Ɛster 5
1 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.
Three days later Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, opposite the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the king's hall, facing the entrance.
2 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.
When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the inner court she won his approval so he acted favorably by holding out his scepter to her. So Esther went over and touched the end of the scepter.
3 Na ɔhene no bisaa no se, “Ɔhemmea Ɛster, dɛn na wohwehwɛ? Wʼabisade ne dɛn? Sɛ ɛyɛ ahemman no fa koraa a, mede bɛma wo!”
The king asked her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What do you want? I'll give it to you, as much as half my empire!”
4 Na Ɛster buae se, “Sɛ ɛyɛ wo pɛ a, Ɔhempɔn, wo ne Haman mmra aponto a masiesie ama wo nnɛ no ase.”
Esther replied, “If it please Your Majesty, may the king and Haman come today to a dinner I have prepared for him.”
5 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.
“Bring Haman here at once so we can do what Esther has requested,” the king ordered. The king and Haman went to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
6 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.”
As they drank their wine, the king asked Esther, “What are you really asking for? It will be given to you. What do you want? You shall have it, as much as half my empire!”
7 Ɛster buae se, “Mʼadesrɛ a me koma da ho pa ara ni:
Esther answered, “This is what I'm asking for, and this is what I want.
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.”
If the king looks on me favorably, and if it please Your Majesty to grant my request and do as I ask, may the king and Haman come to a dinner I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer Your Majesty's question.”
9 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.
When Haman left that day he was very happy and pleased with himself. But when he saw Mordecai at the palace gate and that he didn't stand up or tremble with fear before him, Haman was furious with Mordecai.
10 Nanso Haman hyɛɛ ne ho so kɔɔ fie. Afei, ɔboaboaa ne nnamfonom a ne yere Seres ka ho no ano,
However, Haman controlled himself and he went home. There he invited his friends over. Once they and his wife Zeresh had gathered,
11 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.
Haman went into great detail about how much money and possessions he had, and how many children, and how the king had made him so important by promoting him above all the other nobles and officials.
12 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.
“Added to all that,” Haman went on, “I was the only other person Queen Esther invited to come to a dinner she had prepared for the king. I'm also invited by her to eat together with the king tomorrow.”
13 Nanso sɛ mihu Yudani Mordekai sɛ ɔda so te ahemfi pon ano a, me bo nnwo koraa.”
Then he said, “But all of this is worthless to me while I keep on seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate.”
14 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.
His wife Zeresh and his friends told him, “Arrange for a pole to be set up, fifty cubits high. Then, in the morning, go and ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Afterwards, you'll be happy as you go with the king to the dinner.” Haman thought this was good advice, so he had the pole set up.
