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 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, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate 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 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 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 said the king to her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what [is] thy request? it shall be even given thee to 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.”

And Esther answered, If [it shall seem] good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day 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 said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came 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.”

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

Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request [is]:

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 found favor in the sight of the king, and if it shall 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 to-morrow as the king hath 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 went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

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

Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called 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 Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and 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 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.”

Haman said moreover, Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow I am invited to her also 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 availeth me nothing, so 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 said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak thou to the king that Mordecai may be hanged upon 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.