Ester 5

1 Den tredje Dag iførte Ester sig det kongelige Skrud og traadte ind i den indre Gaard til Kongens Palads, foran Kongens Palads, medens Kongen sad paa sin Kongetrone i det kongelige Palads ud imod Indgangen.

Now on the third day, Esther put on her queen's robes, and took her place in the inner room of the king's house, facing the king's house: and the king was seated on his high seat in the king's house, facing the doorway of the house.

2 Da Kongen saa Dronning Ester staa i Gaarden, fandt hun Naade for hans Øjne, og Kongen rakte det gyldne Scepter, som han havde i Haanden, ud imod Ester. Da traadte Ester hen og rørte ved Spidsen af Scepteret;

And when the king saw Esther the queen waiting in the inner room, looking kindly on her he put out the rod of gold in his hand to her. So Esther came near and put her fingers on the top of the rod.

3 og Kongen sagde til hende: »Hvad fattes dig, Dronning Ester, og hvad er dit Ønske? Om det saa er Halvdelen af Riget, skal du faa det!«

Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.

4 Ester svarede: »Hvis Kongen synes, vil jeg bede Kongen og Haman om i Dag at komme til et Gæstebud, jeg har gjort rede for ham.«

And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.

5 Da sagde Kongen: »Send hurtigt Bud efter Haman, for at Esters Ønske kan blive opfyldt!« Saa kom Haman og Kongen til det Gæstebud, Ester havde gjort rede,

Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready.

6 og da de sad ved Vinen, sagde Kongen til Ester: »Hvad er din Bøn? Du skal faa den opfyldt. Og hvad er dit Ønske? Om det saa er Halvdelen af Riget, skal det tilstaas dig!«

And while they were drinking wine the king said to Esther, What is your prayer? for it will be given to you and what is your request? for it will be done, even to the half of my kingdom.

7 Ester svarede: »Min Bøn og mit Ønske er —

Then Esther said in answer, My prayer and my request is this:

8 hvis jeg har fundet Naade for Kongens Øjne, og hvis det synes Kongen ret at opfylde min Bøn og tilstaa mig mit Ønske, saa komme Kongen og Haman til et Gæstebud, jeg vil gøre rede for dem. I Morgen vil jeg da gøre, som Kongen siger!«

If I have the king's approval, and if it is the king's pleasure to give me my prayer and do my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I will make ready for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

9 Haman gik glad og vel til Mode derfra den Dag. Men da Haman saa Mordokaj i Kongens Port, og han hverken rejste sig op eller rørte sig af Pletten for ham, opfyldtes han af Vrede mod Mordokaj.

Then on that day Haman went out full of joy and glad in heart; but when he saw Mordecai in the king's doorway, and he did not get to his feet or give any sign of fear before him, Haman was full of wrath against Mordecai.

10 Dog tvang han sig; men da han var kommet hjem, sendte han Bud efter sine Venner og sin Hustru Zeresj;

But controlling himself, he went to his house; and he sent for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

11 og Haman talte til dem om sin overvættes Rigdom og sine mange Sønner og om al den Ære, Kongen havde vist ham, og hvorledes han havde udmærket ham frem for Fyrsterne og Kongens Folk.

And he gave them an account of the glories of his wealth, and the number of children he had, and the ways in which he had been honoured by the king, and how he had put him over the captains and servants of the king.

12 Og Haman sagde: »Dronning Ester lod heller ikke andre end mig komme med Kongen til det Gæstebud, hun havde gjort rede; og jeg er ogsaa indbudt af hende til i Morgen sammen med Kongen.

And Haman said further, Truly, Esther the queen let no man but myself come in to the feast which she had made ready for the king; and tomorrow again I am to be her guest with the king.

13 Men alt det er mig ikke nok, saa længe jeg ser denne Jøde Mordokaj sidde i Kongens Port.«

But all this is nothing to me while I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's doorway.

14 Da sagde hans Hustru Zeresj og alle hans Venner til ham: »Lad en Galge rejse, halvtredsindstyve Alen høj, og bed i Morgen tidlig Kongen om, at Mordokaj maa blive hængt i den; saa kan du gaa glad til Gæstebudet med Kongen.« Det vandt Hamans Bifald, og han lod Galgen rejse.

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.