Esther 4

And Mordecaiוּמָרְדֳּכַיknewיָדַעallכָּלthatאֲשֶׁרhad been done,נַעֲשָׂהand Mordecaiוַ מָרְדֳּכַיtoreיִּקְרַעhis clothesבְּגָדָיוand put onוַיִּלְבַּשׁsackclothשַׂקand ashes,וָאֵפֶרand went outוַיֵּצֵאinto the midstבְּתוֹךְof the city,הָעִירand cried outוַיִּזְעַקwith a greatגְדֹלָהand bitterוּמָרָהcry;זְעָקָה

and he cameוַיָּבוֹאas far asעַדthe frontלִפְנֵיof the king’sהַמֶּלֶךְgate,שַׁעַרforכִּיno one couldאֵיןenterלָבוֹאthe gateאֶל שַׁעַרof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְin clothingבִּלְבוּשׁof sackcloth.שָׂק

And in every province,וּבְכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָהin the placeמְקוֹםwhereאֲשֶׁרthe wordדְּבַרof the kingהַמֶּלֶךְand his lawוְדָתוֹreached,מַגִּיעַthere wasgreatגָּדוֹלmourningאֵבֶלamong the Jews,לַיְּהוּדִיםand fastingוְצוֹםand weepingוּבְכִיand lamenting;וּמִסְפֵּדsackclothשַׂקand ashesוָאֵפֶרwere spread outיֻצַּעfor many.לָרַבִּים

And Esther’sוַ אֶסְתֵּרyoung womenנַעֲרוֹתand her eunuchsוְסָרִיסֶיהָcameתָּבוֹאינָהand made it knownוַיַּגִּידוּto her,לָהּand the queenוַ הַמַּלְכָּהwas greatlyמְאֹדshaken;תִּתְחַלְחַלand she sentוַתִּשְׁלַחclothesבְּגָדִיםto clotheלְהַלְבִּישׁMordecai,מָרְדֳּכַיand to removeוּלְהָסִירhis sackclothשַׂקּוֹfrom him,מֵעָלָיוbut he did notוְלֹאaccept them.קִבֵּל

And Estherוַ אֶסְתֵּרcalledתִּקְרָאHathach,לַהֲתָךְoneof the king’sמִ הַמֶּלֶךְeunuchsסָּרִיסֵיwhomאֲשֶׁרhe had setהֶעֱמִידbefore her,לְפָנֶיהָand she gave him ordersוַתְּצַוֵּהוּconcerningעַלMordecai,מָרְדֳּכָיto learnלָדַעַתwhatמַהthis wasזֶּהand whyוְעַל מַהthis was.זֶּה

And Hathachוַ הֲתָךְwent outיֵּצֵאtoאֶלMordecai,מָרְדֳּכָיtoאֶלthe squareרְחוֹבof the cityהָעִירthatאֲשֶׁרwasin front ofלִפְנֵיthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְgate.שַׁעַר

And Mordecaiוַ מָרְדֳּכַיmade knownיַּגֶּדto himלוֹallכָּלthatאֲשֶׁרhad happened to him,קָרָהוּandוְthe sumפָּרָשַׁתof the silverהַכֶּסֶףthatאֲשֶׁרHamanהָמָןhad saidאָמַרhe would weigh outלִשְׁקוֹלtoעַלthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְtreasuriesגִּנְזֵיfor the Jews,בַּיְּהוּדִיםto make them perish.לְאַבְּדָם

Andוְthe copyפַּתְשֶׁגֶןof the writingכְּתָבof the lawהַדָּתthatאֲשֶׁרhad been givenנִתַּןin Susaבְּשׁוּשָׁןto destroy themלְהַשְׁמִידָםhe gaveנָתַןto him,לוֹto showלְהַרְאוֹתEstherאֶסְתֵּרand to make it knownוּלְהַגִּידto her,לָהּand to commandוּלְצַוּוֹתherעָלֶיהָto go inלָבוֹאtoאֶלthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְto imploreלְהִתְחַנֶּןhimלוֹand to petitionוּלְבַקֵּשׁbefore himמִלְּפָנָיוforעַלher people.עַמָּהּ

