Leviticus - douay rheims

Chapter 4

¹ Now when Mardochai had heard these things, he rent his garments, and put on sackcloth, strewing ashes on his head: and he cried with a loud voice in the street in the midst of the city, shewing the anguish of his mind.
² And he came lamenting in this manner even to the gate of the palace: for no one clothed with sackcloth might enter the king's court.
³ And in all provinces, towns, and places, to which the king's cruel edict was come, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, wailing, and weeping, many using sackcloth and ashes for their bed.
⁴ Then Esther's maids and her eunuchs went in, and told her. And when she heard it she was in a consternation: and she sent a garment, to clothe him, and to take away the sackcloth: but he would not receive it.
⁵ And she called for Athach the eunuch, whom the king had appointed to attend upon her, and she commanded him to go to Mardochai, and learn of him why he did this.
⁶ And Athach going out went to Mardochai, who was standing in the street of the city, before the palace gate:
⁷ And Mardochai told him all that had happened, how Aman had promised to pay money into the king's treasures, to have the Jews destroyed.
⁸ He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to en- treat him for her people.
⁹ And Athach went back and told Esther all that Mardochai had said.
¹⁰ She answered him, and bade him say to Mardochai:
¹¹ 11All the king's servants, and all the provinces that are under his dominion, know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, cometh into the king's inner court, who is not called for, is immediately to be put to death without any delay: except the king shall hold out the golden sceptre to him, in token of clemency, that so he may live. How then can I go in to the king, who for these thirty days now have not been called unto him?
¹² And when Mardochai had heard this,
¹³ He sent word to Esther again, saying: Think not that thou mayst save thy life only, because thou art in the king a house, more than all the Jews:
¹⁴ For if thou wilt now hold thy peace, the Jews shall be delivered by some other occasion: and thou, and thy father's house shall perish. And who knoweth whether thou art not therefore come to the kingdom, that thou mightest be ready in such a time as this?
¹⁵ And again Esther sent to Mardochai in these words:
¹⁶ Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.
¹⁷ So Mardochai went, and did all that Esther had commanded him.

Leviticus - world english bible

Chapter 4

¹ these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
² the king's servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
³ the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to Susa, the palatial city, to the women's house, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;
⁴ let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The idea pleased the king, and he did so.
⁵ was a certain Jew in Susa, the palatial city, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
⁶ had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
⁷ brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
⁸ it happened, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Susa, the palatial city, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
⁹ maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king's house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women's house.
¹⁰ had not made known her people or her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.
¹¹ walked every day in front of the court of the women's house, to find out how Esther did, and what would become of her.
¹² young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).
¹³ young woman then came to the king in this way: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women's house to the king's house.
¹⁴ the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women's house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her and she was called by name.
¹⁵ when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign.
¹⁷ king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
¹⁸ the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.
¹⁹ the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting inside the king's gate.
²⁰ had not yet made known her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, as she did when she was brought up by him.
²¹ those days, while Mordecai was sitting inside the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigtha and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
²² matter became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name.
²³ the matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king's presence.