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.
On the third day, Esther put on her regalia and stood in the inner court of the royal palace opposite the king’s house. The king was sitting on his throne in the palace, opposite the entrance.
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.
When he saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she won his favor, and he held out to her the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the top of the sceptre.
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 to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? Whatever your request is, it will be granted, even if it is the half of the kingdom.”
4 Na Ɛster buaa sɛ, “Sɛ ɛyɛ wo pɛ a, Ɔhene kɛseɛ, wo ne Haman mmra apontoɔ a masiesie ama wo ɛnnɛ no.”
“If it seems best to the king,” Esther said, “let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared 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 ordered, “Bring Haman quickly, so that Esther’s wish may be gratified.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
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.”
While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Whatever your petition is, it will be granted. Your request, it will be done – even if it takes half of my kingdom.”
7 Ɛster buaa sɛ, “Mʼadesrɛdeɛ a mʼakoma da ho pa ara nie:
Esther answered,
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 won the king’s favor and if it seems best to the king to grant my petition and to accede to my request, my petition and my request are that the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them. Tomorrow I will answer the king’s question as he wishes.”
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.
Haman went out that day joyful and elated, but when he saw Mordecai in the king’s gate and noticed that he neither stood up nor moved for him, he was furiously angry with Mordecai.
10 Nanso, Haman hyɛɛ ne ho so kɔɔ efie. Afei, ɔboaboaa ne nnamfonom a ne yere Seres ka ho ano,
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home. He called together 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 recounted to them the greatness of his wealth, how many children he had, and all the ways in which the king had honored him, and how he had promoted him above the officials and the royal courtiers.
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.”
“What is more,” Haman said, “Queen Esther brought no one in with the king to the banquet which she had prepared except me, and tomorrow also I am invited by her along 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.”
Yet all this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
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 Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows seventy-five feet high be erected, and in the morning speak to the king and let Mordecai be hanged on it. Then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” The advice pleased Haman, and so he had the gallows erected.
