¹¶ Na i te toru o nga ra ka kakahuria e Ehetere ona kakahu kuini, a tu ana ia i te marae o roto o te whare o te kingi, i te ritenga atu o te whare o te kingi; ko te kingi hoki e noho ana i runga i te torona o tona kingitanga i te whare kingi, i te r itenga mai o te tatau o te whare.

¹And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on 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 entrance to the house.

²A, i te kitenga atu o te kingi i a Ehetere, i te kuini, e tu ana i te marae ka manakohia ia e ia, a ka torona mai e te kingi te hepeta koura i tona ringa ki a Ehetere. Heoi ka whakatata atu a Ehetere, a ka pa ki te pito o te hepeta.

²And it was so, when the king saw the queen Esther standing in the court, that she obtained grace in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand; and Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

³Katahi ka mea te kingi ki a ia, He aha tau mea, e te kuini, e Ehetere? he aha hoki te mea e tonoa nei e koe? ahakoa ko te hawhe o te kingitanga, ka hoatu ki a koe.

³And the king said to her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.

⁴Ano ra ko Ehetere, Ki te mea he pai ki ta te kingi, kia haere mai te kingi raua ko Hamana aianei ki te hakari kua oti i ahau te taka mana.

⁴And Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.

⁵Ano ra ko te kingi, Whakahohorotia a Hamana hei mea i ta Ehetere i ki ai. Na haere ana te kingi raua ko Hamana ki te hakari kua oti nei te taka e Ehetere.

⁵And the king said, Hasten Haman, that it may be done as Esther has said. And the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

⁶A ka mea te kingi ki a Ehetere i te mea e inu waina ana, He aha tau e mea nei mau? ka hoatu ano ki a koe: he aha hoki tau e tono nei? ahakoa ko te hawhe o te kingitanga, ka meatia.

⁶And 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 done.

⁷Katahi ka whakautu a Ehetere, ka mea, Ko taku i mea ai maku, ko taku i tono ai,

⁷And Esther answered and said, My petition and my request is,

⁸Ki te mea kua manakohia ahau e te kingi, ki te pai te kingi kia homai taku i mea ai maku, kia meatia taku i tono ai, me haere mai te kingi raua ko Hamana ki te hakari e taka e ahau ma raua; a, apopo ka whakaritea e ahau te kupu a te kingi.

⁸If I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it 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 according to the king's word.

⁹¶ Na ka puta atu a Hamana ki waho i taua ra me te koa, me te pai o te ngakau. Kei te kitenga ia o Hamana i a Mororekai i te kuwaha o te kingi, a kihai tera i whakatika, i oraora ki a ia, ki tonu a Hamana i te riri ki a Mororekai.

⁹And Haman went forth that day joyful and glad of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was full of fury against Mordecai.

¹⁰Otiia i whakamanawanui a Hamana, a hoki ana ki tona whare; a ka tonoa e ia he tangata ki te tiki i ona hoa, i tana wahine hoki, i a Herehe.

¹⁰But Haman controlled himself, and came home; and he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

¹¹A korerotia ana e Hamana ki a ratou te kororia o ona taonga, te tokomaha o ana tamariki, me a te kingi whakanuinga katoa i a ia, me tana whakanekehanga i a ia ki runga ake i nga rangatira, i nga tangata a te kingi.

¹¹And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

¹²I mea ano a Hamana, He pono kihai tetahi i tukua mai e te kuini, e Ehetere hei hoa mo te kingi ki te hakari i taka e ia, ko ahau anake; kua kiia mai ano ahau hei hoa atu mo te kingi ki a ia apopo.

¹²And Haman said, Yea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow also I am invited to her with the king.

¹³Heoi kahore he pai o tenei katoa ki ahau i ahau e kite tonu ana i te Hurai, i a Mororekai, e noho ana i te kuwaha o te kingi.

¹³Yet all this is of no avail to me so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

¹⁴Katahi ka ki atu tana wahine, a Herehe, ratou ko ona hoa katoa ki a ia, Me hanga he tarawa, kia rima tekau whatianga te tiketike, a i te ata mau e ki atu ki te kingi kia taronatia a Mororekai ki runga; katahi koe ka haere koa ai, korua ko te kin gi ki te hakari. Na pai tonu taua kupu ki a Hamana, a ka meinga e ia kia hanga taua tarawa.

¹⁴Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king that Mordecai may be hanged on it: then go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.