< ESTHER 5 >

1 A hnin thum dongah tah Esther loh manghai himbai a bai tih manghai im hmai kah, manghai im vongup kah a ken ah pai. Te vaengah manghai tah im thohka hmai, manghai im kah a manghai ngolkhoel dongah ngol.
On the third day, Esther put on her regalia and stood in the inner court of the royal palace opposite the king’s house. The king was sitting on his throne in the palace, opposite the entrance.
2 Manghai loh vongup ah aka pai manghainu Esther te a hmuh. A mikhmuh ah khaw mikdaithen a phueih dongah manghai loh a kut dongkah sui mancai te Esther taengla a doe. Esther te a nawn vaengah mancai kah a hmuidong te a ben.
When he saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she won his favor, and he held out to her the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Te phoeiah anih te manghai loh, “Esther manghainu nang te ba dae lae? Na kueknah te ram rhakthuem hil pataeng nang taengah m'paek bitni,” a ti nah.
Then the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? Whatever your request is, it will be granted, even if it is the half of the kingdom.”
4 Te vaengah Esther loh, “Manghai taengah a then mai atah, tihnin ah anih ham ka saii pah buhkoknah te manghai neh Haman ham paan rhoi dae,” a ti nah.
“If it seems best to the king,” Esther said, “let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5 Te dongah Esther ol te ngai hamla saii ham manghai loh Haman taengah a thui paitok. Te phoeiah manghai neh Haman loh Esther kah a saii buhkoknah te a paan.
Then the king ordered, “Bring Haman quickly, so that Esther’s wish may be gratified.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 Misurtui neh buhkoknah a om vaengah manghai loh Esther te, “Nang ham te mebang huithuinah nim nang taengah m'paek eh? Na kueknah te ram rhakthuem hil pataeng han suem bitni,” a ti nah.
While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Whatever your petition is, it will be granted. Your request, it will be done – even if it takes half of my kingdom.”
7 Te vaengah Esther loh, “Kai ham huithuinah neh ka kueknah tah,
Esther answered,
8 Manghai mik ah mikdaithen ka hmuh atah, kai taengah huithuinah paek ham neh ka kueknah te roirhi ham khaw manghai ham ni a. then mak atah manghai neh Haman buhkoknah te ham paan saeh. Te te amih rhoi ham ka saii vetih thangvuen ah manghai ol bangla ka ngai bitni,” a ti nah.
“If I have won the king’s favor and if it seems best to the king to grant my petition and to accede to my request, my petition and my request are that the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer the king’s question as he wishes.”
9 Te khohnin ah Haman tah kohoe neh lungbuei then la vuenva. Tedae Haman loh Mordekai te manghai vongka ah a hmuh hatah thoh pah pawt tih a taengah tonga pawh. Te dongah Haman loh Mordekai te kosi a hong thil.
Haman went out that day joyful and elated, but when he saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and noticed that he neither stood up nor moved for him, he was furiously angry with Mordecai.
10 Tedae Haman te thiim uh tih amah im la pawk. Te phoeiah hlang a tueih tih a lungnah rhoek neh a yuu Zeresh te a khue.
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. He called together his friends and Zeresh his wife
11 Haman loh amih taengah a khuehtawn thangpomnah khaw, amah koca a cungkuem khaw, manghai loh a pomsang boeih te khaw, amah te mangpa rhoek neh manghai kah sal lakah a ludoeng te a tae.
and recounted to them the greatness of his wealth, how many children he had, and all the ways in which the king had honored him, and how he had promoted him above the officials and the royal courtiers.
12 Te phoeiah Haman loh, “Esther manghainu loh, manghai neh buhkoknah a saii te a tloe khue pawh, kai bueng ni dawk n'khue. Thangvuen ham khaw, kai he amah loh manghai neh n'khue pueng.
“What is more,” Haman said, “Queen Esther brought no one in with the king to the banquet which she had prepared except me, and tomorrow also I am invited by her along with the king.
13 Tedae te boeih he kai neh a tluk moenih. Hnin takuem ah manghai vongka kah aka ngol Judah Mordekai te vawk ka hmuh,” a ti nah.
Yet all this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 Te dongah anih te a yuu Zeresh neh a lungnah boeih loh, “Thing dong sawmnga a sang saii uh saeh lamtah mincang ah manghai te dawt. Te phoeiah Mordekai te a soah kuiok sak uh saeh. Te vaengah buhkoknah te manghai neh kohoe la paan,” a ti nah. Ol te Haman mikhmuh ah tah a voelphoeng pah tih thing te a saii.
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows seventy-five feet high be erected, and in the morning speak to the king and let Mordecai be hanged on it. Then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” The advice pleased Haman, and so he had the gallows erected.

< ESTHER 5 >