When Haman entered, the king gave him no opportunity to say why he had come. Instead, he asked his own question. As in 1.15, he asked advice on what was right to do.

What shall be done to the man: in English to do something to someone usually has a negative connotation. Since the king wants to do something good here, Good News Translation and New Revised Standard Version both say “for” the man. Speaking as king he refers to himself in the third person. Good News Translation uses a very casual style in this verse, which may not be appropriate.

Although Revised Standard Version says delights, this may be translated as “wants very much” (compare Good News Translation) or as “desires” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). A word appropriate to the wishes of a king should be used.

The translator may encounter at least three problems with Haman’s question. The first is that the author uses direct quotation to reveal what Haman said “in his heart.” The second is that Haman’s thoughts take the form of a rhetorical question. That is, they are not a real question because Haman thought he already knew the answer. The third problem is the comparative construction, more than me.

For the first, Good News Translation also uses direct quotation, which it introduces by saying “thought to himself.” In the case of the second problem, Good News Translation makes explicit the answer to Haman’s question, “Me, of course.” The third problem is restated to eliminate the comparison. Some languages may prefer a pattern that is closer to the original Hebrew, “The king would wish to do honor to whom besides me?” or “Whom would the king wish to honor if not me?” or perhaps “Whom would the king want to honor surpass me?” Sometimes a rhetorical question may be replaced by an emphatic statement; for example, “Surely the king would want to honor no one but me!”

Translators should not make explicit in this verse that it is Mordecai whom the king wants to honor, since Haman’s rhetorical question makes sense only if he does not know that the king is thinking of Mordecai. Haman’s plight is both humorous and tragic.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .