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。
Therfor whanne these thingis weren doon, aftir that the indignacioun of kyng Assuerus was coold, he bithouyte of Vasthi, and what thingis sche hadde do, ethir what thingis sche suffride.
2 于是王的侍臣对王说：“不如为王寻找美貌的处女。
And the children and the mynystris of the kyng seiden to `the kyng, Damyselis, virgyns `and faire, be souyt to the kyng; and `men ben sent,
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。
that schulen biholde bi alle prouinces damesels faire and virgyns; and brynge thei hem to the citee Susa, and bitake thei in to the hows of wymmen, vndur the hond of Egei, the onest seruaunt and chast, which is the souereyn and kepere of the kyngis wymmen; and take the damesels ournement of wymmen, and other thingis nedeful to vsis.
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 which euer damesele among alle plesith the iyen of the kyng, regne sche for Vasti. The word pleside the kyng; and he comaundide to be don so, as thei counceliden.
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。
Forsothe a man, a Jew, was in the citee Susa, Mardoche bi name, the sone of Jair, sone of Semei, sone of Cys, of the generacioun of Gemyny;
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。
that was translatid fro Jerusalem in that tyme, wherynne Nabugodonosor, kyng of Babiloyne, hadde translatid Jechonye, kyng of Juda;
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。
which Mardoche was the nurschere of Edissa, the douyter of his brothir, which douytir was clepid Hester bi anothir name, and sche hadde lost bothe fadir and modir; sche was ful fair, and semeli of face; and whanne hir fadir and modir weren deed, Mardoche `purchaside hir in to a douytir to hymsilf.
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。
And whanne the comaundement of the kyng was ofte pupplischid, and bi his comaundement many faire virgyns weren brouyt to Susa, and weren bitakun to Egey, the onest seruaunt and chast, also Hester among othere damesels was bytakun to hym, that sche schulde be kept in the noumbre of wymmen.
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 sche pleside hym, and foond grace in his siyt, that he hastide the ournement of wymmen, and bitook to hir her partis, and seuene the faireste damesels of the kyngis hows; and he ournede and araiede bothe hir and damesels suynge hir feet.
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。
And `sche nolde schewe to hym hir puple and hir cuntrei; for Mardoche hadde comaundid to hir, that in al maner sche schulde be stille of this thing.
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 he walkide ech dai bifor the porche of the dore, in which the chosun virgyns weren kept, and he dide the cure of the helthe of Hester, and wolde wite, what bifelde to hyr.
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。
And whanne the tyme of alle damesels bi ordre was comun, that thei schulden entre to the kyng, whanne alle thingis weren fillid that perteyneden to wymmens atire, the tweluethe monethe was turned; so oneli that thei weren anoyntid with oile of `myrte tre bi sixe monethis, and bi othere sixe monethis `thei vsiden summe pymentis and swete-smellynge oynementis.
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。
And thei entriden to the kyng, and what euer thing perteynynge to ournement thei axiden, thei token; and thei weren araied as it pleside hem, and passiden fro the chaumbre of wymmen to the kyngis bed.
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。
And sche that hadde entrid in the euentid, yede out in the morwetid; and fro thennus thei weren led forth in to the secounde housis, that weren vndur the hond of Sagazi, onest seruaunt and chast, that was gouernour of the kyngis concubyns; and sche hadde not power to go ayen more to the kyng, no but the kyng wolde, `and had comaundid hir to come bi 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。
Sotheli whanne the tyme was turned aboute bi ordre, the dai neiyede, wherynne Hester, the douyter of Abiahel, brother of Mardoche, `whom he hadde purchasid in to a douyter to hym silf, ouyte entre to the kyng; and sche axide not wymmenus ournement, but what euer thingis Egei, the onest seruaunt and chast, kepere of virgyns, wolde, he yaf these thingis to hir to ournement; for sche was ful schapli, and of fairnesse that may not liytli be bileuyd, and sche semyde graciouse and amyable to the iyen of alle men.
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。
Therfor sche was lad to the bed of kyng Assuerus, in the tenthe monethe, which is clepid Cebeth, in the seuenthe yeer of his rewme.
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 kyng feruentli louyde hir more than alle wymmen, and sche hadde grace and mercy bifor hym ouer alle wymmen; and he settide the diademe of rewme `on hir heed, and he made hir to regne in the stide of Vasthi.
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。
And he comaundide a ful worschipful feeste to be maad redi to alle hise princes and seruauntis, for the ioynyng togidere and the weddyngis of Hester; and he yaf rest to alle prouynces, and yaf yiftis aftir the worschipful doyng of a prynce.
19 第二次招聚处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门。
And whanne virgyns weren souyt also the secounde tyme, and weren gaderid togidere, Mardochee dwellide at the yate of the kyng.
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。
Hester hadde not yit schewid hir cuntrei and puple, bi comaundement of hym; for whi what euer thing he comaundide, Hester kepte, and sche dide so alle thingis, as sche was wont in that tyme, in which he nurschide hir a litil child.
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。
Therfor in that tyme, wherynne Mardochee dwellide at the `yate of the king, Bagathan and Thares, twei seruauntis of the kyng, weren wrothe, `that weren porteris, and saten in the first threisfold of the paleis; and thei wolden rise ayens the kyng, and sle hym.
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；
Which thing was not hid fro Mardochee, and anoon he telde to the queen Hester, and sche to the kyng, bi the name of Mardochee, that hadde teld the thing to hir.
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。
It was souyt, and it was foundun, and ech of hem was hangid in a iebat; and `it was sent to storyes, and was bitakun to bookis of yeeris, `bifor the kyng.
