Esther:Chapter 8

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Esther:Chapter 8

艾斯德爾傳	Esther
¹薛西斯王當日就將猶太人的敵人哈曼的家業，賜給了艾斯德爾王后；艾斯德爾同時也說明瞭摩爾德開與她自己的關係，摩爾德開就來覲見君王。	¹That same day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, enemy of the Jews. Mordecai was admitted into the king's presence, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her.
²君王於是取下由哈曼那裏拿回來的指璽，給了摩爾德開，艾斯德爾以後叫摩爾德開管理哈曼的家業。	²The king took off his signet ring, which he had recovered from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai, whom Esther appointed in charge of Haman's house.
³艾斯德爾又去向君王求情，俯伏在他足下，含淚哀求他取消阿加格人哈曼所加的禍害，和他為害猶太人所設的陰謀。	³Once more Esther had an opportunity of being heard by the king. Weeping and falling before him, she begged him to frustrate the evil plot of Haman the Agagite against the Jews.
⁴王向艾斯德爾伸出金杖，艾斯德爾就起來，站在君王前，	⁴The king held out the golden scepter to her, and she rose and stood before him, saying,
⁵說：「如果大王喜歡，如果我得陛下寵幸，如果大王認為合理且喜愛我，就請寫一道諭令，把大王為消滅全國各省的猶太人所頒下的文書，即阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼的陰謀廢除。	⁵"If it please your majesty, if I am pleasing to your eyes and have found favor with you, and if you think it proper to do so, let an order be issued revoking the letters which Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the royal provinces.
⁶事實上，我怎能忍見我的民族遭受迫害？我怎能忍見我的親屬消滅？」	⁶For how can I bear to see the destruction of my people, the extermination of my race?"
⁷薛西斯王對艾斯德爾后和猶太人摩爾德開說：「我已將哈曼的家業賜給了艾斯德爾，而他本人已被懸在刑架上，因為他竟要對猶太人下毒手。	⁷King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "I have given Haman's house to Esther and had Haman hanged on the gallows for plotting to destroy the Jews.
⁸如今就照你們的意思，以君王的名義，為保護猶太人寫一道文書，蓋上君王的玉印。凡以君王名義所寫，且蓋有君王玉印的文書，決不得廢除。」	⁸Now you can write a decree as you please concerning the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the royal signet ring; for any document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring cannot be revoked."
⁹就在那時候，即在三月──「息汪」月二十三日，召集了眾御史，要依照摩爾德開為保護猶太人提示的一切，用各省的文字，各民族的語言，也給猶太人以他們的文字語言，寫了一道文書，公告由印度至雇士一百二十七省的猶太人、御史大臣、各省省長及首長。	⁹The royal scribes were summoned that very day, the twenty-third of the third month of Sivan, and as Mordecai dictated they wrote an order to the Jews, to the satraps, governors and officials of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia, to each province in its own script, to each people in its own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
