Cuando Mardoqueo supo todo lo que se había hecho, rasgó¹ sus vestidos, se vistió de cilicio y ceniza^a, y salió por la ciudad, lamentándose con grande y amargo clamor. 2 Y llegó hasta la puerta del rey, porque nadie podía entrar por la puerta del rey vestido de cilicio. 3 Y en cada una de las provincias y en todo lugar donde llegaba la orden del rey y su decreto, había entre los judíos gran duelo y ayuno^a, llanto y lamento; y muchos se acostaban sobre cilicio y ceniza.

4 Vinieron las doncellas de Ester y sus eunucos y se lo comunicaron, y la reina se angustió en gran manera. Y envió ropa para que Mardoqueo se vistiera y se quitara el cilicio de encima, pero él no la aceptó. 5 Entonces Ester llamó a Hatac, uno de los eunucos que el rey había puesto a su servicio¹, y le ordenó ir a Mardoqueo para saber qué era aquello y por qué. 6 Y salió Hatac a donde estaba Mardoqueo en la plaza de la ciudad, frente a la puerta del rey. 7 Y Mardoqueo le informó de todo lo que le había acontecido, y la cantidad exacta de dinero que Amán había prometido pagar a los tesoros del rey por la destrucción de los judíos^a. 8 Le dio también una copia del texto del decreto^a que había sido promulgado¹ en Susa para la destrucción de los judíos², para que se la mostrara a Ester y le informara, y le mandara que ella fuera al rey para implorar su favor y para interceder ante él por su pueblo.

9 Regresó Hatac y contó a Ester las palabras de Mardoqueo. 10 Entonces Ester habló a Hatac y le ordenó que respondiera a Mardoqueo: 11 Todos los siervos del rey y el pueblo de las provincias del rey saben que para cualquier hombre o mujer que vaya al rey en el atrio interior^a, sin ser llamado, él tiene una sola ley^b, que se le dé muerte, a menos que el rey le extienda el cetro de oro para que viva^c. Y yo no he sido llamada para ir al rey por estos treinta días. 12 Y contaron a Mardoqueo las palabras de Ester.

13 Entonces Mardoqueo les dijo que respondieran a Ester: No pienses¹ que estando en el palacio² del reysolo tú escaparás entre todos los judíos. 14 Porque si permaneces callada en este tiempo, alivio y liberación^a vendrán de otro lugar para los judíos, pero tú y la casa de tu padre pereceréis. ¿Y quién sabe si para una ocasión comoesta tú habrás llegado a ser reina? 15 Y Ester les dijo que respondieran a Mardoqueo: 16 Ve, reúne a todos los judíos que se encuentran en Susa y ayunad por mí^a; no comáis ni bebáis por tres días, ni de noche ni de día. También yo y mis doncellas ayunaremos. Y así iré al rey^b, lo cual no es conforme a la ley; y si perezco, perezco. 17 Y Mardoqueo se fue e hizo conforme a todo lo que Ester le había ordenado.

Now when Mordecai learned of ^aeverything that had been done, he tore his clothes in mourning, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the center of the city and cried out loudly and bitterly. 2 He went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one was to enter the king’s gate dressed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province that the decree and law of the king reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with ^afasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

4 When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her what had happened, the queen was seized by great fear. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would remove his sackcloth, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to find out what this issue was and why it had come about. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city, which was in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, and ^athe exact ¹amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him ^aa copy of the text of the decree which had been issued in Susa for the Jews destruction, so that he might show Esther and explain it to her, and order her to go in to the king to seek his favor and plead with him for the lives of her people.

9 Hathach came back and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai, saying: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who ^acomes to the king to the inner court without being summoned, ^bhe has but one law, that he is to be put to death, unless the king holds out ^cto him the golden scepter so that he may live. And as for me, I have not been summoned to come to the king for these last thirty days.” 12 So they told Mordecai what Esther had said.

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and ^arescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish since you did not help when you had the chance. And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this and for this very purpose?”

15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews that are present in Susa, and observe a fast for me; ^ado not eat or drink for ^bthree days, night or day. I and my maids also will fast in the same way. Then I will go in to see the king without being summoned, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did exactly as Esther had commanded him.

When Mordecai learned of ^aeverything that had been done, ¹he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. 2 And he came as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth. 3 In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with ^afasting, weeping, and mourning rites; and many had sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed.

4 Then Esther’s attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her, and the queen was seized by great fear. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he would remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king’s eunuchs, whom ¹the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this mourning was and why it was happening. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square, in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, and ^athe exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the elimination of the Jews. 8 He also gave him ^aa copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their annihilation, so that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and plead with him for her people.

9 So Hathach came back and reported Mordecai’s words to Esther. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who ^acomes to the king in the inner courtyard, who is not summoned, ^bhe has only one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out ^cto him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.” 12 And they reported Esther’s words to Mordecai.

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and ^arescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; ^ado not eat or drink for ^bthree days, night or day. I and my attendants also will fast in the same way. And then I will go in to the king, which is not in accordance with the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.