< Esther 5 >

1 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.
Awo ku lunaku olwokusatu, Kabaka yali atudde ku ntebe ey’obwakabaka mu kisenge ekinene ekyolekera omulyango, Eseza n’ayambala ebyambalo bye ebyobwannabagereka, n’ayimirira mu luggya olw’omunda olwokubiri okwolekera ekisenge ekyo ekinene.
2 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.
Kabaka bwe yalengera Nnabagereka Eseza ng’ayimiridde mu luggya, n’aganja mu maaso ge era n’amugololera omuggo ogwa zaabu ogwali mu mukono gwe. Awo Eseza n’asembera n’akoma ku musa gw’omuggo.
3 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.
Kabaka n’alyoka amubuuza nti, “Oyagala ki Nnabagereka Eseza? Era kiki ky’osaba? Onookiweebwa ne bwe kinaaba ekitundu ky’obwakabaka.”
4 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.
Awo Eseza n’addamu nti, “Kabaka bw’anaasiima, ajje ne Kamani leero ku mbaga gye nfumbidde Kabaka.”
5 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.
Amangwago Kabaka n’agamba nti, “Mwanguwe okuyita Kamani ajje tugende ku mbaga Eseza gyateeseteese.”
6 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.
Awo bwe baali banywa wayini, Kabaka n’addamu n’abuuza Eseza nti, “Wegayirira ki era osaba ki? Kinaakuweebwa. Ne bwe kinaaba ekitundu ky’obwakabaka kinaakuweebwa.”
7 And Esther answered: My petition and request is this:
Eseza n’amugamba nti, “Kye negayirira era kye nsaba kye kino.
8 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.
Obanga ŋŋanze mu maaso ga Kabaka era ng’anaasiima okuddamu okusaba kwange, n’okutuukiriza kye neegayirira, nkusaba kabaka ne Kamani mujje enkya ku mbaga gye nnaabategekera. Olwo nno, nzija kuddamu ekibuuzo kya kabaka.”
9 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:
Ku lunaku olwo Kamani n’afuluma nga musanyufu era ng’ajaguza mu mwoyo. Naye bwe yalaba Moluddekaayi mu wankaaki wa Kabaka, nga tayimuse wadde okulaga nti amussaamu ekitiibwa, Kamani n’asunguwalira nnyo Moluddekaayi.
10 But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares his wife:
Wakati mu ebyo byonna Kamani n’azibiikiriza era n’addayo eka. Oluvannyuma n’atumya mukyala we Zeresi ne mikwano gye,
11 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.
era n’abeewaanirako ekitiibwa n’obugagga bwe, bwe byenkana obungi, n’abaana be bwe benkana obungi, n’ebitiibwa byonna Kabaka bye yamuwa, ate ne bwe yakuzibwa okusinga abakungu ba Kabaka n’abaana be.
12 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:
“Ate si ekyo kyokka,” Kamani n’ayongerako na kino nti, “Nnabagereka Eseza teyaganyizza muntu mulala n’omu kuwerekera Kabaka ku mbaga gye yategese, wabula nze; era n’enkya ampise ŋŋende wamu ne Kabaka.
13 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.
Naye ebyo byonna tebimpa mirembe nga nkyalaba Moluddekaayi Omuyudaaya ng’atudde ku wankaaki wa Kabaka.”
14 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.
Awo mukazi we Zeresi ne mikwano gye gyonna ne bamugamba nti, “Bazimbe akalabba obuwanvu bwako, mita amakumi abiri mu ssatu, enkya bw’onooyogera ne Kabaka, Moluddekaayi anaawanikibwa okwo, kale olyoke ogende ku mbaga ne Kabaka ng’oli musanyufu.” Ekirowoozo ekyo kyasanyusa nnyo Kamani, era akalabba ne kazimbibwa.

< Esther 5 >