Mordecai Asks for Esther's Help
1 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with ashes, and ran through the city crying loudly, “An innocent nation is being destroyed!” 2 When he came to the entrance of the palace, he stopped. He did not go in because no one in sackcloth and ashes was allowed inside. 3 Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They wept, wailed, and put on sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther's servant women and eunuchs told her what Mordecai was doing, she was deeply disturbed. She sent Mordecai some clothes to put on instead of the sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then she called Hathach, one of the palace eunuchs appointed as her servant, and told him to go to Mordecai and get the details of what was happening. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened and how Haman had promised to put 375 tons of silver into the royal treasury if all the Jews were killed. 8 He gave Hathach a copy of the proclamation that had been issued in Susa, ordering the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai asked him to take it to Esther so that she might go and plead with the king and beg him to have mercy on her people. “Tell her,” he said, “to remember the days when she was just an ordinary person being brought up under my care. Now, since Haman, the king's prime minister, has spoken against us and demands our death, she must pray to the Lord and then speak to the king about us. She must save us from death.”
9 So Hathach did this, 10 and Esther gave him this message to take back to Mordecai: 11 “If anyone, man or woman, goes to the inner courtyard and sees the king without being summoned, that person will be sentenced to death. Everyone in the empire knows that. Only if the king holds out his gold scepter to him can his life be spared. But it has been a month now since the king has sent for me.”
12 When Mordecai received Esther's message, 13 he sent her this warning: “Esther, don't imagine that you are safer than any of the other Jews in the empire. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come to the Jews in some other way and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet, who knows? Maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!”
15 Esther sent Mordecai this reply: 16 “Go and gather all the Jews in Susa together; hold a fast and pray for me. Don't eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My servant women and I will be doing the same. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I must die for doing it, I will die.”
17 Mordecai then left and did everything that Esther had told him to do.
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Mordecai's Prayer
18 Mordecai prayed to the Lord, calling to mind what the Lord had done in the past: 19 “O Lord, you are the Lord and King of all creation, and everything obeys your commands. If you wish to save Israel, no one can stop you. 20 You made heaven and earth and all the wonderful things on earth. 21 You are the Lord of all, and there is no one who can stand against you. 22 You know all things. You know, Lord, that when I refused to bow to that arrogant Haman, it was not because I was arrogant or trying to impress people. 23-24 I simply did not want to honor any human being more than I honor God. I refuse to bow to anyone but you, my Lord; and this is not because of pride. If it would help to save Israel, I would be willing even to kiss the soles of his feet.
25-26 “And now, O Lord, God and King, God of Abraham, spare your people; save us from our enemies. They are determined to destroy us; they are looking for a chance. Long ago you chose us to be your people and rescued us from the land of Egypt. Do not abandon us now. 27 We are your chosen people, so listen to my prayer and be gracious to us. Turn our misfortune into joy so that we may live to sing your praises. Save us from death so that we can keep on praising you.”
28 And all the people of Israel prayed loudly and earnestly because they were sure that they were going to die.
Esther's Prayer
29 Queen Esther, in deep agony, turned to the Lord. 30 She took off her splendid robes and put on garments of mourning and grief. Instead of her rich perfumes, she put ashes and dung on her head. She did all she could to destroy any dignity in her appearance. She let her tangled and uncombed hair hang down over her body that she had always taken such care to beautify. 31 She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, “My Lord and King, only you are God. I am all alone, and I have no one to turn to but you. Help me! 32 I am about to risk my life. 33 O Lord, as long as I can remember, my family has told me how you chose Israel from all the nations and how in ancient times you singled out our ancestors to be your people forever. You have kept all your promises to them.
34 “But we sinned against you. You handed us over to our enemies because we worshiped their gods. 35 We deserved your punishment, O Lord. 36 But our enemies are no longer satisfied just to see us in slavery. They have made a solemn promise to their idols 37 not only to destroy the people who praise you, but to do away with your Law and to remove forever the glory of your house and altar. 38 They want the whole world to praise worthless idols and stand in awe of mortal kings forever.
