- 4:1 Now when Mordecai learned about all that had been done, Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes; and he went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.
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末底改知道所发生的这一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰尘，在城中行走，大声哀号。
- 4:2 And he went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
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到了王门前停住脚步，因为穿麻衣的不可进王门。
- 4:3 And throughout every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and wailing; many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
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王的谕旨和法令所到的各省各处，犹大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀号，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
- 4:4 And Esther's maids and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was greatly distressed. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might remove his sackcloth from him; but he would not accept them.
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王后以斯帖的宫女和太监来把这事告诉以斯帖，她甚是忧愁，就送衣服给末底改穿，要他脱下麻衣，他却不接受。
- 4:5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had appointed to serve her, and she commanded him to go out to Mordecai to find out what this was and why it was.
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以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一个太监，名叫哈他革召来，吩咐他去见末底改，要知道这是什么事，是为什么缘故。
- 4:6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai at the open square of the city in front of the king's gate.
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于是哈他革出到王门前城的宽阔处，见末底改。
- 4:7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
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末底改将自己所遇的一切事，并哈曼为灭绝犹大人应许捐入王库的准确银数，都告诉了他；
- 4:8 And he also gave him a copy of the written decree which was issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and tell her about it and charge her to go in to the king to supplicate him and make a request for her people before him.
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又将所抄写在书珊颁布，要灭绝犹大人的法令交给哈他革，要他给以斯帖看，向她说明，并嘱咐她进去见王，向王求情，为本族的人在王面前恳求。
- 4:9 And Hathach came and told Esther Mordecai's words.
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哈他革回来，将末底改的话告诉以斯帖；
- 4:10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to answer Mordecai:
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以斯帖就把以下的话告诉哈他革，吩咐他去见末底改，说，
- 4:11 All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that for any man or woman who comes in to the king at the inner court who has not been called for, there is but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out his scepter of gold to him that he may live; and I have not been called to come in to the king during these past thirty days.
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王的一切臣仆和王各省的人民都知道一条法令，无论男女，若不蒙召就进入内院见王，必被处死，除非王向他伸出金杖，叫他得以存活；现在我没有蒙召进去见王已经三十日了。
- 4:12 And they told Mordecai Esther's words.
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人就把以斯帖的话告诉末底改。
- 4:13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, Do not imagine that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the Jews.
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末底改叫人回覆以斯帖说，你不要以为在王宫里就强过一切犹大人，得免这祸。
- 4:14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
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此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救；你和你父家就必灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分，不是为现今这样的时机么？
- 4:15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
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以斯帖就叫人回报末底改说，
- 4:16 Go; assemble all the Jews who are to be found in Susa, and fast for me; and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day; I also and my maids will fast in the same way. And so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
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你当去招聚书珊城所有的犹大人，为我禁食，三日之内，昼夜不吃不喝；我和我的侍女也要这样禁食。然后我就违令进去见王；我若灭亡就灭亡罢。
- 4:17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
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于是末底改就去照以斯帖一切所吩咐的而行。