1 W hen Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes. He dressed in cloth made from hair and put on ashes, and went out into the city and cried with loud cries.

And when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his garments, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry,

2 H e went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to go through the king’s gate wearing cloth made from hair.

and came even before the king's gate; for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 T here was much sorrow among the Jews in each and every part of the nation where the king’s law was made known. They went without food and cried with sounds of sorrow. Many lay in cloth made from hair and in ashes.

And in every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing: many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 T hen Esther’s women and men servants came and told her, and the queen was very troubled. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear, that he might take off his clothes made from hair. But he would not take them.

And Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he received not.

5 T hen Esther called Hathach from the king’s servants whom the king had chosen to help her. She told him to go to Mordecai and find out what was wrong and why.

Then Esther called for Hatach, of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to wait upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

6 S o Hathach went out to Mordecai at the king’s gate in the open space of the city.

And Hatach went forth to Mordecai, unto the public place of the city which was before the king's gate.

7 A nd Mordecai told him all that had happened to him. He told him just how much money Haman had promised to pay to the king’s store-houses to have the Jews destroyed.

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 H e also gave him one of the letters of the law that was sent out from Susa to destroy the Jews, that he might show it to Esther and let her know. And he said that she should go in to the king and beg him to show favor to her people.

And he gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that had been given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew to Esther, and to declare to her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him, for her people.

9 H athach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.

And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 T hen Esther told Hathach to say to Mordecai,

And Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai:

11 “ All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s nation know that he has one law for any man or woman who comes to him in his room who has not been called: They will be put to death, unless the king holds out his special golden stick to him so that he may live. And I have not been called to come to the king for these thirty days.”

All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces do know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law, to put to death, except to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; and I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 T hen Mordecai was told what Esther had said.

And they told Mordecai Esther's words.

13 M ordecai answered, “Do not think that you in the king’s special house will live any more than all the other Jews.

And Mordecai bade to answer Esther: Imagine not in thy heart that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

14 F or if you keep quiet at this time, help will come to the Jews from another place. But you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows if you have not become queen for such a time as this?”

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there arise relief and deliverance to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall perish. And who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 T hen Esther told them to say to Mordecai,

And Esther bade to answer Mordecai:

16 “ Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and have them all go without food so they can pray better for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my women servants will go without food in the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law. And if I die, I die.”

Go, gather together all the Jews that are found in Shushan, and fast 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.

17 S o Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had told him.

And Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.