< Ester 5 >

1 Le ŋkeke etɔ̃a gbe la, Ester do eƒe fiawu, eye wòyi fiasã la ƒe xɔxɔnu emetɔ me le afi si amewo ƒoa ƒu ɖo le fiasã la me la ŋgɔ. Fia la nɔ eƒe fiazikpui dzi le afi ma hedze ŋgɔ mɔa nu.
Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.
2 Esi wòkpɔ Fianyɔnu Ester wòtsi tsitre ɖe afi ma la, edo dzaa nɛ, eye wòtsɔ sikafiatikplɔ si wolé ɖe asi la do ɖee. Ale Ester te ɖe eŋu, eye wòlé fiatikplɔ la tame.
When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favour in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Fia la biae be, “Nu kae nye wò didi, Fianyɔnu Ester? Nu ka nàbia? Nu sia nu si nàbia la, mana wò, ne èbia nye fiaɖuƒe la ƒe afã gɔ̃ hã, matsɔe na wò!”
Then the king asked her, “What would you like, queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.”
4 Ester ɖo eŋu be, “Ne edze ŋuwò la, medi be wò kple Haman miava kplɔ̃ si meɖo na wò egbe la ŋu.”
Esther said, “If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”
5 Fia la gblɔ na eƒe subɔlawo be, “Miyi miagblɔ na Haman be wòaɖe abla ava, ale be miawɔ ɖe Ester ƒe didi dzi.” Ale fia la kple Haman woyi kplɔ̃ si Ester ɖo la ŋu.
Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that it may be done as Esther has said.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 Esi wonɔ wain nom la, fia la gblɔ na Ester be, “Gblɔ nu si tututu nèhiã la nam azɔ, eye matsɔe na wò, ne èbia nye fiaɖuƒe la ƒe afã gɔ̃ hã, matsɔe na wò!”
The king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.”
7 Ester ɖo eŋu be, “Esiae nye nye biabia kple kukuɖeɖe.
Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this.
8 Nenye be fia la nyo dɔ me nam, eye nenye be edze fia la ŋu be wòawɔ ɖe nye didi kple biabia dzi la, ekema fia la kple Haman negava ɖu nu le kplɔ̃ si maɖo na wò etsɔ la ŋu. Ekema maɖo fia la ƒe biabia ŋu nɛ.”
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”
9 Esi wokaka le kplɔ̃a ŋu la, Haman dzo kple dzidzɔ gã aɖe. Esi wòkpɔ Mordekai le agboa nu, eye Mordekai metsi tsitre alo dzo nyanyanya le eŋkume o la, edo dɔmedzoe ŋutɔ.
Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
10 Ke eɖu eɖokui dzi, yi aƒe me, eye wòyɔ exɔlɔ̃wo kple srɔ̃a Zeres.
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.
11 Eƒo adegbe le eƒe gakpɔkpɔ vivivo, viŋutsuwo ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ, ale si fia la doe ɖe dzii kple ale si wòzu ame gãtɔ si kplɔ fia la ɖo le fiaɖuƒe la me la ŋu.
Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
12 Eyi edzi be, “Ɛ̃, menye ema koe o; Fianyɔnu Ester kpe nye kple fia la ɖeɖe pɛ ko ɖe kplɔ̃ si wòɖo na mí la ŋu. Gawu la, egakpe mí na etsɔ hã!
Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.
13 Ke esiawo katã maɖi ƒo nam o, zi ale si Mordekai, Yudatɔ ma nɔ anyi ɖe fia la ƒe agbo nu mele kpɔkpɔm.”
Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
14 Zeres, Haman srɔ̃ kple Haman xɔlɔ̃wo katã gblɔ nɛ be, “Enyo; tu kadeveti aɖe wòakɔ mita blaeve-vɔ-etɔ̃. Ne ŋu ke la, nàbia fia la be wòana mɔ wò nade ka ve na Mordekai ɖe kadeveti la ŋu. Ne èwɔ esia vɔ la, ekema àte ŋu agayi kplɔ̃ la ŋu kple fia la kple dzidzɔ.” Aɖaŋu sia dze Haman ŋu ŋutɔ, eya ta wòna wotu kadeveti la.
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

< Ester 5 >