Esther:Chapter 3

Index

Esther:Chapter 3

艾斯德爾傳	Esther
¹此後，薛西斯王擢陞阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼，使他進級，位居所有同僚公卿之上。	¹After these events, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to a rank higher than that of all the other officials.
²君王下命，凡在御門供職的臣僕，都應向哈曼俯首下拜，只有摩爾德開不肯向他低頭，也不下拜。	²On orders of the king, all the royal officials at the king's gate would kneel and bow down to Haman. This Mordecai refused to do.
³於是御門供職的臣僕問摩爾德開說：「為什麼你違犯王命？」	³The royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's order?"
⁴他們天天這樣問他，他也不聽；他們便告訴了哈曼，說摩爾德開背叛王命，想觀察摩爾德開的態度是否堅持到底，因為他曾給他們說自己是猶太人。	⁴They spoke to him day after day, but he refused to comply, explaining that he was a Jew. To find out if this explanation was acceptable, they reported the matter to Haman.
⁵哈曼見摩爾德開不向他低頭下拜，就非常忿怒，	⁵Haman was enraged when he saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
⁶心想只殺害摩爾德開一人，還不足洩恨，因為人向他告訴了摩爾德開的身世；於是哈曼打算把薛西斯王整個帝國內的一切猶太人，和摩爾德開一起殺盡滅絕。	⁶Having learned who Mordecai's people were, he thought it would not be enough to lay hands on him alone, but sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
⁷在薛西斯為王第十二年正月，即「尼散」月，有人在哈曼前抽「普爾」，就是抽籤，為定一個日子和月份，好在那一天滅絕摩爾德開的種族。結果，抽出了十二月，即「阿達爾」月十三日。	⁷In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, the pur or lot was cast in Haman's presence to determine the day and the month for the destruction of Mordecai's people. The lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar.
⁸於是哈曼對薛西斯王說：「在你全國各省內，有一個民族，散居在各民族之間，他們的法律和各民族的都不同，又不遵守王法；容留他們，於君王實在不利。	⁸Haman talked to King Ahasuerus, "Scattered throughout the provinces of your kingdom is a certain people, whose customs differ from those of other people. Since they do not obey our laws, it is not in the king's best interests to tolerate them.
⁹若君王贊同，可諭令把他們滅絕，我願捐一萬『塔冷通』銀子，交與管理國庫的人，歸入王庫。」	⁹If it please the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them. I will deposit in the royal treasury ten thousand silver talents for the men who carry out the king's business."
¹⁰於是君王由自己的手上，取下指璽，交與那迫害猶太人的阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼。	¹⁰The king took the signet ring off his finger, handed it to Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, enemy of the Jews, and said,
¹¹接着對哈曼說：「錢仍還給你，至於這個民族，你可任意處置。」	¹¹"Keep the money, and do with these people as you please."
¹²即在正月十三日召集了眾御史，根據哈曼的旨意，用各省習用的文字，和各民族的方言，擬定了一道文書，頒發給各省御史大臣，各省省長，各民族族長；文書用薛西斯王的名義措辭，並蓋上君王的指璽；	¹²On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned. As Haman dictated, they wrote orders in the script of each province and in the language of each people to the king's satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. Written in the name of King Ahasuerus himself and sealed with his own ring,
¹³然後由眾驛使傳遞至帝國各省，限令在一天內，即十二月，「阿達爾」月十三日，把全國所有的猶太人，不論老幼婦孺，一律加以殲滅、屠殺、剷除，財產一律沒收。	¹³these dispatches were sent by couriers to all the royal provinces with the order to kill, destroy and wipe out all the Jews - young and old, women and children - on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
補錄乙
¹諭文如下：「薛西斯大王欽命印度至厄提約丕雅之一百二十七省省長及其屬員事：	¹⁴A copy of the edict to be promulgated as law in every province was published for all the people to know so that they would be ready for that day.
²自朕轄治各邦，管理全國以來，未嘗妄用職權，而常以寬容仁慈，撫育我人民，志在庶民皆享康樂，舉國共慶昇平，勤苦經營，以圖國泰民安，恢復人類久已渴望之和平。	¹⁵The couriers, spurred on by the king's command, set out in haste, and the edict was first promulgated in Susa. As the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in bewilderment.
³朕今諮詢樞密，何以克遂此願。而哈曼首相，秉賦忠貞，信智超群，
⁴上奏朕曰：有一敗類，散居天下萬邦，風俗律法，與天下異，且不從王法，使朕所頒政令，難奏厥功。
⁵今朕始悉其端，惟此民族，與眾殊異，固守己法，生活異趣，對朕天下，實存野心，致力破壞，是以國家不獲安寧。
⁶因此朕令：凡當今首相──朕之亞父哈曼──在文書內所示之人物，務於本年十二月即『阿達爾』月十四日，偕其妻孥子女，應一律刀斬，殲滅九族，不得留情顧惜。
⁷務使古今敗類，於一日之間，悉葬身九泉，然後國必永安，亂事方息。」
¹⁴諭文應在各省公佈，通知天下人民，準備應付這一天。
¹⁵驛使因迫於君令，就迅速出發；在穌撒禁城裏立即公佈了這道上諭。此時君王與哈曼同席共飲；但是穌撒全城卻陷於混亂。

Produced by www.ccreadbible.org