¹⁰摩爾德開遂以薛西斯王的名義，寫了這道文書，蓋上君王的玉印，然後派遣驛使，騎着御廐裏的駿馬，傳遞文書。	¹⁰These letters written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring were carried by couriers mounted on the king's thoroughbred steeds.
¹¹文書上載着：君王恩准在各城市的猶太人，有團結自衛的權利，也准許他們破壞、殺害、消滅那些侵害他們的各族和各省的軍民，也可殺他們的婦孺，搶奪他們的財產；	¹¹The king's edict granted the Jews in each city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to kill, destroy and wipe out any armed group of any nation or province that might attack them and their women and children, and to seize their goods as spoil.
¹²且應在十二月「阿達爾」月十三日那一天，在薛西斯帝國各省內開始生效。	¹²This edict took effect throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar.
補錄戊
¹諭文如下：「薛西斯大王致候由印度至厄提約丕雅一百二十七省省長，並忠於朕之官員	¹³A copy of the text of the edict to be promulgated as law in every province was published among all the peoples so that the Jews might be prepared on the day stated to avenge themselves on their enemies.
²查有多人，恩主愈加之高官厚祿，其人反而愈妄自尊大，不僅企圖危害朕之所屬為滿足，進而圖謀推倒其恩主。	¹⁴Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers, mounted on the king's steeds, rode out in haste, and the edict was promulgated in the citadel of Susa.
³彼等不惟將知恩報愛之義由人間抹殺，且更與無知之輩，驕矜自大，對常鑒臨萬物，嫉惡如仇至公義之天主，自以為可以逃避。	¹⁵In royal garments of blue and white, with a large golden crown and a cloak of purple and fine linen, Mordecai left the king's presence. There was a joyful celebration in the city of Susa.
⁴彼等多居顯位，屢受公卿友朋妄言之煽惑，而共謀傾流無辜者之血，因而陷於不可挽救之禍殃：	¹⁶For the Jews it was a time of splendor and merriment, honor and triumph.
⁵彼等利用乖戾欺詐之計謀，迷惑忠貞純良之公卿。	¹⁷Wherever the king's edict was read in every province and in each city, there was rejoicing and feasting among the Jews. Many people of other nationalities were seized with fear of the Jews, and they embraced Judaism.
⁶此處無須引證留傳於我儕之古籍，爾輩考察此輩惡劣掌權者所做敗德惡行，即可知曉。
⁷是以為防患於未然，使帝國免於禍亂，人人得享安樂，
⁸朕不復妄聽讒言，務以正義裁判，處斷呈遞於朕之案件。
⁹今哈默大達之子，馬其頓人哈曼，實非波斯血統，本不堪朕之寬仁，然朕仍收為客卿，
¹⁰親歷朕對各族所有之優惠，竟被尊稱為父，受萬民敬禮，位居帝座之次。
¹¹今高官厚祿，而心猶不足，竟欲奪朕位，害朕命，
¹²更千方百計，企圖將朕之救命恩主摩爾德開，並朕之無辜后妃艾斯德爾，與其全族上下，予以消滅。
¹³如此，欲乘朕之孤立，交波斯帝國於馬其頓人。
¹⁴然據朕察知，此敗類欲消滅之猶太人，原非作惡歹徒，實乃奉公守法之民，
¹⁵彼等乃賜朕與朕祖國昌盛之至高至大，永生天主之子民。
¹⁶是以爾輩不宜履行哈默大達之子哈曼頒發之文書，因其撰者與全家已懸首於穌撒門前矣！此乃主宰萬物者天主使其得此報應。
¹⁷因此，是項文告，爾輩應四處公佈，准猶太人遵守其固有之法律，且應在擇定迫害彼等之日，即「阿達爾」十二月十三日，協助彼等敵抗殺害彼等之人。
¹⁸蓋主宰萬物者天主，已將此消滅選民之日化為喜樂之日。
¹⁹是以於爾輩之慶節中，也應隆重慶祝此紀念日，使現今與未來皆慶祝朕與親善波斯者之勝利，但為圖謀害朕之輩，乃滅亡之紀念日。
²⁰凡不履行此命令之城市或區域，應毫不留情，一律火焚刀斬，使此城區非但人跡不至，即鳥獸也視為畏途，直達永遠。
¹³這道文書應視為法律，公佈在各省內，通告各民族一律遵守，好使猶太人準備在這一天，可向自己的敵人復仇。
¹⁴驛使迫於君令，騎着御馬，火速出發。這諭文同時也在穌撒禁城公佈。
¹⁵摩爾德開於是拜別君王出來，身穿紫白相間的御袍，戴着大金冠，披着純白和朱紅的氅衣。此時穌撒城歡欣雀躍。
¹⁶猶太人終於得到了光明、喜樂、幸福和榮耀。
¹⁷在各省各城中，凡是君令、上諭所到之處，猶太人無不歡欣雀躍，休假宴飲；各地的異民有許多人因為害怕猶太人，而入了猶太籍。

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