Esther 8

¹ which schewide to Athac alle thingis that bifelden, hou Aaman hadde bihiyt to bryng siluer in to tresours of the kyng for the deeth of Jewis. ² Also he yaf to Athac the copie of the comaundement, that hangide in Susa, to schewe to the queen, and to moneste hir for to entre to the kyng, and to biseche hym for hir puple. ³ And Athac yede ayen, and telde to Hester alle thingis, whiche Mardochee hadde seid. ⁴ And sche answeryde to hym, and seide, that he schulde seie to Mardochee, Alle the seruauntis of the kyng, ⁵ and alle prouyncis that ben vndur his lordschip, knowen, that whether a man ether a womman not clepid entrith in to the ynnere halle of the kyng, he schal be slayn anoon with outen ony tariyng, no but in hap the kyng holdith forth the goldun yerde to hym for the signe of merci, and he mai lyue so; therfor hou mai Y entre to the kyng, which am not clepid to hym now bi thritti daies? ⁶ And whanne Mardochee hadde herd this thing, he sente efte to Hester, 7 and seide, Gesse thou not, that thou schalt delyuer oonli thi lijf, for thou art in the hows of the kyng, bifor alle Jewis; 8 for if thou art stille now, Jewis schulen be delyuered bi another occasioun, and thou and the hows of thi fadir schulen perische; and who knowith, whether herfor thou camist to the rewme, that thou schuldist be maad redi in sich a tyme? 9 And eft Hester sente these wordis to Mardochee, 10 Go thou, and gadere togidere alle Jewis, whiche thou fyndist in Susa, and preie ye for me; ete ye not, nether drynke ye in thre daies and thre nyytis, and Y with myn handmaydis schal fast in lijk maner; and thanne Y not clepid schal entre to the kyng, and Y schal do ayens the lawe, and Y schal bitake me to deth and to perel. 11 Therfor Mardochee yede, and dide alle thingis, whiche Hester hadde comaundid to hym. 13 Forsothe in the thridde dai Hester was clothid in the kyngis clothis, and stood in the porche of the kyngis hows, that was the ynnere ayens the kyngis halle; and he sat on his trone, in the consistorie of the paleis, ayens the dore of the hows. 14 And whanne he hadde seyn Hester, the queen, stondynge, sche pleside hise iyen, and he helde forth ayens hir the goldun yerde, which he helde in the hond; and sche neiyide, and kisside the hiynesse of his yerde. 15 And the king seide to hir, Hester, the queen, what wolt thou? what is thin axyng? Yhe, thouy thou axist the half part of my rewme, it schal be youun to thee. ¹⁶ And sche answeride, If it plesith the kyng, Y biseche, that thou come to me to dai, and Aaman with thee, to the feeste, which Y haue maad redi. ¹⁷ And anoon the king seide, Clepe ye Aaman soone, that he obeie to the wille of Hester. Therfor the kyng and Aaman camen to the feeste, which the queen hadde maad redi to hem.