1 T rês dias depois, Ester vestiu seus trajes de rainha e colocou-se no pátio interno do palácio, em frente do salão do rei. O rei estava no trono, de frente para a entrada.

On the third day Esther put on her queen’s clothing and stood in the open space inside the king’s special house in front of his throne room. The king was sitting on his throne in the throne room looking toward the door of his house.

2 Q uando viu a rainha Ester ali no pátio, teve misericórdia dela e estendeu-lhe o cetro de ouro que tinha na mão. Ester aproximou-se e tocou a ponta do cetro.

When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the open space, she found favor in his eyes. The king held his special golden stick in his hand toward Esther. So Esther came near and touched the top of the special stick.

3 E o rei lhe perguntou: “Que há, rainha Ester? Qual é o seu pedido? Mesmo que seja a metade do reino, lhe será dado”.

Then the king said to her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What do you ask of me? You would be given even as much as half the nation.”

4 R espondeu Ester: “Se for do agrado do rei, venha com Hamã a um banquete que lhe preparei”.

Esther said, “If it please the king, may the king and Haman come today to the special supper I have made ready for him.”

5 D isse o rei: “Tragam Hamã imediatamente, para que ele atenda ao pedido de Ester”. Então o rei e Hamã foram ao banquete que Ester havia preparado.

Then the king said, “Be quick to bring Haman, that we may do as Esther wants.” So the king and Haman came to the special supper that Esther had made ready.

6 E nquanto bebiam vinho, o rei tornou a perguntar a Ester: “Qual é o seu pedido? Você será atendida. Qual o seu desejo? Mesmo que seja a metade do reino, lhe será concedido”.

As they drank their wine at the supper, the king said to Esther, “What is it that you want? For it will be given to you. What do you ask of me? You would be given as much as half the nation.”

7 E Ester respondeu: “Este é o meu pedido e o meu desejo:

So Esther answered and said, “This is what I ask of you.

8 S e o rei tem consideração por mim, e se lhe agrada atender e conceder o meu pedido, que o rei e Hamã venham amanhã ao banquete que lhes prepararei. Então responderei à pergunta do rei”. A Ira de Hamã contra Mardoqueu

If I have found favor in the king’s eyes, and if it please the king to give me what I ask of him, may the king and Haman come to the special supper that I will make ready for them. And tomorrow I will tell you what I want.”

9 N aquele dia Hamã saiu alegre e contente. Mas ficou furioso quando viu que Mardoqueu, que estava junto à porta do palácio real, não se levantou nem mostrou respeito em sua presença.

Then Haman went out that day glad and with joy in his heart. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and when he did not stand up or show any fear in front of him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.

10 H amã, porém, controlou-se e foi para casa. Reunindo seus amigos e Zeres, sua mulher,

But Haman kept himself from doing anything at that time, and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

11 H amã vangloriou-se de sua grande riqueza, de seus muitos filhos e de como o rei o havia honrado e promovido acima de todos os outros nobres e oficiais.

Haman told them about the greatness of his riches and the number of his sons. He told them how the king had raised him to a place of honor, and how he had made him more important than the princes and the king’s servants.

12 E acrescentou Hamã: “Além disso, sou o único que a rainha Ester convidou para acompanhar o rei ao banquete que ela lhe ofereceu. Ela me convidou para comparecer amanhã, com o rei.

Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the special supper that she had made ready. She has asked me to come with the king tomorrow also.

13 M as tudo isso não me dará satisfação, enquanto eu vir aquele judeu Mardoqueu sentado junto à porta do palácio real”.

Yet all of this is not enough to please me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 E ntão Zeres, sua mulher, e todos os seus amigos lhe sugeriram: “Mande fazer uma forca, de mais de vinte metros de altura, e logo pela manhã peça ao rei que Mardoqueu seja enforcado nela. Assim você poderá acompanhar o rei ao jantar e alegrar-se”. A sugestão agradou Hamã, e ele mandou fazer a forca.

Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a tower made ready for hanging him. Let it be thirteen times taller than a man. And in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with joy to the special supper with the king.” These words pleased Haman, so he had the tower built.