< Esther 5 >

1 And on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s hall: now he sat upon his throne in the hall of the palace, over against the door of the house.
Mũthenya wa gatatũ wakinya-rĩ, Esiteri akĩĩhumba nguo ciake cia ũthamaki na akĩrũgama nja ya na thĩinĩ wa nyũmba ya ũthamaki, mbere ya nyũmba nene ya mũthamaki. Nake mũthamaki aikarĩire gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene nyũmba-inĩ ĩyo nene, angʼetheire itoonyero rĩayo.
2 And when he saw Esther the queen standing, she pleased his eyes, and he held out toward her the golden sceptre, which he held in his hand: and she drew near, and kissed the top of his sceptre.
Rĩrĩa onire Esiteri, mũtumia wa mũthamaki arũngiĩ hau nja, akĩmũkenera na akĩmũtambũrũkĩria rũthanju rwake rwa ũnene rwa thahabu rũrĩa aanyiitĩte. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Esiteri agĩkuhĩrĩria, akĩhutia mũthia waruo.
3 And the king said to her: What wilt then, queen Esther? what is thy request? if thou shouldst even ask one half of the kingdom, it shall be given to thee.
Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Esiteri, mũtumia ũyũ mũthamaki, ũbatairio nĩ kĩĩ? Ihooya rĩaku nĩ rĩrĩkũ? O na wahooya ũheo nuthu ya kũrĩa guothe thamakaga, nĩũkũheo.”
4 But she answered: If it please the king. I beseech thee to come to me this day, and Aman with thee to the banquet which I have prepared.
Esiteri akĩmũcookeria akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki angĩona kwagĩrĩire, nĩetĩkĩre moke marĩ na Hamani ũmũthĩ iruga-inĩ rĩrĩa ngũrugithĩirie.”
5 And the king said forthwith: Call ye Aman quickly, that he may obey Esther’s will. So the king and Aman came to the banquet which the queen had prepared for them.
Mũthamaki akiuga atĩrĩ, “Gĩĩrai Hamani o rĩu, nĩgeetha twĩke o ũguo Esiteri orĩtie.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki marĩ na Hamani magĩthiĩ iruga-inĩ rĩrĩa Esiteri aahaarĩirie.
6 And the king said to her, after he had drunk wine plentifully: What dost thou desire should be given thee? and for what thing askest thou? although thou shouldst ask the half of my kingdom, thou shalt have it.
Na rĩrĩa maanyuuaga ndibei-rĩ, mũthamaki akĩũria Esiteri o ro rĩngĩ atĩrĩ, “Ihooya rĩaku nĩ rĩrĩkũ? Nĩũkũhingĩrio. Na nĩ kĩĩ ũrooria ũheo? O na wahooya ũheo nuthu ya kũrĩa guothe thamakaga-rĩ, nĩũkũheo.”
7 And Esther answered: My petition and request is this:
Esiteri agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ũndũ ũrĩa ndĩrooria, o na ihooya rĩakwa nĩ rĩĩrĩ:
8 If I have found favour in the king’s sight, and if it please the king to give me what I ask, and to fulfill my petition: let the king and Aman come to the banquet which I have prepared them, and tomorrow I will open my mind to the king.
Kũngĩkorwo nĩnjĩtĩkĩrĩkĩte nĩ mũthamaki, na akorwo mũthamaki no etĩkĩre ihooya rĩakwa na aahingĩrie ũrĩa ndĩrooria-rĩ, mũthamaki na Hamani nĩmagooka rũciũ iruga-inĩ rĩrĩa ngaamarugithĩria. Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩguo ngaacookia kĩũria kĩa mũthamaki.”
9 So Aman went out that day joyful and merry. And when he saw Mardochai sitting before the gate of the palace, and that he not only did not rise up to honour him, but did not so much as move from the place where he sat, he was exceedingly angry:
Mũthenya ũcio Hamani nĩoimire kũu akenete na agacanjamũka ngoro. No hĩndĩ ĩrĩa onire Moridekai hau kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa mũciĩ wa mũthamaki na akĩona atĩ ndaramũrũgamĩra kana akamwĩtigĩra, akĩngʼũrĩka mũno nĩ ũndũ wa Moridekai.
10 But dissembling his anger, and returning into his house, he called together to him his friends, and Zares his wife:
No rĩrĩ, Hamani nĩerigĩrĩirie gwĩka ũndũ, na akĩinũka mũciĩ. Hamani agĩĩta arata ake hamwe na mũtumia wake, Zereshu,
11 And he declared to them the greatness of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and with how great glory the king had advanced him above all his princes and servants.
akĩmarahĩra ũhoro wa ũtonga wake mũingĩ, na ariũ ake aingĩ, na njĩra ciothe iria mũthamaki aamũtĩĩte nacio, na ũrĩa aamũtũũgĩrĩtie gũkĩra andũ arĩa angĩ maarĩ igweta na anene.
12 And after this he said: Queen Esther also hath invited no other to the banquet with the king, but me: and with her I am also to dine tomorrow with the king:
Hamani agĩthiĩ na mbere kuuga atĩrĩ, “O na to ũguo wiki, niĩ no niĩ nyiki Esiteri mũtumia wa mũthamaki egwĩtĩte tũthiĩ na mũthamaki iruga-inĩ rĩrĩa ekũrugithĩtie. Na nĩanjĩtĩte tũthiĩ na mũthamaki rũciũ.
13 And whereas I have all these things, I think I have nothing, so long as I see Mardochai the Jew sitting before the king’s gate.
No maũndũ macio mothe, matiratũma njiganĩre rĩrĩa rĩothe ndĩrona Moridekai, Mũyahudi ũcio, aikarĩte kĩhingo-inĩ kĩa mũciĩ wa mũthamaki.”
14 Then Zares his wife, and the rest of his friends answered him: Order a great beam to be prepared, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king, that Mardochai may be hanged upon it, and so thou shalt go full of joy with the king to the banquet. The counsel pleased him, and he commanded a high gibbet to be prepared.
Zereshu mũtumia wake marĩ na arata ake othe makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Thondekithia mũtĩ wa gũcuuria mũndũ wa buti mĩrongo mũgwanja na ithano kũraiha na igũrũ, na rũciũ rũciinĩ ũrooke ũrie mũthamaki etĩkĩre Moridekai acuurio hau mũtĩ-igũrũ. Ũcooke ũthiĩ mũrĩ na mũthamaki iruga-inĩ ũrĩ mũkenu.” Rĩciiria rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩakenirie Hamani, nake agĩthondekithia mũtĩ ũcio.

< Esther 5 >