Esther 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	LXX
1 When Mordecai learned all that was happening, he tore his garments, put on sackcloth and ashes, and walked through the city crying out loudly and bitterly,	1 ο δε μαρδοχαιος επιγνους το συντελουμενον διερρηξεν τα ιματια αυτου και ενεδυσατο σακκον και κατεπασατο σποδον και εκπηδησας δια της πλατειας της πολεως εβοα φωνη μεγαλη αιρεται εθνος μηδεν ηδικηκος
2 till he came before the royal gate, which no one clothed in sackcloth might enter.	2 και ηλθεν εως της πυλης του βασιλεως και εστη ου γαρ ην εξον αυτω εισελθειν εις την αυλην σακκον εχοντι και σποδον
3 (Likewise in each of the provinces, wherever the king's legal enactment reached, the Jews went into deep mourning, with fasting, weeping, and lament; they all slept on sackcloth and ashes.)	3 και εν παση χωρα ου εξετιθετο τα γραμματα κραυγη και κοπετος και πενθος μεγα τοις ιουδαιοις σακκον και σποδον εστρωσαν εαυτοις
4 Queen Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her. Overwhelmed with anguish, she sent garments for Mordecai to put on, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he refused.	4 και εισηλθον αι αβραι και οι ευνουχοι της βασιλισσης και ανηγγειλαν αυτη και εταραχθη ακουσασα το γεγονος και απεστειλεν στολισαι τον μαρδοχαιον και αφελεσθαι αυτου τον σακκον ο δε ουκ επεισθη
5 Esther then summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had placed at her service, and commanded him to find out what this action of Mordecai meant and the reason for it.	5 η δε εσθηρ προσεκαλεσατο αχραθαιον τον ευνουχον αυτης ος παρειστηκει αυτη και απεστειλεν μαθειν αυτη παρα του μαρδοχαιου το ακριβες
6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the public square in front of the royal gate,	6 -
7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened, as well as the exact amount of silver Haman had promised to pay to the royal treasury for the slaughter of the Jews.	7 ο δε μαρδοχαιος υπεδειξεν αυτω το γεγονος και την επαγγελιαν ην επηγγειλατο αμαν τω βασιλει εις την γαζαν ταλαντων μυριων ινα απολεση τους ιουδαιους
8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction which had been promulgated in Susa, to show and explain to Esther. He was to instruct her to go to the king; she was to plead and intercede with him in behalf of her people. (8b) Remember the days of your lowly estate," Mordecai had him say, "when you were brought up in my charge; for Haman, who is second to the king, has asked for our death.	8 και το αντιγραφον το εν σουσοις εκτεθεν υπερ του απολεσθαι αυτους εδωκεν αυτω δειξαι τη εσθηρ και ειπεν αυτω εντειλασθαι αυτη εισελθουση παραιτησασθαι τον βασιλεα και αξιωσαι αυτον περι του λαου μνησθεισα ημερων ταπεινωσεως σου ως ετραφης εν χειρι μου διοτι αμαν ο δευτερευων τω βασιλει ελαλησεν καθ' ημων εις θανατον επικαλεσαι τον κυριον και λαλησον τω βασιλει περι ημων και ρυσαι ημας εκ θανατου
9 Invoke the Lord and speak to the king for us: save us from death." Hathach returned to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said.	9 εισελθων δε ο αχραθαιος ελαλησεν αυτη παντας τους λογους τουτους
10 Then Esther replied to Hathach and gave him this message for Mordecai:	10 ειπεν δε εσθηρ προς αχραθαιον πορευθητι προς μαρδοχαιον και ειπον οτι
11 "All the servants of the king and the people of his provinces know that any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned, suffers the automatic penalty of death, unless the king extends to him the golden scepter, thus sparing his life. Now as for me, I have not been summoned to the king for thirty days."	11 τα εθνη παντα της βασιλειας γινωσκει οτι πας ανθρωπος η γυνη ος εισελευσεται προς τον βασιλεα εις την αυλην την εσωτεραν ακλητος ουκ εστιν αυτω σωτηρια πλην ω εκτεινει ο βασιλευς την χρυσην ραβδον ουτος σωθησεται καγω ου κεκλημαι εισελθειν προς τον βασιλεα εισιν αυται ημεραι τριακοντα
12 When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai,	12 και απηγγειλεν αχραθαιος μαρδοχαιω παντας τους λογους εσθηρ
13 he had this reply brought to her: "Do not imagine that because you are in the king's palace, you alone of all the Jews will escape.	13 και ειπεν μαρδοχαιος προς αχραθαιον πορευθητι και ειπον αυτη εσθηρ μη ειπης σεαυτη οτι σωθηση μονη εν τη βασιλεια παρα παντας τους ιουδαιους
14 Even if you now remain silent, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another source; but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows but that it was for a time like this that you obtained the royal dignity?"	14 ως οτι εαν παρακουσης εν τουτω τω καιρω αλλοθεν βοηθεια και σκεπη εσται τοις ιουδαιοις συ δε και ο οικος του πατρος σου απολεισθε και τις οιδεν ει εις τον καιρον τουτον εβασιλευσας
15 Esther sent back to Mordecai the response:	15 και εξαπεστειλεν εσθηρ τον ηκοντα προς αυτην προς μαρδοχαιον λεγουσα
16 "Go and assemble all the Jews who are in Susa; fast on my behalf, all of you, not eating or drinking, night or day, for three days. I and my maids will also fast in the same way. Thus prepared, I will go to the king, contrary to the law. If I perish, I perish!"	16 βαδισας εκκλησιασον τους ιουδαιους τους εν σουσοις και νηστευσατε επ' εμοι και μη φαγητε μηδε πιητε επι ημερας τρεις νυκτα και ημεραν καγω δε και αι αβραι μου ασιτησομεν και τοτε εισελευσομαι προς τον βασιλεα παρα τον νομον εαν και απολεσθαι με η
	17 και βαδισας μαρδοχαιος εποιησεν οσα ενετειλατο αυτω εσθηρ