39 “Lord, these gods are nothing; do not surrender your power to them or give our enemies the chance to laugh at our downfall. Instead, turn their evil plans against them, and make an example of that man who first planned our destruction.
40 “Remember us, O Lord. Come to us in this time of trouble. Give me courage, King of all gods and Ruler over all earthly powers. 41 Give me the right words to say when I go in to face Xerxes, that savage lion. Change his heart so that he will turn against Haman, our enemy, and destroy him and his gang. 42 Come to our rescue, O Lord. Help me; I am all alone, and I have no one to turn to but you.
43 “You know everything, Lord. You know that I hate the honor I receive from these Gentiles. I detest the thought of having sex with any of these uncircumcised heathen. 44 But you know that I have no choice. I hate the crown I have to wear as queen on official occasions. I never wear it unless I have to; it's as disgusting as last month's rag. 45 I refuse to eat at Haman's table or honor the king by attending his parties, and I have never drunk any of the wine dedicated to his gods. 46 Since I came here, the only thing that has brought me joy is my worship of you, Lord God of Abraham.
47 “Almighty God, listen to the prayer of your people. Rescue us from these evildoers, and take away my fear.”
Mordekaib ge Esters di huiba ra ǂgan
1 [1] Mordekaib ge taren hoan ge dīhe ǃkhaisab ge ǁnâu, o ǃoab xa ǃaromahe hâse saran âba ge ǀkhau. ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge ǃoab sarana anasen, danasa tsaob ǀkha tsoro-ai tsî “ǀHapio ǁaes ge ra hîkākāhe!” ti ǃgarise ra āse ǃās di ǃgangu ǃnâ gere ǃkhoema. 2 [2] Gao-ommi dao-ams tawab ge sī, ob ge ǁnāpa ge mâ. ǁÎb ge ǃoab sarana ana tsî tsaob ǀkha tsorosen hâ khoe-i xare-i ǁnāpa ǂgâsa mā-amhe tama xui-ao ǂgâ tama ge i. 3 [3] Hoa ǀkharigu gao-aob mîmās ge ǂanǂanǃnâhegu ǃnâb ge kai ǃoaba Jodeǁîn ǃnâ ge hâ i. ǁÎn ge ā, ǃgae, ǃoab sarana ana tsî tsaob ǀkha gere tsorosen.
4 [4] Esters ge ǁîs ǂkham sîsenaodi tsî ǂammâisagu, gao-aob ǂhunuma ǃoaba-aogu xas ge Mordekaib ra dī xūna mîbahe, o kaise ge ǂhanihe. ǁÎs ge Mordekaiba ǃoab saran ǃās ǃnâb nî anase sarana ge sîba, xaweb ge ūǃoa tama ge i. 5 [5] Os ge Hataki, gao-ommi ǂammâisab, ǁîsab nî ǃoabase ge ǁgaumâihe hâ iba ǂgai tsî ge mîba, îb Mordekaib ǃoa ǃgû tsî ǂōrisase ī ra xūna ǁîba xu ǂanǂui. 7 [7] Mordekaib ge ī ge xūn, tsî mâtib ge Hamanna hoaraga Jodeǁîn nî ǃgamhegab ǀhaiǀuri marina, gao-aosi ǁuiǂgaes ǃnâ nî ǂgāsa mîmâi ǃkhais tsîna nē gao-ommi ǂammâisaba ge mîba. 8 [8] ǁÎb ge Susas ǃnâ ge māǂuihe mîmās di ǁgâiǁnâb, Jodeǁîn nî hîkākāhe ǃkhaisa ra mîmāba Hataka ge mā. Mordekaib ge ǁîba ge ǂgan, îb ǁnā ǁgâiǁnâba Esters tawa sī-ū, îs ǁîsa gao-aoba sī ǀkhoma, îb ǁîs khoena ǀkhomxa. “Mîba si, îs ǁnā tsēdi ǁnaetisa khoes ǀguisas ge ī i tsî ti mûǂams ǃnaka hâ idi ǁga ǂâi-oa. Hamanni, gao-aob ǃnaka ǂnôa ǂgaeǂgui-aob ge sida ǃoagu ǃhoa tsî sida ǁōba ra ǂgaoǀkhā. As ǃKhūb ǃoa ǀgore tsî ǁnās khaoǃgâ gao-aob ǀkha sida ǃaroma sī ǃhoa. As ǁîsa ǁōba xu huiǂui da!”
