Ɛster 5

1 Nnansa akyi, Ɛster hyɛɛ nʼahemmaa atadeɛ kɔɔ ahemfie no adihɔ hɔ a ɛbɛn ɔhene no asa. Na ɔhene no te nʼahennwa so a nʼani kyerɛ abɔntene kwan ano.

Now on the third day, Esther put on her queen's robes, and took her place in the inner room of the king's house, facing the king's house: and the king was seated on his high seat in the king's house, facing the doorway of the house.

2 Ɛberɛ a ɔhunuu Ɔhemmaa Ɛster sɛ ɔgyina adihɔ hɔ no, ɔgyee no fɛ so. Ɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ahempoma no kyerɛɛ ne so. Enti, Ɛster bɛneeɛ, kɔsɔɔ poma no ti.

And when the king saw Esther the queen waiting in the inner room, looking kindly on her he put out the rod of gold in his hand to her. So Esther came near and put her fingers on the top of the rod.

3 Na ɔhene no bisaa no sɛ, “Ɔhemmaa Ɛster, ɛdeɛn na wohwehwɛ? Wʼabisadeɛ ne sɛn? Sɛ ɛyɛ ahemman no fa koraa a, mede bɛma wo!”

Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.

4 Na Ɛster buaa sɛ, “Sɛ ɛyɛ wo pɛ a, Ɔhene kɛseɛ, wo ne Haman mmra apontoɔ a masiesie ama wo ɛnnɛ no.”

And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.

5 Ɔhene no danee ne ho, ka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfoɔ sɛ, “Monka nkyerɛ Haman sɛ, ɔmmra apontoɔ no ase seesei ara, sɛdeɛ Ɛster abisa no.” Enti, ɔhene ne Haman kɔɔ Ɛster apontoɔ no.

Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready.

6 Na ɛberɛ a wɔgu so renom nsã no, ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Ɛster sɛ, “Afei, ka deɛ wohwehwɛ pa ara no kyerɛ me. Wʼadesrɛdeɛ yɛ ɛdeɛn? Sɛ wobisa mʼahemman mu fa koraa a, mede bɛma wo.”

And while they were drinking wine the king said to Esther, What is your prayer? for it will be given to you and what is your request? for it will be done, even to the half of my kingdom.

7 Ɛster buaa sɛ, “Mʼadesrɛdeɛ a mʼakoma da ho pa ara nie:

Then Esther said in answer, My prayer and my request is this:

8 Sɛ ɔhene kɛseɛ ani sɔ me, na ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ mʼadesrɛdeɛ ma me a, anka ɔkyena wo ne Haman mmra apontoɔ a mɛto wo no ase. Na ɔkyena, mɛkyerɛ wo yei nyinaa ase.”

If I have the king's approval, and if it is the king's pleasure to give me my prayer and do my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I will make ready for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

9 Haman firii apontoɔ no ase no, na nʼani agye mmorosoɔ! Nanso, ɔhunuu Mordekai a ɔte ɛpono no ano a wansɔre na ne ho ampopo wɔ nʼanim no, ne bo fuiɛ.

Then on that day Haman went out full of joy and glad in heart; but when he saw Mordecai in the king's doorway, and he did not get to his feet or give any sign of fear before him, Haman was full of wrath against Mordecai.

10 Nanso, Haman hyɛɛ ne ho so kɔɔ efie. Afei, ɔboaboaa ne nnamfonom a ne yere Seres ka ho ano,

But controlling himself, he went to his house; and he sent for his friends and Zeresh, his wife.

11 de ahonya ne mma dodoɔ a ɔwɔ hoahoaa ne ho wɔ wɔn anim. Ɔde abasobɔdeɛ ahodoɔ a ɔhene ama no nso ne sɛdeɛ wɔasi no panin wɔ mpanimfoɔ nkaeɛ no so no nso, tuu ne ho.

And he gave them an account of the glories of his wealth, and the number of children he had, and the ways in which he had been honoured by the king, and how he had put him over the captains and servants of the king.

12 Afei, Haman ka kaa ho sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ ɛno nko! Ɔhemmaa Ɛster too nsa frɛɛ me ne ɔhene no ankasa kɔɔ nʼapontoɔ ase. Na wato nsa afrɛ me sɛ, ɔpɛ sɛ me ne no ne ɔhene no didi bio ɔkyena.”

And Haman said further, Truly, Esther the queen let no man but myself come in to the feast which she had made ready for the king; and tomorrow again I am to be her guest with the king.

13 Afei, ɔtoaa so sɛ, “Nanso, sɛ mehunu Yudani Mordekai sɛ ɔda so te ahemfie ɛpono ano a, yeinom nyinaa nka hwee.”

But all this is nothing to me while I see Mordecai the Jew seated by the king's doorway.

14 Enti, Haman yere Seres ne ne nnamfonom no maa adwene sɛ, “Yɛ dua a wɔsɛn nnipa wɔ so a ne ɔsorokɔ yɛ anammɔn aduɔson enum na anɔpa ka kyerɛ ɔhene no sɛ, ɔnsɛn Mordekai wɔ so. Sɛ wɔyɛ no saa a, wode anigyeɛ ne ɔhene no bɛkɔ apontoɔ no.” Saa adwenkyerɛ yi sɔɔ Haman ani yie, maa ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔnsi dua a wɔsɛn nnipa wɔ so no.

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.