以斯帖记 2

1 这事以后，亚哈随鲁王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦实提和她所行的，并怎样降旨办她。

After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 于是王的侍臣对王说：“不如为王寻找美貌的处女。

Then said the young men of the king, who waited upon him, —Let them seek out for the king young virgins, of pleasing appearance;

3 王可以派官在国中的各省招聚美貌的处女到书珊城的女院，交给掌管女子的太监希该，给她们当用的香品。

and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather together every young virgin of pleasing appearance unto Shusan the palace, unto the house of the women, into the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and let there be given the things needed for their purification;

4 王所喜爱的女子可以立为王后，代替瓦实提。”王以这事为美，就如此行。

and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

5 书珊城有一个犹大人，名叫末底改，是便雅悯人基士的曾孙，示每的孙子，睚珥的儿子。

A certain Jew, there was, in Shusan the palace, —whose, name, was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin;

6 从前巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王耶哥尼雅和百姓从耶路撒冷掳去，末底改也在其内。

who had been exiled from Jerusalem, with the exiles who were carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, —whom, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, exiled.

7 末底改抚养他叔叔的女儿哈大沙（后名以斯帖），因为她没有父母。这女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她为自己的女儿。

And it came to pass, that he was bringing up Hadassah, the same, was Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, —and, the maiden, was of beautiful form and pleasing appearance, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 王的谕旨传出，就招聚许多女子到书珊城，交给掌管女子的希该；以斯帖也送入王宫，交付希该。

So it came to pass, when the king’s command and decree was heard, and there had been gathered together many maidens unto Shusan the palace, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the house of the king, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women;

9 希该喜悦以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙给她需用的香品和她所当得的分，又派所当得的七个宫女服事她，使她和她的宫女搬入女院上好的房屋。

and the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she received lovingkindness before him, and he hastened to give her, the things needed for her purification, and things apportioned her, and to give her, seven select maidens, out of the house of the king, —and he removed her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.

10 以斯帖未曾将籍贯宗族告诉人，因为末底改嘱咐她不可叫人知道。

Esther had not told of her people, nor of her kindred, —for, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her, that she should not tell.

11 末底改天天在女院前边行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，并后事如何。

And, throughout every day, Mordecai, used to walk to and fro, before the court of the house of the women, —to get to know the welfare of Esther, and what would be done with her.

12 众女子照例先洁净身体十二个月：六个月用没药油，六个月用香料和洁身之物。满了日期，然后挨次进去见亚哈随鲁王。

Now, when the turn of each maiden came, to go in unto King Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her according to the law of the women for twelve months, for, so, were filled the days of their purification, —six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with things for the purification of the women,

13 女子进去见王是这样：从女院到王宫的时候，凡她所要的都必给她。

then, indeed, the maiden came in unto the king, —whatsoever she might mention, was given her, to go with her, out of the house of the women up to the house of the king:

14 晚上进去，次日回到女子第二院，交给掌管妃嫔的太监沙甲；除非王喜爱她，再提名召她，就不再进去见王。

in the evening, she went in, and, in the morning, she returned—unto the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines, —she went not in again unto the king, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

15 末底改叔叔亚比孩的女儿，就是末底改收为自己女儿的以斯帖，按次序当进去见王的时候，除了掌管女子的太监希该所派定给她的，她别无所求。凡看见以斯帖的都喜悦她。

But, when the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai—who had taken her as his own daughter—to go in unto the king, she requested nothing, save what Hegai the king’s eunuch who kept the women might direct, —but so it was, that Esther obtained favour in the eyes of all who beheld her.

16 亚哈随鲁王第七年十月，就是提别月，以斯帖被引入宫见王。

So then Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, the same, was the month Tebeth, —in the seventh year of his reign.

17 王爱以斯帖过于爱众女，她在王眼前蒙宠爱比众处女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她头上，立她为王后，代替瓦实提。

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favour and lovingkindness before him, above all the virgins, —so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen, instead of Vashti.

18 王因以斯帖的缘故给众首领和臣仆设摆大筵席，又豁免各省的租税，并照王的厚意大颁赏赐。

Then the king made a great banquet, for all his rulers and his servants, the banquet of Esther, —and, a remission, for all the provinces, made he, and gave a present, according to the bounty of a king.

19 第二次招聚处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门。

Now, when virgins were gathered together second time, then, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king.

20 以斯帖照着末底改所嘱咐的，还没有将籍贯宗族告诉人；因为以斯帖遵末底改的命，如抚养她的时候一样。

Esther had not told of her kindred, nor her people, as, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her, —and, the command of Mordecai, Esther performed, like as when she was being brought up with him.

21 当那时候，末底改坐在朝门，王的太监中有两个守门的，辟探和提列，恼恨亚哈随鲁王，想要下手害他。

In those days, when, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king who guarded the threshold, were wroth, and sought to thrust a hand upon King Ahasuerus;

22 末底改知道了，就告诉王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，报告于王；

but the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen, —and Esther told it unto the king, in the name of Mordecai.

23 究察这事，果然是实，就把二人挂在木头上，将这事在王面前写于历史上。

And, when the thing was searched into and found [true], then were they two hanged upon the gallows, and it was written, in the book of the chronicles, before the king.