Mordecai Talks Esther Into Helping the Jews
1Mordecai found out about everything that had been done. So he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. He sat down in ashes. Then he went out into the city. He wept out loud. He cried bitter tears. 2But he only went as far as the palace gate. That’s because no one dressed in that rough clothing was allowed to go through it. 3All the Jews were very sad. They didn’t eat anything. They wept and cried. Many of them put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. They were lying down in ashes. They did all these things in every territory where the king’s order and law had been sent.
4Esther’s male and female attendants came to her. They told her about Mordecai. So she became very troubled. She wanted him to take off his rough clothing. So she sent him other clothes to wear. But he wouldn’t accept them. 5Then Esther sent for Hathak. He was one of the king’s officials. He had been appointed to take care of her. She ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai. She wanted to know why he was so upset.
6So Hathak went out to see Mordecai. He was in the open area in front of the palace gate. 7Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him. He told him about the exact amount of money Haman had promised to add to the royal treasures. He said Haman wanted it to be used to pay some men to destroy the Jews. 8Mordecai also gave Hathak a copy of the order. It commanded people to wipe out the Jews. The order had been sent from Susa. Mordecai told Hathak to show the order to Esther. He wanted Hathak to explain it to her. Mordecai told him to tell her to go and beg the king for mercy. Mordecai wanted her to make an appeal to the king for her people.
9Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther directed him to give an answer to Mordecai. She told him to say, 11“There is a certain law that everyone knows about. All the king’s officials know about it. The people in the royal territories know about it. It applies to any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard without being sent for. It says they must be put to death. But there is a way out. Suppose the king reaches out his gold scepter toward them. Then their lives will be spared. But 30 days have gone by since the king sent for me.”
12Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai. 13Then he sent back an answer. He said, “You live in the king’s palace. But don’t think that just because you are there you will be the only Jew who will escape. 14What if you don’t say anything at this time? Then help for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your family will die. Who knows? It’s possible that you became queen for a time just like this.”
15Then Esther sent a reply to Mordecai. She said, 16“Go. Gather together all the Jews who are in Susa. And fast for my benefit. Don’t eat or drink anything for three days. Don’t do it night or day. I and my attendants will fast just as you do. Then I’ll go to the king. I’ll do it even though it’s against the law. And if I have to die, I’ll die.”
17So Mordecai went away. He carried out all Esther’s directions.
4
エステルの協力を求めるモルデカイ
1事のいきさつを知ったモルデカイは、あまりのことに着物を裂き、荒布をまとい、灰をかぶって嘆き悲しみました。それから、大声で泣きながら町へ出て行ったのです。 2彼は城門の外に立ちました。荒布を着たままで城内に入ることは、誰ひとり許されていなかったからです。 3どの州でも、ユダヤ人の間に、すさまじい嘆きの声が起こりました。王の勅令を聞いて生きる望みを失い、断食して泣き、大部分の人が荒布をまとって、灰の上に座り込みました。
4モルデカイの様子は、侍女や後宮の役人の口を通してエステルの耳にも達しました。彼女は心配で居ても立ってもいられず、着物を送って、荒布を脱ぐようにと伝えましたが、彼は受け取ろうとしません。 5そこでエステルは、自分に仕えてくれる役人ハタクを呼び寄せ、モルデカイのもとへ行って、なぜそのようなことをしているのか聞きただしてほしい、と命じたのです。 6ハタクは町の広場に出て、城門のそばにいるモルデカイを見つけました。 7モルデカイの話から、いっさいの事情がはっきりしました。ハマンが、ユダヤ人を殺すためには銀一万タラントを国庫に納めてもよい、とまで言ったというのです。 8モルデカイは、ユダヤ人殺しを命じる勅令の写しを渡し、エステルに見せてほしいと頼みました。そして、エステル自ら王の前に出て、同胞のために命乞いをするようにとことづけたのです。 9ハタクはそのとおりエステルに伝えました。 10エステルは困りました。どうしたらよいのでしょう。そこでもう一度、ハタクをモルデカイのもとへ送って、こう伝えさせました。 11「この国ではだれでも、呼ばれてもないのに王宮の内庭に入ったりすれば、男でも女でも打ち首です。王がその者に金の笏を伸べてくださればいのちは助かるのですが。もう一か月も、陛下は私を召してくださっていないのです。」
12ハタクはエステルの苦しい心中を告げました。 13しかし、モルデカイの答えはきびしいものでした。「ユダヤ人が全員殺されるというのに、王宮にいるからといって、おまえだけが助かるとでも思うのか。 14もしも、この事態をおまえがそしらぬ顔で見ているなら、神様は別の人を用いてユダヤ人をお救いになるだろう。だが、おまえとおまえの一族は必ず滅びることになるのだ。神様がおまえを王妃となさったのは、もしかすると、この時のためかもしれない。」
15すると折り返し、エステルからの返事が届きました。 16「シュシャンにいるユダヤ人を全員集め、私のために断食させてください。三日間、昼も夜も、飲み食いしないでください。私も侍女も断食しますから。そのあと、国禁を犯してでも陛下にお目にかかるつもりです。そのために死ななければならないのでしたら、いさぎよく死にましょう。」
17モルデカイはエステルの言うとおりにしました。