9 [9] Hataki ge Esters ǃoa oa tsî Mordekaib di mîde ǁîsa ge sī mîba. 10 [10] Os ge Estersa nē haisi-amsa ge mā bi, îb Mordekaiba sī mîba: 11 [11] “Aorekhoe-i tamas ka io tarekhoe-i ga, omǂnamib ǃnâ mā-amhe tamase gao-aoba nî mûse ǂgâ, o-i ge ǁnā khoe-e ǁōb ǃoa nî ǀgoraǃgâhe. Gaosib ǃnâ hâ khoe-i hoa-i ge ǁnāsa a ǂan. Gao-aob ga ǁîb ǃhuniǀuri gaohaiba ǁî-i ǃoa ǀhōǂui, o ǀguib ge ûib â-e nî sâuhe. Xawe di ge nēsi ǃnonadisi tsēde gao-aob xa ta nî ǂgaihes aiǃâ go ǃgôa-ī.”
12 [12] Mordekaib ge Esters di haisi-amsab ge ǃkhōǃoa, 13 [13] o nē ǃkhâikhomsa ǁîsa ge sîba: “Esterse, tā nau Jodeǁîn nē gaosib ǃnâ hân ǃgâ-ais ǃnorasa ti ǂâi. 14 [14] ǃNō tsîs ga nēti ī ǁaeb ǃnâ sa khoen xa xū-e mî tama i, o ra ge huib tsî ores tsîra ǀnî ǃkhai-e xu Jodeǁîna nî hāba, xawes ge nî ǁō tsîs ge sa îb omarisa nî toa. Tari-e ǂan? ǀNîsis kom nēti ī ǁaeb ǃaroma gao-aose ge mâiheo?”
15 [15] Os ge Estersa Mordekaiba nē ǃereamsa ge sîba: 16 [16] “ǃGû, î hoaraga Jodeǁîn Susas ǃnâ hâna ǀhaoǀhao, î du ǂûtama* hâ tsî ǀgoreba te. Tā xū-i xare-e ǃnona tsēdi tsî tsuxugu ǀgaiba ǂû tamas ka io ā. Tita tsî ti sîsenaodi tsîse ge ǁnās ǁkhāsa nî dī. ǁNās khaoǃgâ ta ge gao-aob ǃoa, ǂhanub ǃoagus ǁnā ǃkhaisa hâ, xawe nî ǃgû. ǁNās ǃaroma ta ga ǁō, o ta kom ǁō ǁkhāo.”
17 [17] Ob ge Mordekaiba ǃgû tsî Esters ge mîba bi xūn hoana ge dī.
