< Esther 5 >

1 On the third day, Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance.
Pea ʻi heʻene hokosia hono tolu ʻoe ʻaho, naʻe ʻai ʻe Eseta hono ngaahi kofu ngalingali ʻeiki, pea tuʻu ia ʻi he fale ʻi loto ʻi he fale ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo hangatonu atu ki he fale ʻoe tuʻi: pea naʻe nofo ʻae tuʻi ki hono nofoʻa fakatuʻi, ʻi he fale fakatuʻi, ʻo hangatonu atu ki he matapā ʻoe fale.
2 As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
Pea naʻe pehē, ʻi he mamata ʻae tuʻi kia Eseta ko e tuʻi fefine ʻoku tuʻu ʻi he loto fale, naʻe maʻu ʻe ia ʻae ʻofa ʻi hono ʻao: pea mafao atu ʻe he tuʻi ʻae tokotoko koula kia Eseta ʻaia naʻe ʻi hono nima. Ko ia naʻe ʻunuʻunu atu ʻa Eseta, mo ne ala ki he ʻulu ʻoe tokotoko.
3 “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe he tuʻi kia Eseta, “Ko e hā ʻoku ke kumi ʻe tuʻi fefine ko Eseta? Pea ko e hā haʻo kole? ʻE ʻatu ia kiate koe ʻo aʻu ki hono vaeuaʻanga ʻoe puleʻanga.”
4 “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Eseta, “Kapau ʻoku mata lelei ki he tuʻi, tuku ke meʻa mai ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga, he ʻaho ni, ʻaia kuo u te u maʻana.”
5 “Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe he tuʻi, “Fekau ke fakatoʻotoʻo ʻa Hamani, koeʻuhi ke fai ia ʻo hangē ko e tala ʻa Eseta. Ko ia naʻe ʻalu ai ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga naʻe teu ʻe Eseta.”
6 And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
Pea pehē ʻe he tuʻi kia Eseta ʻi he kātoanga inu uaine, “Ko e hā haʻo kole? pea ʻe tuku ia kiate koe: pea ko e hā hoʻo tala? ʻe fai ia, ʻio, ʻo aʻu ki hono vaeuaʻanga ʻoe puleʻanga.”
7 Esther replied, “This is my petition and my request:
Pea leaange ai ʻa Eseta, ʻo ne pehē, “Ko ʻeku kole, mo ʻeku tala eni:
8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, may the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.”
Kapau kuo u maʻu ʻae ʻofa ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea kapau ʻoku lelei ki he tuʻi ke tuku kiate au ʻeku kole, pea ke fai ʻaia ʻoku ou tala, tuku ke haʻu ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga ʻaia te u teuteu moʻo kinaua, pea te u fai ʻapongipongi ʻo hangē ko ia kuo tala ʻe he tuʻi.”
9 That day Haman went out full of joy and glad of heart. At the king’s gate, however, he saw Mordecai, who did not rise or tremble in fear at his presence. And Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.
Pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻa Hamani ʻi he fiefia mo e loto fiemālie ʻi he ʻaho ko ia: ka ʻi he mamata ʻa Hamani kia Motekiai ʻi he matapā ʻoe tuʻi, naʻe ʻikai tuʻu hake ia, pe ueʻi siʻi ia koeʻuhi ko ia, naʻe fonu ia ʻi he ʻita kia Motekiai.
10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. And calling for his friends and his wife Zeresh,
Ka naʻe taʻofi ia ʻe Hamani: pea ʻi heʻene hoko ki hono fale, naʻa ne fekau ʻo ui ki hono ngaahi kāinga mo Selesi ko hono uaifi.
11 Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
Pea naʻe tala kiate kinautolu ʻe Hamani ʻae nāunau ʻo ʻene ngaahi koloa, mo hono tokolahi ʻo ʻene fānau, pea mo e ngaahi meʻa kehekehe, ʻaia naʻe fakahikihiki ai ia ʻe he tuʻi, pea mo ʻene fokotuʻu ia ke māʻolunga, ʻi he ngaahi houʻeiki kotoa pē mo e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻae tuʻi.
12 “What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king.
Pea naʻe pehē foki ʻe Hamani, “ʻIo, mo Eseta ko e tuʻi fefine naʻe ʻikai te ne tuku ke haʻu ha tangata ʻe taha mo e tuʻi ki he kātoanga maʻae tuʻi ka ko au pē: pea kuo toe tala kiate au foki fakataha mo e tuʻi kema ō kiate ia ʻapongipongi.
13 Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻaonga ʻae ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē kiate au, lolotonga ʻeku kei mamata kia Motekiai ko e Siu ʻoku nofo ʻi he matapā ʻoe tuʻi.”
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.
Pea naʻe lea ʻa Selesi ko hono uaifi, mo hono ngaahi kāinga kotoa pē kiate ia, [ʻo pehē], “Tuku ke ngaohi ʻae ʻakau ko e tautauʻanga, ko e hanga ʻe teau ʻa hono māʻolunga, pea ke lea ʻe koe ki he tuʻi ʻapongipongi ke tautau ʻa Motekiai ki ai: pea ke toki ʻalu fakafiefia koe mo e tuʻi ki he kātoanga inu.” Pea naʻe fiemālie ʻa Hamani ʻi he meʻa ko ia pea naʻe fekau ʻe ia ke ngaohi ʻae tautauʻanga.

< Esther 5 >