọ̀ wí pé nítorí irú àkókò yìí ni o ṣe wà ní ipò ayaba?”
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 Nígbà náà ni Esteri rán iṣẹ́ yìí sí Mordekai:
Then [after Hathach told this to] Esther, [she] told him to return to Mordecai and say this to him:
16 “Lọ, kí o kó gbogbo àwọn Júù tí ó wà ní Susa jọ, kí ẹ sì gbààwẹ̀ fún mi. Ẹ má ṣe jẹun tàbí omi fún ọjọ́ mẹ́ta, ní òru àti ní ọ̀sán. Èmi àti àwọn ìránṣẹ́bìnrin mi náà yóò gbààwẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹ̀yin náà ti ṣe. Nígbà tí ẹ bá ṣe èyí, èmi yóò tọ ọba lọ, bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé ó lòdì sí òfin. Bí mo bá sì ṣègbé, mo ṣègbé.”
“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 Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni Mordekai lọ, ó sì sọ gbogbo ohun tí Esteri pàṣẹ fún un.
So [after Hathach told this to Mordecai, ] Mordecai went and did what Esther told him to do.
