1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried out with a loud and bitter cry.2 He went as far as the front of the kings gate: for no one was to enter the kings gate clothed with sackcloth.3 And in every province where the kings command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.4 So Esthers maids and officials came and reported it to her, and the queen was exceedingly distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them.5 Then Esther called Hathach, one of the kings officials whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was.6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the kings gate.7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the kings treasuries to destroy the Jews.8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.9 So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.10 Again Esther spoke to Hathach, and charged him to say to Mordecai:11 All the kings servants and the people of the kings provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been summoned, has but one law: to put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Furthermore, I have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.12 And they told Mordecai Esthers words.13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: Do not think in your soul that you will escape in the kings house any more than all the other Jews.14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your fathers house shall perish. Yet who knows whether you have attained unto the kingdom for such a time as this?15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai:16 Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I have perished, I have perished!17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
1 And whanne Mardochee hadde herd these thingis, he to-rente hise clothis, and he was clothid in a sak, and spreynt aische on the heed, and he criede with greet vois in the street of the myddis of the citee, and schewide the bitternesse of his soule,2 and he yede with this yellyng `til to the yatis of the paleis; for it was not leueful a man clothid with a sak to entre in to the halle of the kyng.3 Also in alle prouynces, citees, and places, to which the cruel sentence of the king was comun, was greet weilyng, fastyng, yellyng, and wepyng anentis the Jewis, and many Jewis vsiden sak and aische for bed.4 Sotheli the dameselis and onest seruauntis and chast of Hester entriden, and telden to hir; which thing sche herde, and was astonyed; and sche sente a cloth to Mardochee, that whanne the sak was takun a wei, he schulde clothe hym therynne; which cloth he nolde take.5 And aftir that Athac, the onest seruaunt and chast, `was clepid, whom the kyng hadde youe a mynystre to hir, sche comaundide, that he schulde go to Mardochee, and lerne of hym, whi he dide this thing.6 And Athac yede out, and yede to Mardochee stondynge in the street of the citee, bifor the dore of the paleis;7 which schewide to Athac alle thingis that bifelden, hou Aaman hadde bihiyt to bryng siluer in to tresours of the kyng for the deeth of Jewis.8 Also he yaf to Athac the copie of the comaundement, that hangide in Susa, to schewe to the queen, and to moneste hir for to entre to the kyng, and to biseche hym for hir puple.9 And Athac yede ayen, and telde to Hester alle thingis, whiche Mardochee hadde seid.10 And sche answeryde to hym, and seide, that he schulde seie to Mardochee, Alle the seruauntis of the kyng,11 and alle prouyncis that ben vndur his lordschip, knowen, that whether a man ether a womman not clepid entrith in to the ynnere halle of the kyng, he schal be slayn anoon with outen ony tariyng, no but in hap the kyng holdith forth the goldun yerde `to hym for `the signe of merci, and he mai lyue so; therfor hou mai Y entre to the kyng, which am not clepid to hym now bi thritti daies?12 And whanne Mardochee hadde herd `this thing, he sente efte to Hester,13 and seide, Gesse thou not, that thou schalt delyuer oonli thi lijf, for thou art in the hows of the kyng, bifor alle Jewis;14 for if thou art stille now, Jewis schulen be delyuered bi another occasioun, and thou and the hows of thi fadir schulen perische; and who knowith, whether herfor thou camist to the rewme, that thou schuldist be maad redi in sich a tyme?15 And eft Hester sente these wordis to Mardochee,16 Go thou, and gadere togidere alle Jewis, whiche thou fyndist in Susa, and preie ye for me; ete ye not, nether drynke ye in thre daies and thre nyytis, and Y with myn handmaydis schal fast in lijk maner; and thanne Y not clepid schal entre to the kyng, and Y schal do ayens the lawe, and Y schal bitake me to deth and to perel.17 Therfor Mardochee yede, and dide alle thingis, whiche Hester hadde comaundid to hym.