And Hathachוַ הֲתָךְcameיָּבוֹאand made knownוַיַּגֵּדto Estherלְאֶסְתֵּרthe wordsדִּבְרֵיof Mordecai.מָרְדֳּכָי

And Estherוַ אֶסְתֵּרspokeתֹּאמֶרto Hathachלַהֲתָךְand gave him ordersוַתְּצַוֵּהוּforאֶלMordecai:מָרְדֳּכָי

“Allכָּלthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְservantsעַבְדֵיand the peopleוְעַםof the king’sהַמֶּלֶךְprovincesמְדִינוֹתknowיוֹדְעִיםthatאֲשֶׁרanyכָּלmanאִישׁor womanוְאִשָּׁהwhoאֲשֶׁרgoes inיָבוֹאtoאֶלthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְintoאֶלthe innerהַפְּנִימִיתcourt,הֶחָצֵרwhoאֲשֶׁרhas notלֹאbeen called,יִקָּרֵאhis law is one:אַחַת דָּתוֹto put him to death,לְהָמִיתexceptלְבַד מֵthe one to whomאֲשֶׁר לוֹthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְholds outיוֹשִׁיטthe goldenהַזָּהָבscepter,שַׁרְבִיטand he will live.וְחָיָהBut Iוַאֲנִיhave notלֹאbeen calledנִקְרֵאתיto go inלָבוֹאtoאֶלthe kingהַמֶּלֶךְtheseזֶהthirtyשְׁלוֹשִׁיםdays.”יוֹם

And they made knownוַיַּגִּידוּto Mordecaiלְמָרְדֳּכָיthe wordsדִּבְרֵיof Esther.אֶסְתֵּר

And Mordecaiוַ מָרְדֳּכַיtold themיֹּאמֶרto replyלְהָשִׁיבto Esther,אֶל אֶסְתֵּר“Do notאַלimagineתְּדַמִּיfor yourselfבְנַפְשֵׁךְthat you will escapeלְהִמָּלֵטinthe king’sהַמֶּלֶךְhouseבֵּיתmore than allמִכָּלthe Jews.הַיְּהוּדִים

Forכִּיifאִםyou really keep silentהַחֲרֵשׁ תַּחֲרִישִׁיat thisבָּ הַזֹּאתtime,עֵתreliefרֶוַחand deliveranceוְהַצָּלָהwill ariseיַעֲמוֹדfor the Jewsלַיְּהוּדִיםfrom anotherמִ אַחֵרplace,מָּקוֹםbut youוְאַתְּand the houseוּבֵיתof your fatherאָבִיךְwill perish.תֹּאבֵדוּAnd whoוּמִיknowsיוֹדֵעַwhetherאִםfor a timeלְעֵתlike thisכָּזֹאתyou have comeהִגַּעַתְּto the kingdom?”לַמַּלְכוּת

And Estherוַ אֶסְתֵּרtold themתֹּאמֶרto replyלְהָשִׁיבto Mordecai,אֶל מָרְדֳּכָי

“Go,לֵךְgatherכְּנוֹסallכָּלthe Jewsהַיְּהוּדִיםwho are presentהַנִּמְצְאִיםin Susa,בְּשׁוּשָׁןand fastוְצוּמוּfor me,עָלַיand do notוְאַלeatתֹּאכְלוּand do notוְאַלdrinkתִּשְׁתּוּforthreeשְׁלֹשֶׁתdays,יָמִיםnightלַיְלָהand day.וָיוֹםIאֲנִיalsoגַּםand my young womenוְנַעֲרֹתַיwill fastאָצוּםin the same way;כֵּןand soוּבְכֵןI will go inאָבוֹאtoאֶלthe king,הַמֶּלֶךְwhichאֲשֶׁרisnotלֹאaccording to the law;כַדָּתand ifוְכַאֲשֶׁרI perish,אָבַדְתִּיI perish.”אָבָדְתִּי

And Mordecaiוַ מָרְדֳּכָיwent awayיַּעֲבֹרand didוַיַּעַשׂaccording to allכְּכֹלthatאֲשֶׁרEstherאֶסְתֵּרhad commandedצִוְּתָהhim.עָלָיו