Esther:Chapter 1

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Esther:Chapter 1

艾斯德爾傳	Esther
補錄甲
¹本雅明族人克士的曾孫，史米的孫子，雅依爾的兒子摩爾德開，在薛西斯大王第二年，「尼散」月初一做了一夢。──	¹In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
²他是猶太人，住在穌撒，在朝廷裏做大官。	²When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
³在巴比倫王拿步高從耶路撒冷擄去猶大王耶苛尼雅時，他也一同被擄去。──	³Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
⁴他的夢如下：他聽見喧嘩吶喊，雷鳴地震，地上一片混亂之聲。	⁴That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
⁵忽見兩條巨龍前來，準備廝殺，發出狂吼怒號。	⁵And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
⁶萬民都應聲備戰，攻擊正義的民族。	⁶And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
⁷那是黑暗和恐怖的日子，世上滿佈憂患、痛苦、悲哀和暴亂，	⁷And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king's magnificence.
⁸所有正義的民族都感到恐惶，害怕災難；於是準備犧牲，向天主哀號。	⁸Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
⁹當他們哀號之際，由一小泉忽湧出了一條大河，水勢凶湧；	⁹Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
¹⁰同時曙光和太陽出升，貧賤的人受褒揚，顯貴的人被吞滅。	¹⁰Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
¹¹摩爾德開夢見此事，就驚醒了；心想天主有何意思，一天到晚思索夢中的意義。	¹¹To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
¹²此時，摩爾德開與君王的兩個看門太監，彼革堂和特勒士，住在宮中。	¹²But she refused, and would not come at the king's commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
¹³他發覺了他們二人的陰謀，就留心觀察他們的行動；察知他們要對薛西斯王下毒手，就將此事報告給君王。	¹³Asked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
¹⁴於是君王拷問這兩個太監，他們招供後，就處以死刑。	¹⁴(Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him:)
¹⁵王親自筆錄了這事的原委，存入檔案；摩爾德開也記錄了這件事。	¹⁵What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her by the eunuchs?
¹⁶王遂委派摩爾德開在朝廷內供職，並因這功勳，賜給他獎品。	¹⁶And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
¹⁷但是，在君王前負有名望的阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼，為了這兩個太監的事，卻有意加害摩爾德開和他的民族。	¹⁷For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
第一章
¹在薛西斯為王時，發生了這樣的事：──這薛西斯當時管轄的版圖，自印度至雇士，共計一百二十七省──	¹⁸And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king's indignation is just.
²他在穌撒禁城登極後，	¹⁹If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
³第三年，設宴款待所有的公卿朝臣，波斯與瑪待的將官，各省的賢達與總督，	²⁰And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide,) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
⁴一連一百八十天，天天誇耀他帝國的豪華富裕，和他赫赫堂皇的榮耀。	²¹His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
⁵這些日子過了以後，王又在宮內的御苑裏，一連七天，歡宴穌撒禁城的全體人民，不分尊卑，都來參加。	²²And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.
⁶庭院各處裝飾着白色和紫紅色的壁氈，繫着純白色朱紅色的彩帶，懸在白大理石柱的銀環子上；在碧玉、白玉、珍珠和寶石舖砌的地面上，陳設了金銀的床榻。
⁷進飲的器皿，都是金銀製的，大小俱全；御釀豐美，以示王家的厚貺。
⁸飲酒隨意，無須強勸，因為王已命宮內侍役，應隨各人所好，善加招待。
⁹同時瓦市提皇后，在薛西斯王的後宮，也擺設盛宴，款待婦女。
¹⁰至第七日，君王一時酒酣耳熱，就命默胡曼、彼次達、哈波納、彼革達、阿巴革達、則塔爾和加爾加斯，──七個侍從薛西斯王的宦官──
¹¹去召瓦市提王后，叫她頭戴后冠，到君王跟前來，讓眾百姓與朝臣瞻仰她的美麗，因為她的容貌，嬌媚可愛。
¹²但是瓦市提王后拒絕前來，不肯遵行宦官傳來的王命。於是君王勃然大怒，五內如焚，
¹³遂與通達時務的朝臣商議說：──因為當時君王要辦一事，必與精通法律民情的朝臣商議；
¹⁴那時在王身傍有加爾舍納、舍塔爾、阿德瑪達、塔爾史士、默勒斯、瑪色納、默慕干，七位波斯和瑪待的公卿；他們常在君王左右，分居國家的高位──
¹⁵「按法律應如何處置瓦市提王后呢？因為她沒有履行宦官傳下的王命。」
¹⁶默慕干在君王及公卿前建議說：「瓦市提王后不但得罪了君王，並且還得罪了薛西斯王各省的諸侯與人民，
¹⁷因為王后的這種行為，一傳到所有的婦女耳中，她們必將效尤，輕視自己的丈夫，而且說：薛西斯王命人召瓦市提王后到他跟前，她卻沒有來；
¹⁸今日凡聽到王后這種舉動的波斯與瑪待的公主貴婦，也必說同樣的話，對一切王家公卿，也照樣輕視忿怒。
¹⁹陛下如果贊成，可下一道上諭，附於波斯與瑪待的法典內，成為法律，禁止瓦市提后今後朝見薛西斯王；至於她的后位，王可賜與另一位比她賢淑的國妃。
²⁰當君王下的這道命令，傳遍整個版圖廣闊的國土時，全國的婦女，不拘尊卑，對自己的丈夫必表示尊敬。」
²¹對這建議，君王和公卿都表示贊成；王就依照默慕干的建議施行，
²²向全國各省，傳遞文告，依各省的文字和各民族的語言，敕令天下所有的丈夫，應為一家之主，可隨意發號施令。

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