< Esther 5 >

1 Three days later, Esther [prepared a big banquet/feast. Then she] put on the robes that showed that she was queen, and she went to the inner courtyard of the palace, across from the room where the king was. He was sitting on the throne, facing the entrance [of the room].
Nnansa akyi no, Ɛster hyɛɛ nʼahemmea atade kɔɔ ahemfi no adiwo hɔ a ɛbɛn ɔhene no asa so. Na ɔhene no te nʼahengua so a nʼani kyerɛ abɔnten kwan ano.
2 When the king saw Esther standing there in the courtyard, he extended the gold scepter/staff toward her [to signal that he would be glad to talk to her]. So Esther came close and touched the tip of the scepter/staff.
Bere a ohuu Ɔhemmea Ɛster sɛ ogyina adiwo hɔ no, ogyee no fɛw so. Ɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ahempema no kyerɛɛ ne so. Enti Ɛster bɛn kosoo pema no ti.
3 Then the king asked her, “Esther, what do you want? Tell me, and I will give you what you want, even if you ask me to give you half of my kingdom!”
Na ɔhene no bisaa no se, “Ɔhemmea Ɛster, dɛn na wohwehwɛ? Wʼabisade ne dɛn? Sɛ ɛyɛ ahemman no fa koraa a, mede bɛma wo!”
4 Esther replied, “[Your majesty, ] if it pleases you, you and Haman come to the banquet that I have prepared for you!”
Na Ɛster buae se, “Sɛ ɛyɛ wo pɛ a, Ɔhempɔn, wo ne Haman mmra aponto a masiesie ama wo nnɛ no ase.”
5 The king said [to his servants], “Go and tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet that Esther has prepared for the two of us!” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared for them.
Ɔhene no dan ne ho, ka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfo no se, “Monka nkyerɛ Haman se, ɔmmra aponto no ase mprempren ara, sɛnea Ɛster asrɛ no.” Enti ɔhene ne Haman kɔɔ Ɛster aponto no ase.
6 While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Tell me what you [really] want. I will give it to you, even if [you ask for] half of my kingdom.”
Na bere a wogu so renom nsa no, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Ɛster se, “Afei, ka nea wohwehwɛ pa ara no kyerɛ me. Wʼadesrɛde yɛ dɛn? Sɛ wubisa mʼaheman mu fa koraa a, mede bɛma wo.”
7 Esther replied, “[I will tell you] what I want [most of all. Your majesty], if you are pleased with me, and if you are willing to give me what I am requesting, please come [again] tomorrow to another banquet that I will prepare for the two of you. Then I will tell you [what I really want”].
Ɛster buae se, “Mʼadesrɛ a me koma da ho pa ara ni:
8
Sɛ ɔhempɔn ani sɔ me, na ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ mʼadesrɛ ma me a, anka ɔkyena wo ne Haman mmra ɔpon a mɛto wo no ase. Na ɔkyena, mɛkyerɛ wo eyi nyinaa ase.”
9 Haman was feeling very happy as he left the banquet. But then he saw Mordecai sitting at the gate of the palace. Mordecai did not stand up and tremble fearfully in front of Haman, so Haman became extremely angry.
Haman fii aponto no ase no, na nʼani agye mmoroso! Nanso ohuu Mordekai a ɔte pon no ano a wansɔre na ne ho ampopo wɔ nʼanim no, ne bo fuwii.
10 However, he did not show that he was angry; he [just] went home. Then he gathered together his wife Zeresh and his friends,
Nanso Haman hyɛɛ ne ho so kɔɔ fie. Afei, ɔboaboaa ne nnamfonom a ne yere Seres ka ho no ano,
11 and he boasted to them about being very rich, and about having many children. He also boasted that the king had greatly honored him, and that the king had (promoted him/given him the second-most important job in the empire), so that [all] the other officials had to respect him.
de ahonya ne mma dodow a ɔwɔ hoahoaa ne ho wɔ wɔn anim. Ɔde abasobɔde ahorow a ɔhene ama no no nso ne sɛnea wɔasi no panyin wɔ mpanyimfo nkae no so no nso tuu ne ho.
12 Then Haman added, “And that is not all! Queen Esther invited just two of us, the king and me, to a banquet she prepared for us today. And she is inviting [only] the two of us to another banquet that she will prepare tomorrow!”
Haman ka kaa ho se, “Ɛnyɛ ɛno nko! Ɔhemmea Ɛster too nsa frɛɛ me ne ɔhene no ankasa kɔɔ nʼaponto ase. Na wato nsa afrɛ me sɛ, ɔpɛ sɛ me ne no ne ɔhene no didi bio ɔkyena.
13 Then Haman said, “But those things (mean nothing to me/do not make me happy) while I keep seeing that Jew, Mordecai, [just] sitting there at the gate of the palace [and ignoring me]!”
Nanso sɛ mihu Yudani Mordekai sɛ ɔda so te ahemfi pon ano a, me bo nnwo koraa.”
14 So Haman’s wife Zeresh and all his friends [who were there] suggested, “[Why don’t you quickly] set up (a gallows/posts on which to hang someone). Make it 75 feet tall. Then tomorrow morning ask the king to hang Mordecai on it. After that, you can go to the banquet with the king and be cheerful.” That idea pleased Haman [very much], so he gave [men] orders to set up the gallows/posts.
Haman yere Seres ne ne nnamfonom no maa no adwene se, “Yɛ dua a wɔsɛn nnipa wɔ so a ne sorokɔ yɛ anammɔn aduɔson anum na anɔpa ka kyerɛ ɔhene no se, ɔnsɛn Mordekai wɔ so. Sɛ wɔyɛ no saa a, wode anigye ne ɔhene no bɛkɔ aponto no.” Saa adwenkyerɛ yi sɔɔ Haman ani yiye ma ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wonsi dua a wɔsɛn nnipa wɔ so no.

< Esther 5 >