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.

And on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s hall: now he sat upon his throne in the hall of the palace, over against the door 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 he saw Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes, and he held out toward her the golden sceptre, which he held in his hand: and she drew near, and kissed the top of his sceptre.

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!«

And the king said to her: What wilt then, queen Esther? what is thy request? if thou shouldst even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given to thee.

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.«

But she answered: If it please the king. I beseech thee to come to me this day, and Aman with thee to the banquet which I have prepared.

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,

And the king said forthwith: Call ye Aman quickly, that he may obey Esther’s will. So the king and Aman came to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them.

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 the king said to her, after he had drunk wine plentifully: What dost thou desire should be given thee? and for what thing askest thou? although thou shouldst ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.

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

And Esther answered: My petition and 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 found favour in the king’s sight, and if it please the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition: let the king and Aman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.

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.

So Aman went out that day joyful and merry. And when he saw Mardochai sitting before the gate of the palace, and that he not only did not rise up to honour him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was exceedingly angry:

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

But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares 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 declared to them the greatness of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and with how great glory the king had advanced him above all his princes and servants.

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 after this he said: Queen Esther also hath invited no other to the banquet with the king, but me: and with her I am also to dine tomorrow with the king:

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

And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I see Mardochai the Jew sitting before the king’s gate.

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 Zares his wife, and the rest of his friends answered him: Order a great beam to be prepared, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king, that Mardochai may be hanged upon it, and so thou shalt go full of joy with the king to the banquet. The counsel pleased him, and he commanded a high gibbet to be prepared.