< Ester 5 >

1 Pada hari ketiga puasanya, Ester mengenakan pakaian ratunya, lalu pergi ke halaman dalam istana dan berdiri di depan pintu balairung. Raja sedang duduk di atas tahta yang menghadap ke pintu itu.
Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the entrance of the house.
2 Ketika ia melihat Ratu Ester berdiri di luar, ia merasa sayang kepadanya dan mengulurkan tongkat emasnya kepadanya. Maka majulah Ester, lalu menyentuh ujung tongkat itu.
And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
3 Kemudian bertanyalah raja, "Ada apa, Permaisuriku? Apa yang kauinginkan? Katakanlah! Meskipun kauminta setengah dari kerajaanku, akan kuberikan juga."
Then the king said to her, What will thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
4 Ester menjawab, "Kalau Baginda berkenan, hendaknya malam ini Baginda dan Haman datang ke perjamuan yang hamba adakan untuk Baginda."
And Esther said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
5 Raja menyuruh Haman cepat datang, supaya mereka dapat memenuhi undangan Ester. Maka datanglah mereka ke perjamuan yang diadakan Ester itu.
Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste that it may be done as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
6 Pada waktu minum anggur, raja bertanya, "Sekarang katakanlah apa yang kauinginkan. Apapun yang kauminta akan kuberikan, meskipun setengah dari kerajaanku!"
And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee. And what is thy request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
7 Ester menjawab,
Then Esther answered, and said, My petition and my request is,
8 "Kalau Baginda berkenan mengabulkan permohonan hamba, hendaknya Baginda dan Haman datang lagi ke perjamuan yang hamba adakan besok malam. Nanti pada perjamuan itu hamba akan mengajukan permohonan hamba kepada Baginda."
if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.
9 Haman pulang dari perjamuan Ratu Ester dengan hati yang riang gembira. Tetapi ketika di pintu gerbang istana ia melihat Mordekhai yang tidak bangkit untuk memberi hormat kepadanya, ia menjadi marah sekali.
Then Haman went forth that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he did not stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
10 Namun ia menahan diri dan pulang ke rumahnya. Setibanya di sana ia menyuruh teman-temannya datang dan meminta Zeres, istrinya, untuk duduk-duduk bersama mereka.
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home, and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife.
11 Lalu Haman membual kepada mereka dan menyombongkan kekayaannya, banyaknya anak-anak lelakinya, kedudukan penting yang diterimanya dari raja, dan pangkatnya yang jauh lebih tinggi daripada pegawai-pegawai lain.
And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the rulers and servants of the king.
12 Katanya pula, "Bahkan Ratu Ester pun hanya mengundang aku dan raja ke perjamuan yang diadakannya bagi kami, dan besok malam kami diundangnya lagi.
Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king.
13 Tetapi semua itu tidak berarti, selama masih kulihat Mordekhai, orang Yahudi itu, duduk di pintu gerbang istana."
Yet all this avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
14 Mendengar itu istri dan semua teman-temannya mengusulkan demikian, "Suruh saja membuat tiang gantungan setinggi dua puluh dua meter. Lalu besoknya, pagi-pagi mintalah izin kepada raja untuk menggantung Mordekhai pada tiang itu. Dengan demikian kau dapat pergi ke perjamuan itu dengan hati yang tenang." Usul itu baik sekali menurut pendapat Haman, sebab itu ia segera menyuruh membuat tiang gantungan itu.
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou to the king that Mordecai may be hanged on it. Then go thou in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.

< Ester 5 >