Ester 4
Brenton's English Septuagint
1But Mardochaeus having perceived what was done, rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, and sprinkled dust upon himself; and having rushed forth through the open street of the city, he cried with a loud voice, A nation that has done no wrong is going to be destroyed.
2And he came to the king’s gate, and stood; for it was not lawful for him to enter into the palace, wearing sackcloth and ashes.
3And in every province where the letters were published, there was crying and lamentation and great mourning on the part of the Jews: they spread for themselves sackcloth and ashes.
4And the queen’s maids and chamberlains went in and told her: and when she had heard what was done, she was disturbed; and she sent to clothe Mardochaeus, and take away his sackcloth; but he consented not.
5So Esther called for her chamberlain Achrathaeus, who waited upon her; and she sent to learn the truth from Mardochaeus.
6—
7And Mardochaeus shewed him what was done, and the promise which Aman had made the king of ten thousand talents to be paid into the treasury, that he might destroy the Jews.
8And he gave him the copy of the writing that was published in Susa concerning their destruction, to shew to Esther; and told him to charge her to go in and intreat the king, and to beg him for the people, remembering, said he, the days of thy low estate, how thou wert nursed by my hand: because Aman who holds the next place to the king has spoken against us for death. Do thou call upon the Lord, and speak to the king concerning us, to deliver us from death.
9So Achrathaeus went in and told her all these words.
10And Esther said to Achrathaeus, Go to Mardochaeus, and say,
11All the nations of the empire know, that whoever, man or woman, shall go in to the king into the inner court uncalled, that person cannot live: only to whomsoever the king shall stretch out his golden sceptre, he shall live: and I have not been called to go into the king, for these thirty days.
12And Achrathaeus reported to Mardochaeus all the words of Esther.
13Then Mardochaeus said to Achrathaeus, Go, and say to her, Esther, say not to thyself that thou alone wilt escape in the kingdom, more than all the other Jews.
14For if thou shalt refuse to hearken on this occasion, help and protection will be to the Jews from another quarter; but thou and thy father’s house will perish: and who knows, if thou hast been made queen for this very occasion?
15And Esther sent the man that came to her to Mardochaeus, saying,
16Go and assemble the Jews that are in Susa, and fast ye for me, and eat not and drink not for three days, night and day: and I also and my maidens will fast; and then I will go in to the king contrary to the law, even if I must die.
17So Mardochaeus went and did all that Esther commanded him. LXX text not in Heb. has been left out.
Reina-Valera 1909
1LUEGO que supo Mardochêo todo lo que se había hecho, rasgó sus vestidos, y vistióse de saco y de ceniza, y fuése por medio de la ciudad clamando con grande y amargo clamor.
2Y vino hasta delante de la puerta del rey: porque no era lícito pasar adentro de la puerta del rey con vestido de saco.
3Y en cada provincia y lugar donde el mandamiento del rey y su decreto llegaba, tenían los Judíos grande luto, y ayuno, y lloro, y lamentación: saco y ceniza era la cama de muchos.
4Y vinieron las doncellas de Esther y sus eunucos, y dijéronselo: y la reina tuvo gran dolor, y envió vestidos para hacer vestir á Mardochêo, y hacerle quitar el saco de sobre él; mas él no los recibió.
5Entonces Esther llamó á Atach, uno de los eunucos del rey, que él había hecho estar delante de ella, y mandólo á Mardochêo, con orden de saber qué era aquello, y por qué.
6Salió pues Atach á Mardochêo, á la plaza de la ciudad que estaba delante de la puerta del rey.
7Y Mardochêo le declaró todo lo que le había acontecido, y dióle noticia de la plata que Amán había dicho que pesaría para los tesoros del rey por razón de los Judíos, para destruirlos.
8Dióle también la copia de la escritura del decreto que había sido dado en Susán para que fuesen destruídos, á fin de que la mostrara á Esther y se lo declarase, y le encargara que fuese al rey á suplicarle, y á pedir delante de él por su pueblo.
9Y vino Atach, y contó á Esther las palabras de Mardochêo.
10Entonces Esther dijo á Atach, y mandóle decir á Mardochêo:
11Todos los siervos del rey, y el pueblo de las provincias del rey saben, que cualquier hombre ó mujer que entra al rey al patio de adentro sin ser llamado, por una sola ley ha de morir: salvo aquel á quien el rey extendiere el cetro de oro, el cual vivirá: y yo no he sido llamada para entrar al rey estos treinta días.
12Y dijeron á Mardochêo las palabras de Esther.
13Entonces dijo Mardochêo que respondiesen á Esther: No pienses en tu alma, que escaparás en la casa del rey más que todos los Judíos:
14Porque si absolutamente callares en este tiempo, respiro y libertación tendrán los Judíos de otra parte; mas tú y la casa de tu padre pereceréis. ¿Y quién sabe si para esta hora te han hecho llegar al reino?
15Y Esther dijo que respondiesen á Mardochêo:
16Ve, y junta á todos los Judíos que se hallan en Susán, y ayunad por mí, y no comáis ni bebáis en tres días, noche ni día: yo también con mis doncellas ayunaré igualmente, y así entraré al rey, aunque no sea conforme á la ley; y si perezco, que perezca.
17Entonces se fué Mardochêo, é hizo conforme á todo lo que le mandó Esther.
King James Version
1When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.
7And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.
9And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
11All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
12And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.
13Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
16Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
World English Bible
1Now when Mordecai found out all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, and wailed loudly and bitterly.
2He came even before the king’s gate, for no one is allowed inside the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3In every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth, but he didn’t receive it.
5Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend her, and commanded him to go to Mordecai, to find out what this was, and why it was.
6So Hathach went out to Mordecai, to the city square which was before the king’s gate.
7Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
8He also gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Susa to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to urge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him, and to make request before him for her people.
9Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai:
11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
12They told Esther’s words to Mordecai.
13Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: “Don’t think to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews.
14For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Who knows if you haven’t come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
15Then Esther asked them to answer Mordecai,
16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
17So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.