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Mordekaib ǀgores
18 [1] Mordekaib ge ǃKhūb ge īgeǁaeb ǃnâ dī xūna ǂâihō tsî ǁîb ǃoa ge ǀgore: 19 [2] “ǃKhūtse, sats ge hoa kurus di ǃKhū tsî a Gao-ao, tsî mâ xū-i hoa-i ge sa ǁkhāsib ǃnaka hâ, tsî i ge sats ga Israelǁaesa hîkākāhen nîsa xu huiǂui ǂgao, o ǀgui-i tsîna satsa mâǃoa ǁkhā tide. 20 [3] Sats ge ǀhommi tsî ǃhūbaib tsî hoaraga buruxa xūn ǃhūbaib ai hân tsîna ge kuru. 21 [4] Sats ge hoaraga kurus di ǃKhū tsî i ge ǀgui-i satsa nî mâǃoa ǁkhā-i xare-e hâ tama hâ, ti ǃKhūtse. 22 [5] Sats ge hoana a ǂan. Tita ge ǁnā ǀgapiǂâixa Hamanni aiǃâ ǃgamǃgâsa ge ǂkhā; ǁnāsa ta ge ǀgapiǂâixa ta a, tamas ka io ta khoen xa nî koahes ǃaroma ge dī tama hâ i. 23-24 [6-7] Tita ge khoe-i xare-e Eloba ta ǃgôa hâs ǃgâ-ai ǀgapiǃgôa tide. Tita ge khoe-i hoa-i aiǃâ ta nî ǃhons xa, sa aiǃâ nî ǃhonǁgoa, ti ǃKhūtse tsî ǁnās ge ǀgapiǂâixasiba xu tamasa. ǁNās ga Israelǁaes nî sâuhes ǃoa hui, o ta ge ǁîb ǂaiǃnāb tsîna a ǁoa ǁkhā.
25-26 [8-9] “Nēsi ǃKhū, Elo tsî Gao-aots, Abrahammi Elotse, sa ǁaesa ǀkhom, î sida khākhoena xu ore da. ǁÎn ge hugaǀgui sa khoena hîkākāsa ra ǀapeǀape. Gaxu ǁae-i ǃkharu hâsets ge sida sa ǁaese ǁhûi tsî Egipteba xu ge huiǂui. Tā nēsi aoxū da re. 27 [10] Sida ge sa ǁhûiǂuisa ǁae xuige ti ǀgoresa ǁnâu-am î ǀkhomxa da. Sida di tsūǃgâba ǃgâiǃgâb ǃnâ daba, î da ûi tsî koatsanade ǁnaeba tsi. ǁŌba xu sâu da, î da ǃaruǀîǀgui koa tsi.”
28 [11] Hoaraga Israelǁaes ge ǁōn nî ǃkhaisan ge mû xui-ao ǃgarise ge ǀgore.
Esters di ǀgores
29 [12] Gao-aos Esters tsîn ge ǁkhāti kai ǃaob ǃnâ huib ǃaroma ǃKhūb ǃoa ge ǁhaiǁhâ. 30 [13] ǁÎs ge ǁîs ǂkhai ra ǂamsarana ǂgaeǂui tsî ǃoab tsî tsûaǂgaob sarana ge ana. ǃGomǀgausa ǃgâihamxūn ǃās ǃnâs ge ǁîs danas ai tsaoba tsoro tsî ǂhauba ge ǂkhau. ǁÎs ge dī ǁkhās a xūn hoana, ǁîs sorosi anusasiba hîkākās ǃaroma ge dī. ǁÎs ge ǁîs ǃkhaera tsî ǀkhabuǃnâhe tama ǀûga, ǃaos tsî ǃhōra kōse ge ǀhara kai hâ i. 31 [14] ǁÎs ge ǃKhūb, Israelǁîn di Elob ǃoa ge ǀgore: “Ti ǃKhū, sida gao-aotse sats ǀguits ge a Elo. Tita ge a ǀguriǃgâ tsî ta ge ǀnî khoe-i ose sats ǀguitsa ǁhaiǁhâǀî ta nîse ūhâ xuige hui te re! 32 [15] Ti ûib ge ǃaorosasib hâ. 33 [16] ǃNae ta gesa xu ta ge ti ǀaokhoena xu ge ǁnâu, sats ǃKhūts ge Israelǁaesa hoaraga ǃhaode xu tsî sida îga ǁîgu aboxaga xu ǀamo ǀumis ǃoa ǁhûiǂuisa. Tsîts ge mîmâits gen hoana ǁîna dība ǃkhaisa.
