Esther Invites the King and Haman to a Banquet
1 On the third day of her fast Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace, facing the throne room. The king was inside, seated on the royal throne, facing the entrance. 2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing outside, she won his favor, and he held out to her the gold scepter. She then came up and touched the tip of it. 3 “What is it, Queen Esther?” the king asked. “Tell me what you want, and you shall have it—even if it is half my empire.”
4 Esther replied, “If it please Your Majesty, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tonight at a banquet I am preparing for you.”
5 The king then ordered Haman to come quickly, so that they could be Esther's guests. So the king and Haman went to Esther's banquet. 6 Over the wine the king asked her, “Tell me what you want, and you shall have it. I will grant your request, even if you ask for half my empire.”
7 Esther replied, 8 “If Your Majesty is kind enough to grant my request, I would like you and Haman to be my guests tomorrow at another banquet that I will prepare for you. At that time I will tell you what I want.”
Haman Plots to Kill Mordecai
9 When Haman left the banquet he was happy and in a good mood. But then he saw Mordecai at the entrance of the palace, and when Mordecai did not rise or show any sign of respect as he passed, Haman was furious with him. 10 But he controlled himself and went on home. Then he invited his friends to his house and asked his wife Zeresh to join them. 11 He boasted to them about how rich he was, how many sons he had, how the king had promoted him to high office, and how much more important he was than any of the king's other officials. 12 “What is more,” Haman went on, “Queen Esther gave a banquet for no one but the king and me, and we are invited back tomorrow. 13 But none of this means a thing to me as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the entrance of the palace.”
14 So his wife and all his friends suggested, “Why don't you have a gallows built, seventy-five feet tall? Tomorrow morning you can ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it, and then you can go to the banquet happy.”
Haman thought this was a good idea, so he had the gallows built.
Ester ta ifana ohamba naHaman koitelekela
1 Mefiku etitatu Ester okwa djala ngaashi ohamba nokwa ya a ka kale ofika mehale lomeni longulu yohamba a yukilila olupale lohamba, fimbo ohamba tai kala omutumba kolukalwapangelo layo molupale louhamba, ya shaama noshivelo sholupale. 2 Ndele ohamba eshi ya mona omumbada Ester ta kala ofika mehale, ye a filwa onghenda kuyo. Nohamba ya ulika Ester nepangelodibo loshingoldo olo la li meke layo. Ndele Ester okwa ehena ko nokwa kuma omutwe wepangelodibo. 3 Opo nee ohamba tai ti kuye: “Omumbada Ester, wa hala shike ile to kongo shike? Keshe eshi we shi hala, handi shi ku pe, nande etata loshilongo.” 4 Opo nee Ester ta nyamukula: “Ngeenge tashi wapalele ohamba, ohamba naHaman nave uye nena koitelekela ame nde i telekela ohamba.” 5 Nohamba tai ti: “Ifaneni Haman divadiva, opo tu wanife ehalo laEster!” Nohamba naHaman va ya koitelekela yaEster. 6 Ndele fimbo hava nu omaviinyu, ohamba tai ti kuEster: “To indile shike? Oto shi pewa. Ndele oto pula shike? Keshe eshi we shi hala handi shi ku pe, nande etata loshilongo.” 7 Opo nee Ester ta ti: “Eindilo lange nehalo lange oleli: 8 Ame ngeenge nda filwa onghenda moipafi yohamba, ngeenge tashi wapalele ohamba okwiitavelela eindilo lange nokuwanifa osho nde shi hala, ohamba naHaman nave uye koitelekela handi ke i va telekela mongula. Ame ohandi ka ninga pahalo lohamba.” 9 Ndele mefiku tuu olo Haman okwa hafa nokwa shambukwa unene komwenyo. Ndelenee Haman eshi a mona Mordekai poshivelo shohamba ndele ye ina kala ofika ile ine mu tila, Haman okwa yada ehandu molwaMordekai.
Haman a hala okumangeleka Mordekai
10 Ndelenee Haman okwe lidiinika. Ndele ye eshi e uya keumbo laye okwa ifana ookaume kaye nomwalikadi waye Seres. 11 Ndele Haman ote va hepaululile ta popi efimano laye noupuna waye nouhapu wovana vaye ovamati, nanhumbi ohamba ye mu nenepeka mwaashishe noku mu lenga kombada yomalenga noyovapiya vohamba. 12 Haman ta ti vali: “Nomumbada Ester mwene eshi a teleka oitelekela ina itavelela vamwe okuuya koitelekela, aame andike. Nosho mongula ame nda ifanwa ndi ye ko pamwe nohamba. 13 Ndelenee osho ashishe inashi wanena nge fimbo handi mono Omujuda Mordekai ta kala omutumba poshivelo shohamba.” 14 Opo nee omwalikadi waye Seres nookaume kaye aveshe tava ti kuye: “Mu ningila hano omuti wokumangeleka mo, oule wao omaludimbo omilongo itano u lombwele ohamba mongula inene, vo va endjelelife Mordekai muwo. Opo nee to i nehafo pamwe nohamba koitelekela.” Ondjovo oyo ya wapalela Haman, nokwa pangelifa omuti wokumangeleka mo.
