All the Jews lament their imminent danger. 5. Mardocheus willeth Esther to entreat the king for their safety. 11. she fearing to go to the king contrary to his law uncalled, 15. yet they all fasting and praying for her, she doth it.Al the Iewes lament their imminent danger. 5. Mardocheus willeth Esther to intreate the king for their saftie. 11. she fearing to goe to the king contrarie to his law vncalled, 15. yet they al fasting and praying for her, she doth it.✦
The third part. The deliuerie of the Iewes from danger.
Which things when Mardocheus had heard, he rent his garments, and was clothed with sackcloth, sprinkling ashes on his head: and in the street of the midst of the city he cried with a loud voice, showing the anguish of his mind,WHICH things when Mardocheus had heard, he rent his garmentes, and was clothed with sackcloth, sprinkling ashes on his head: and in the streat of the middes of the citie he cried with a lowed voyce, shewing the anguish of his mind,✦Quæ cum audisset Mardochæus, scidit vestimenta sua, et indutus est sacco, spargens cinerem capiti : et in platea mediæ civitatis voce magna clamabat, ostendens amaritudinem animi sui,
2and with this wailing going even to the doors of the palace: for it was not lawful for one clothed with sackcloth to enter the king's court.and with this wayling going euen to the doores of the pallace: for it was not lawful for one clothed with sackcloth to enter the kings court.et hoc ejulatu usque ad fores palatii gradiens. Non enim erat licitum indutum sacco aulam regis intrare.
3In all provinces also, towns, and places, to which the king's cruel decree was come, there was great mourning with the Jews, fasting, howling, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their strato: bed, resting place: not a sofa.In al prouinces also, townes, and places, to which the kings cruel decree was come, there was great mourning with the Iewes, fasting, howling, and weeping, manie vsing sackcloth and ashes for their couch.✦In omnibus quoque provinciis, oppidis, ac locis, ad quæ crudele regis dogma pervenerat, planctus ingens erat apud Judæos, jejunium, ululatus, et fletus, sacco et cinere multis pro strato utentibus.
4And Esther's maids and the eunuchs went in, and told her. Which she hearing was astonished: and she sent a garment, that the sackcloth being taken away, they should put it on him: which he would not take.And Esthers maides and the eunuches went in, and told her. Which she hearing was astonyed: and she sent a garment, that the sackcloth being taken away, they should put it on him: which he would not take.Ingressæ autem sunt puellæ Esther et eunuchi, nuntiaveruntque ei. Quod audiens consternata est, et vestem misit, ut ablato sacco induerent eum : quam accipere noluit.
5And calling for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had given her for a servant to Mardocheus, commanded him to go and to learn of him, why he did this.And calling for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had geuen her for a seruant to Mardocheus, commanded him to goe and to learne of him, why he did this.Accitoque Athach eunucho, quem rex ministrum ei dederat, præcepit ei ut iret ad Mardochæum, et disceret ab eo cur hoc faceret.
6And Athach going forth went to Mardocheus standing in the street of the city, before the palace door:And Athach going forth went to Mardocheus standing in the streate of the citie, before the palace doore:Egressusque Athach, ivit ad Mardochæum stantem in platea civitatis, ante ostium palatii :
7who told him all things that had chanced, how Aman had promised, that he would bring silver into the king's treasures for the slaughter of the Jews.who told him al thinges that had chanced, how Aman had promised, that he would bring siluer into the kings treasures for the slaughter of the Iewes.qui indicavit ei omnia quæ acciderant : quomodo Aman promisisset ut in thesauros regis pro Judæorum nece inferret argentum.
8He gave him also a copy of the edict which hung in Susan, that he should show it to the queen, and should moneret: urge, exhort: not to reprove her to enter in to the king, and to entreat him for her people.He gaue him also a copie of the edict which hong in Susan, that he should shew it to the queene, and should admonish her to enter in to the king, and to intreate him for her people.Exemplar quoque edicti, quod pendebat in Susan, dedit ei, ut reginæ ostenderet, et moneret eam ut intraret ad regem et deprecaretur eum pro populo suo.
9Athach returning told Esther all things, that Mardocheus had said.Athach returning told Ester al things, that Mardocheus had sayd.Regressus Athach, nuntiavit Esther omnia quæ Mardochæus dixerat.
10Who answered him, and jussit: bade, ordered: not the opposite of good that he should say to Mardocheus:Who answered him, and bad that he should say to Mardocheus:Quæ respondit ei, et jussit ut diceret Mardochæo :
11All the king's servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whether man, or woman, not called, shall enter in to the king's inner court, he must immediately be slain without all delay: unless perhaps the king stretch forth a golden rod unto him, for a sign of clemency, and so he may live. I therefore how can I enter in to the king, which now these thirty days have not been called unto him?Al the kings seruantes, and al the prouinces that are vnder his dominion, know, that whether man, or woman, not called, shal enter in to the kings inner court, he must immediatly be slayne without al delay: vnlesse perhaps the king stretch forth a golden rod vnto him, for a signe of clemencie, and so he may liue. I therfore how can I enter in to the king, which now these thirtie daies haue not bene called vnto him?✦Omnes servi regis, et cunctæ, quæ sub ditione ejus sunt, norunt provinciæ, quod sive vir, sive mulier non vocatus, interius atrium regis intraverit, absque ulla cunctatione statim interficiatur : nisi forte rex auream virgam ad eum tetenderit pro signo clementiæ, atque ita possit vivere. Ego igitur quomodo ad regem intrare potero, quæ triginta jam diebus non sum vocata ad eum ?
12Which when Mardocheus had heard,Which when Mardocheus had heard,Quod cum audisset Mardochæus,
13he sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst deliver thy own life only, because thou art in the king's house, above all the Jews:he sent word to Esther agayne, saying: Thincke not that thou mayst deliuer thy owne life only, because thou art in the kings house, aboue al the Iewes:✦rursum mandavit Esther, dicens : Ne putes quod animam tuam tantum liberes, quia in domo regis es præ cunctis Judæis :
14for if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by another occasion: and thou, and thy father's house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou camest to the kingdom therefore, that in such a time thou mightst be ready?for if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Iewes shal be deliuered by an other occasion: and thou, and thy fathers house shal perish. And who knoweth whether thou camest to the kingdom therfore, that in such a time thou mightst be readie?✦si enim nunc silueris, per aliam occasionem liberabuntur Judæi : et tu, et domus patris tui, peribitis. Et quis novit utrum idcirco ad regnum veneris, ut in tali tempore parareris ?
15And again Esther sent to Mardocheus in these words:And agayne Esther sent to Mardocheus in these wordes:Rursumque Esther hæc Mardochæo verba mandavit :
16Go, and gather together all the Jews, whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Eat ye not, and drink not in three days, and three nights: and I with my handmaids in like manner will fast, and then will I go in to the king, doing against the law, not called, and delivering my self to death and to peril.Goe, and gather together al the Iewes, whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Eate ye not, and drinke not in three dayes, and three nightes: and I with my handmaydes in like maner wil fast, and then wil I goe in to the king, doing agaynst the law, not called, and deliuering my self to death and to peril.✦Vade, et congrega omnes Judæos quos in Susan repereris, et orate pro me. Non comedatis et non bibatis tribus diebus et tribus noctibus : et ego cum ancillis meis similiter jejunabo, et tunc ingrediar ad regem contra legem faciens, non vocata, tradensque me morti et periculo.
17Mardocheus therefore went, and did all things that Esther had commanded him.Mardocheus therfore went, and did al things that Esther had commanded him. *Ivit itaque Mardochæus, et fecit omnia quæ ei Esther præceperat.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.