| 艾斯德爾傳 |
Esther |
| 補錄甲 |
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| 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。── |
1 During the reign of Ahasuerus-this was the Ahasuerus who ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia- |
| 2他是猶太人，住在穌撒，在朝廷裏做大官。 |
2 while he was occupying the royal throne in the stronghold of Susa, |
| 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。── |
3in the third year of his reign, he presided over a feast for all his officers and ministers: the Persian and Median aristocracy, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces. |
| 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。 |
4For as many as a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the resplendent wealth of his royal estate. |
| 5忽見兩條巨龍前來，準備廝殺，發出狂吼怒號。 |
5At the end of this time the king gave a feast of seven days in the garden court of the royal palace for all the people, great and small, who were in the stronghold of Susa. |
| 6萬民都應聲備戰，攻擊正義的民族。 |
6There were white cotton draperies and violet hangings, held by cords of crimson byssus from silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones. |
| 7那是黑暗和恐怖的日子，世上滿佈憂患、痛苦、悲哀和暴亂， |
7Liquor was served in a variety of golden cups, and the royal wine flowed freely, as befitted the king's munificence. |
| 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。 |
8By ordinance of the king the drinking was unstinted, for he had instructed all the stewards of his household to comply with the good pleasure of everyone. |
| 9當他們哀號之際，由一小泉忽湧出了一條大河，水勢凶湧； |
9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women inside the royal palace of King Ahasuerus. |
| 10同時曙光和太陽出升，貧賤的人受褒揚，顯貴的人被吞滅。 |
10On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he instructed Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended King Ahasuerus, |
| 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 Queen Vashti into his presence wearing the royal crown, that he might display her beauty to the populace and the officials, for she was lovely to behold. |
| 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 Queen Vashti refused to come at the royal order issued through the eunuchs. At this the king's wrath flared up, and he burned with 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。 |
13He conferred with the wise men versed in the law, because the king's business was conducted in general consultation with lawyers and jurists. |
| 14於是君王拷問這兩個太監，他們招供後，就處以死刑。 |
14He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who were in the king's personal service and held first rank in the realm, |
| 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。 |
15and asked them, "What is to be done by law with Queen Vashti for disobeying the order of King Ahasuerus issued through 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。 |
16In the presence of the king and of the officials, Memucan answered: "Queen Vashti has not wronged the king alone, but all the officials and the populace throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus. |
| 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 the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and they will look with disdain upon their husbands when it is reported, "King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti be ushered into his presence, but she would not come.' |
| 第一章 |
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| 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── |
18This very day the Persian and Median ladies who hear of the queen's conduct will rebel against all the royal officials, with corresponding disdain and rancor. |
| 2他在穌撒禁城登極後， |
19 If it please the king, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued by him and inscribed among the laws of the Persians and Medes, forbidding Vashti to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus and authorizing the king to give her royal dignity to one more worthy than she. |
| 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， |
20Thus, when the decree which the king will issue is published throughout his realm, vast as it is, all wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least." |
| 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。 |
21This proposal found acceptance with the king and the officials, and the king acted on the advice of Memucan. |
| 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。 |
22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, to the effect that every man should be lord in his own home. |
| 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。 |
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| 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。 |
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| 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。 |
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| 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。 |
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| 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── |
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| 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。 |
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| 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， |
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| 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； |
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| 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── |
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| 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。」 |
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| 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， |
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| 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； |
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| 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。 |
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| 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。 |
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| 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。」 |
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| 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， |
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| 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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