< Esther 5 >

1 And so, on the third day, Esther had put on her royal apparel and was standing in the atrium of the king’s house, which was inside, opposite the king’s hall, while he was sitting on his throne in the council room of the palace, opposite the entrance of the house.
Pea ʻi heʻene hokosia hono tolu ʻoe ʻaho, naʻe ʻai ʻe Eseta hono ngaahi kofu ngalingali ʻeiki, pea tuʻu ia ʻi he fale ʻi loto ʻi he fale ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo hangatonu atu ki he fale ʻoe tuʻi: pea naʻe nofo ʻae tuʻi ki hono nofoʻa fakatuʻi, ʻi he fale fakatuʻi, ʻo hangatonu atu ki he matapā ʻoe fale.
2 And when he saw Esther the queen standing there, she pleased his eyes, and he extended toward her the golden scepter, which he held in his hand, and she approached and kissed the top of his scepter.
Pea naʻe pehē, ʻi he mamata ʻae tuʻi kia Eseta ko e tuʻi fefine ʻoku tuʻu ʻi he loto fale, naʻe maʻu ʻe ia ʻae ʻofa ʻi hono ʻao: pea mafao atu ʻe he tuʻi ʻae tokotoko koula kia Eseta ʻaia naʻe ʻi hono nima. Ko ia naʻe ʻunuʻunu atu ʻa Eseta, mo ne ala ki he ʻulu ʻoe tokotoko.
3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, queen Esther? What is your request? Even if you ask for half of the kingdom, it will be given to you.”
Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe he tuʻi kia Eseta, “Ko e hā ʻoku ke kumi ʻe tuʻi fefine ko Eseta? Pea ko e hā haʻo kole? ʻE ʻatu ia kiate koe ʻo aʻu ki hono vaeuaʻanga ʻoe puleʻanga.”
4 But she responded, “If it pleases the king, I beg you to come with me today, and Haman with you, to the feast that I have prepared.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Eseta, “Kapau ʻoku mata lelei ki he tuʻi, tuku ke meʻa mai ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga, he ʻaho ni, ʻaia kuo u te u maʻana.”
5 And immediately the king said, “Call Haman quickly, so that he may obey Esther’s will. And so the king and Haman came to the feast, which the queen had prepared for them.
Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe he tuʻi, “Fekau ke fakatoʻotoʻo ʻa Hamani, koeʻuhi ke fai ia ʻo hangē ko e tala ʻa Eseta. Ko ia naʻe ʻalu ai ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga naʻe teu ʻe Eseta.”
6 And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine abundantly, “What are you asking for that should be given to you? And which things do you require? Even if you request half of my kingdom, you will obtain it.”
Pea pehē ʻe he tuʻi kia Eseta ʻi he kātoanga inu uaine, “Ko e hā haʻo kole? pea ʻe tuku ia kiate koe: pea ko e hā hoʻo tala? ʻe fai ia, ʻio, ʻo aʻu ki hono vaeuaʻanga ʻoe puleʻanga.”
7 Esther answered him, “My petition and prayer is this:
Pea leaange ai ʻa Eseta, ʻo ne pehē, “Ko ʻeku kole, mo ʻeku tala eni:
8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I have prepared for them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.”
Kapau kuo u maʻu ʻae ʻofa ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, pea kapau ʻoku lelei ki he tuʻi ke tuku kiate au ʻeku kole, pea ke fai ʻaia ʻoku ou tala, tuku ke haʻu ʻae tuʻi mo Hamani ki he kātoanga ʻaia te u teuteu moʻo kinaua, pea te u fai ʻapongipongi ʻo hangē ko ia kuo tala ʻe he tuʻi.”
9 And so Haman went out that day joyful and cheerful. And when he saw that Mordecai was sitting in front of the gate of the palace, and that he alone did not get up for him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was very indignant.
Pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻa Hamani ʻi he fiefia mo e loto fiemālie ʻi he ʻaho ko ia: ka ʻi he mamata ʻa Hamani kia Motekiai ʻi he matapā ʻoe tuʻi, naʻe ʻikai tuʻu hake ia, pe ueʻi siʻi ia koeʻuhi ko ia, naʻe fonu ia ʻi he ʻita kia Motekiai.
10 But, concealing his anger and returning into his house, he gathered to him his friends and Zeresh, his wife.
Ka naʻe taʻofi ia ʻe Hamani: pea ʻi heʻene hoko ki hono fale, naʻa ne fekau ʻo ui ki hono ngaahi kāinga mo Selesi ko hono uaifi.
11 And he explained to them the greatness of his riches, and the influence of his sons, and how, with such glory, the king had elevated him above all his rulers and servants.
Pea naʻe tala kiate kinautolu ʻe Hamani ʻae nāunau ʻo ʻene ngaahi koloa, mo hono tokolahi ʻo ʻene fānau, pea mo e ngaahi meʻa kehekehe, ʻaia naʻe fakahikihiki ai ia ʻe he tuʻi, pea mo ʻene fokotuʻu ia ke māʻolunga, ʻi he ngaahi houʻeiki kotoa pē mo e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻae tuʻi.
12 And after this, he said, “Also, queen Esther has called no one else to the feast with the king, except me. And I will be dining with the king again tomorrow.
Pea naʻe pehē foki ʻe Hamani, “ʻIo, mo Eseta ko e tuʻi fefine naʻe ʻikai te ne tuku ke haʻu ha tangata ʻe taha mo e tuʻi ki he kātoanga maʻae tuʻi ka ko au pē: pea kuo toe tala kiate au foki fakataha mo e tuʻi kema ō kiate ia ʻapongipongi.
13 And though I have all these things, I consider that I have nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in front of the king’s gate.”
Ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻaonga ʻae ngaahi meʻa ni kotoa pē kiate au, lolotonga ʻeku kei mamata kia Motekiai ko e Siu ʻoku nofo ʻi he matapā ʻoe tuʻi.”
14 And Zeresh his wife and his other friends answered him, “Order a great beam to be prepared, having a height of fifty cubits, and in the morning speak to the king, so that Mordecai may be hanged from it, and so you will go joyfully with the king to the feast.” This advice pleased him, and so he ordered a high cross to be prepared.
Pea naʻe lea ʻa Selesi ko hono uaifi, mo hono ngaahi kāinga kotoa pē kiate ia, [ʻo pehē], “Tuku ke ngaohi ʻae ʻakau ko e tautauʻanga, ko e hanga ʻe teau ʻa hono māʻolunga, pea ke lea ʻe koe ki he tuʻi ʻapongipongi ke tautau ʻa Motekiai ki ai: pea ke toki ʻalu fakafiefia koe mo e tuʻi ki he kātoanga inu.” Pea naʻe fiemālie ʻa Hamani ʻi he meʻa ko ia pea naʻe fekau ʻe ia ke ngaohi ʻae tautauʻanga.

< Esther 5 >