34 [17] “Xawe da ge sida sats ǃoagu ge ǁore. Sats ge ǁîn di elona da ra ǀgoreǀî xui-ao, khākhoen ǃomǁae ge māǁnâ da. 35 [18] ǃKhūtse, sida ge sa ǁkharaba anu hâ. 36 [19] Xawen ge sida khākhoena khobosis ǃnâ ǀgui mû das ǀkha ǃaruǀî ǂkhî tama hâ. ǁÎn ge ǁgôa-elon ân aiǃâ nūs ǀkha ge mîmâi, 37 [20] satsa ra koa khoena hîkākās ǀguis osen ǁkhāti sa ǂhanuba dībē tsî sa ommi tsî altars tsîra di ǂkhaisib tsîna nî hîǀhuru ǃkhaisa. 38 [21] ǁÎn ge hoaraga ǃhūbaib harebeoǃnâ ǁgôa-elona ǀgoreǀî tsî ǀamose ǃhūbaisi gao-aoga nî ǃaoǃgâ ǃkhaisa ǂhâba hâ.
39 [22] “ǃKhūtse, tā sa ǀkharuba nē xū tama elon ǃaroma māǁnâ; Sida ǁnāsan nî âiǂuis tsîna tā mā-am. Xawe ǁîn ǀapedi sida ǃoagu hâde ǁîn ǃoagu daba, î aiǁgausa ǁnā-i hîa ge nēsa sida ǃoagu tsoatsoa-i ǀkha dī.
40 [23] “ǂÂis ǃnâ ūhâ da re, ǃKhūtse. Nē ǃgomsib di ǁaeb ǃnâ sida ǃoa hā re. Hoa elon di Gao-ao tsî ǃhūbaisi ǀgaigu di ǂGaeǂgui-aotse, ǁkhoaǂgaoxa kai te re. 41 [24] ǁNā ǁaixa xammi, Artaxerxeb ǀkha ta nî ǃhoase ta ga ǂgâ, o gowadanū ta nî mîde mā te re. ǁÎb ǂgaoba Hamanni, sida khākhoeb ǃoagub nî dawasense ǀkharaǀkhara, î ǁîb tsî ǁîb di ǃkhō-amaona hîkākā. 42 [25] ǃKhūtse huiǂui da re. Hui te re, ǃKhūtse. Tita ge a ǀguriǃgâ tsî ta ge ǀnî khoe-i ose sats ǀguitsa ǁhaiǁhâǀî ta nîse ūhâ.
43 [26] “Sats ge hoana a ǂan, ǃKhūtse. Sats ge nē Jodeǁî tamana xu ta ra ǃkhōǃoa ǃgôasiba ta ǃhuisa ǃkhaisa a ǂan. Tita ge ǁnā ǂâis, ǃgaosa tama ǀūbegu ǀkha ǁgoes dis tsîna ǁkhan hâ. 44 [27] ǃKhūtse, sats ge tita ti sîsenna ǃhuisa ǃkhaisa ǂan. Tita ge gao-aosi krons, ǂhanuǁî ǃkhain ai ta ra ǀgapasa a ǃhuisa. Tita ge tātsē ǁîsa ǂhâbasa tama i ka i, o ǀgapa tama hâ. Tita ge ǁîsa ǂoa go ǁkhâb di ǀaesenni hâ-ai ǀurisa lapi-i khami a ǃhuisa. 45 [28] Tita ge Hamanni tāb tawa ǂû tamas ka io gao-aob di ǁâudīgu tawa ǁîb ǃgôasib ǃoa ǁhaos tsî ǁîn elon ǃaroma mâiǂuihe hâ ǂauxûi-e ās tsîna ǂgao tama hâ. 46 [29] Hūs xū-i hîa ge ǃgâiaǂgaoba hā-ūba te-i ge satsa ǀgoreǀîsa, ǃKhū, Abrahammi di Elotse.
47 [30] “Hoaǀgaixa Elotse, sa khoeda ǀgoresa ǁnâu re. Nē ǂkhaba khoena xu huiǂui da, î ti ǃaoba ūbēba te re.”
