Esther 5

vayehi bayyom hashelishi vattilbash ester malkhut vatta'amod bakhatsar bet-hammelekh happenimit nokhakh bet hammelekh vehammelekh yoshev al-kisse malkhuto bevet hammalkhut nokhakh petakh habbayit

On the third day, Esther put on royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace.

vayehi khirot hammelekh et-ester hammalkah omedet bekhatser nase'ah khen be'enayw vayyoshet hammelekh le'ester et-sharvit hazzahav asher beyado vattiqrav ester vattigga berosh hasharvit

As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won his favor. The king extended to Esther the golden scepter that he had in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

vayyomer lah hammelekh mah-llakh ester hammalkah umah-bbaqqashatekh ad-khatsi hammalkhut veyinnaten lakh

“What troubles you, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “And what is your request? Even to half the kingdom, it shall be granted you.”

vattomer ester im-al-hammelekh tov yavo hammelekh vehaman hayyom el-hammishteh asher-asiti lo

“If it please Your Majesty,” Esther replied, “let Your Majesty and Haman come today to the feast that I have prepared for him.”

vayyomer hammelekh maharu et-haman la'asot et-devar ester vayyavo hammelekh vehaman el-hammishteh asher-asetah ester

The king commanded, “Tell Haman to hurry and do Esther’s bidding.” So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared.

vayyomer hammelekh le'ester bemishteh hayyayin mah-she'elatekh veyinnaten lakh umah-bbaqqashatekh ad-khatsi hammalkhut vete'as

At the wine feast, the king asked Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

vatta'an ester vattomar she'elati uvaqqashati

“My wish,” replied Esther, “my request—

im-matsati khen be'ene hammelekh ve'im-al-hammelekh tov latet et-she'elati vela'asot et-baqqashati yavo hammelekh vehaman el-hammishteh asher e'eseh lahem umakhar e'eseh kidvar hammelekh

if Your Majesty will do me the favor, if it please Your Majesty to grant my wish and accede to my request—let Your Majesty and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them; and tomorrow I will do Your Majesty’s bidding.”

vayyetse haman bayyom hahu sameakh vetov lev vekhirot haman et-mordokhay besha'ar hammelekh velo-qam velo-za mimmennu vayyimmale haman al-mordokhay khemah

That day Haman went out happy and lighthearted. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the palace gate, and Mordecai did not rise or even stir on his account, Haman was filled with rage at him.

vayyitappaq haman vayyavo el-beto vayyishlakh vayyave et-ohavayw ve'et-zeresh ishto

Nevertheless, Haman controlled himself and went home. He sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh,

vayesapper lahem haman et-kevod oshro verov banayw ve'et kol-asher giddelo hammelekh ve'et asher nisse'o al-hassarim ve'avde hammelekh

and Haman told them about his great wealth and his many sons, and all about how the king had promoted him and advanced him above the officials and the king’s courtiers.

vayyomer haman af lo-hevi'ah ester hammalkah im-hammelekh el-hammishteh asher-asatah ki im-oti vegam-lemakhar ani qaru-lah im-hammelekh

“What is more,” said Haman, “Queen Esther gave a feast, and besides the king she did not have anyone but me. And tomorrow too I am invited by her along with the king.

vekhol-zeh enennu shoveh li bekhol-et asher ani ro'eh et-mordokhay hayyehudi yoshev besha'ar hammelekh

Yet all this means nothing to me every time I see that Jew Mordecai sitting in the palace gate.”

vattomer lo zeresh ishto vekhol-ohavayw ya'asu-ets gavoah khamishim ammah uvabboqer emor lammelekh veyitlu et-mordokhay alayw uvo-im-hammelekh el-hammishteh sameakh vayyitav haddavar lifne haman vayya'as ha'ets

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a stake be put up, fifty cubits high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then you can go gaily with the king to the feast.” The proposal pleased Haman, and he had the stake put up.