艾斯德爾傳:Chapter 2

艾斯德爾傳:Chapter 2

艾斯德爾傳	Esther
¹這些事以後，薛西斯王的盛怒遂平息了，不再回念瓦市提和她所作的事，也不再追究對她所決定的事。	¹After this, when King Ahasuerus' wrath had cooled, he thought over what Vashti had done and what had been decreed against her.
²於是侍奉君王的僕役說：「應為大王另選美貌的年輕處女；	²Then the king's personal attendants suggested: "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
³大王可指派委員到全國各省，把所有美貌的輕處女，都召集到穌撒禁城的後宮來，由管理嬪妃的王家太監赫革負責照應，供給她們美容潤身的香料。	³Let the king appoint commissaries in all the provinces of his realm to bring together all beautiful young virgins to the harem in the stronghold of Susa. Under the care of the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, let cosmetics be given them.
⁴那中悅君王的處女，就得代瓦市提為后。」這建議正合了王的心，王就照樣進行。	⁴Then the girl who pleases the king shall reign in place of Vashti." This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
⁵在穌撒禁城內，有一個猶太人，名叫摩爾德開，是雅依爾的兒子，史米的孫子，本雅明族人克士的曾孫，	⁵There was in the stronghold of Susa a certain Jew named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
⁶克士是巴比倫王拿步高由耶路撒冷將猶大王耶苛尼雅擄去時，被擄的俘虜之一。	⁶who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the captives taken with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported.
⁷摩爾德開撫養了他的堂妹哈達撒，又名叫艾斯德爾，她自幼就喪失父母。這女孩身材標致，容貌美麗，自她父母去世後，摩爾德開就收她作自己的女兒。	⁷ He was foster father to Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin; for she had lost both father and mother. The girl was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. On the death of her father and mother, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.
⁸不久，皇帝的諭旨和詔令，傳遍了全國，許多少女都被召到穌撒禁城，受赫革的監護，艾斯德爾也被帶到王宮，交與管理嬪妃的赫革看管。	⁸When the king's order and decree had been obeyed and many maidens brought together to the stronghold of Susa under the care of Hegai, Esther also was brought in to the royal palace under the care of Hegai, custodian of the women.
⁹她很討赫革喜悅，大得他的寵愛，遂立即供給她美容潤身的物品和所需食品，並選派了七個美麗的宮女服侍她，又將她和她的侍女遷移到後宮最好的宮院裏。	⁹The girl pleased him and won his favor. So he promptly furnished her with cosmetics and provisions. Then picking out seven maids for her from the royal palace, he transferred both her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
¹⁰但艾斯德爾卻沒有說出她自己的民族和身世，因為摩爾德開早已吩咐她不要提及此事。	¹⁰Esther did not reveal her nationality or family, for Mordecai had commanded her not to do so.
¹¹此後，摩爾德開天天在後宮的庭院前徘徊，好打聽艾斯德爾的消息，想知道她的情形如何。	¹¹Day by day Mordecai would walk about in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was to become of her.
¹²在每個處女輪流去見薛西斯王以前，都該先按嬪妃的規則，度過十二個月的「潤身期」：六個月應用沒藥汁，六個月應用香液，以及女人潤身的修飾品。	¹²Each girl went in turn to visit King Ahasuerus after the twelve months' preparation decreed for the women. Of this period of beautifying treatment, six months were spent with oil of myrrh, and the other six months with perfumes and cosmetics.
¹³有了這樣的準備，少女纔可去見君王；凡她所要求的，都應讓她由後宮帶進王宮去。	¹³Then, when the girl was to visit the king, she was allowed to take with her from the harem to the royal palace whatever she chose.
¹⁴她晚上進去，次日早晨回到另一座後宮，受君王管理嬪妃的太監沙市加次的監護；除非君王寵愛她，提名召她，她不得再親近君王。	¹⁴She would go in the evening and return in the morning to a second harem under the care of the royal eunuch Shaashgaz, custodian of the concubines. She could not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and had her summoned by name.
¹⁵一輪到摩爾德開的叔父阿彼海耳的女兒──即摩爾德開的養女──艾斯德爾去見君王的時候，除了管理嬪妃的王家太監赫革給她預備的東西以外，她什麼也不要；凡看見艾斯德爾的人，沒有不喜愛她的。	¹⁵As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of his nephew Mordecai, when her turn came to visit the king, she did not ask for anything but what the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, suggested. Yet she won the admiration of all who saw her.
¹⁶艾斯德爾在薛西斯為王第七年十月即「太貝特」月，被召進王宮。	¹⁶Esther was led to King Ahasuerus in his palace in the tenth month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
¹⁷王愛艾斯德爾超過所有的嬪妃。在所有的處女中，她最得君王的歡心和喜愛。王便將后冠戴在她頭上，立她為王后，以代瓦市提。	¹⁷The king loved Esther more than all other women, and of all the virgins she won his favor and benevolence. So he placed the royal diadem on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
¹⁸於是，王給眾文武官員擺設盛宴，一連七天，號為艾斯德爾宴，又給全國各省頒賜大赦，並按照君王的法度敕贈御品。	¹⁸ Then the king gave a great feast in honor of Esther to all his officials and ministers, granting a holiday to the provinces and bestowing gifts with royal bounty.
¹⁹當二次召集處女時，摩爾德開仍在御門供職。	¹⁹ [To resume: From the time the virgins had been brought together, and while Mordecai was passing his time at the king's gate,
²⁰那時艾斯德爾，按着摩爾德開事先給她吩咐了的，還沒有透露自己的身世和種族：凡摩爾德開吩咐的，艾斯德爾必盡力遵守，如同昔日受他撫養時一樣。	²⁰Esther had not revealed her family or nationality, because Mordecai had told her not to; and Esther continued to follow Mordecai's instructions, just as she had when she was being brought up by him.
²¹摩爾德開在御門供職的時候，王的兩個守門大監，彼革堂和特勒士，因一時忿怒，就設計對薛西斯王下毒手。	²¹ And during the time that Mordecai spent at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted in anger to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
²²但摩爾德開一發覺了那陰謀，就告知艾斯德爾王后，艾斯德爾便以摩爾德開的名義轉告君王。	²²When the plot became known to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, who in turn informed the king for Mordecai.
²³那陰謀經過調查證實以後，就將他們二人懸在木架上，處以極刑。此事的原委，當着君王的面，記錄在年鑑內。	²³ The matter was investigated and verified, and both of them were hanged on a gibbet. This was written in the annals for the king's use.]