以斯帖記 2

1 這事以後，亞哈隨魯王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，並怎樣降旨辦她。

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 於是王的侍臣對王說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。

Then said the king’s servants that ministered to him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4 王所喜愛的女子可以立為王后，代替瓦實提。」王以這事為美，就如此行。

And let the maiden which pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 書珊城有一個猶大人，名叫末底改，是便雅憫人基士的曾孫，示每的孫子，睚珥的兒子。

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 從前巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王耶哥尼雅和百姓從耶路撒冷擄去，末底改也在其內。

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 末底改撫養他叔叔的女兒哈大沙（後名以斯帖），因為她沒有父母。這女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她為自己的女兒。

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

8 王的諭旨傳出，就招聚許多女子到書珊城，交給掌管女子的希該；以斯帖也送入王宮，交付希該。

So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also to the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙給她需用的香品和她所當得的分，又派所當得的七個宮女服事她，使她和她的宮女搬入女院上好的房屋。

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids to the best place of the house of the women.

10 以斯帖未曾將籍貫宗族告訴人，因為末底改囑咐她不可叫人知道。

Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it.

11 末底改天天在女院前邊行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，並後事如何。

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12 眾女子照例先潔淨身體十二個月：六個月用沒藥油，六個月用香料和潔身之物。滿了日期，然後挨次進去見亞哈隨魯王。

Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women; )

13 女子進去見王是這樣：從女院到王宮的時候，凡她所要的都必給她。

Then thus came every maiden to the king; whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king’s house.

14 晚上進去，次日回到女子第二院，交給掌管妃嬪的太監沙甲；除非王喜愛她，再提名召她，就不再進去見王。

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

15 末底改叔叔亞比孩的女兒，就是末底改收為自己女兒的以斯帖，按次序當進去見王的時候，除了掌管女子的太監希該所派定給她的，她別無所求。凡看見以斯帖的都喜悅她。

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked on her.

16 亞哈隨魯王第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被引入宮見王。

So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 王因以斯帖的緣故給眾首領和臣僕設擺大筵席，又豁免各省的租稅，並照王的厚意大頒賞賜。

Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

19 第二次招聚處女的時候，末底改坐在朝門。

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

20 以斯帖照着末底改所囑咐的，還沒有將籍貫宗族告訴人；因為以斯帖遵末底改的命，如撫養她的時候一樣。

Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21 當那時候，末底改坐在朝門，王的太監中有兩個守門的，辟探和提列，惱恨亞哈隨魯王，想要下手害他。

In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.

22 末底改知道了，就告訴王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，報告於王；

And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

23 究察這事，果然是實，就把二人掛在木頭上，將這事在王面前寫於歷史上。

And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.