艾斯德爾傳:Chapter 3

艾斯德爾傳: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 raised Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to high rank, seating him above all his fellow 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。	² All the king's servants who were at the royal gate would kneel and bow down to Haman, for that is what the king had ordered in his regard. Mordecai, however, would not kneel and bow down.
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 king's servants who were at the royal gate said to 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。	⁴When they had reminded him day after day and he would not listen to them, they informed Haman, to see whether Mordecai's explanation was acceptable, since he had told them that he was a Jew.
⁵哈曼見摩爾德開不向他低頭下拜，就非常忿怒，	⁵When Haman observed that Mordecai would not kneel and bow down to him, he was filled with anger.
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。	⁶Moreover, he thought it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Since they had told Haman of Mordecai's nationality, he sought to destroy all the Jews, Mordecai's people, throughout the realm of King 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。	⁷ In the first month, 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 on a single day, and 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。	⁸Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus: "Dispersed among the nations throughout the provinces of your kingdom, there is a certain people living apart, with laws differing from those of every other people. They do not obey the laws of the king, and so it is not proper for the king 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; and I will deliver to the procurators ten thousand silver talents for deposit in the royal treasury."
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。	¹⁰ The king took the signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
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"The silver you may keep," the king said to Haman, "but as for this people, do with them whatever 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；	¹²So the royal scribes were summoned; and on the thirteenth day of the first month they wrote, at the dictation of Haman, an order to the royal satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet 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。	¹³Letters were sent by couriers to all the royal provinces, that all the Jews, young and old, including women and children, should be killed, destroyed, wiped out in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, and that their goods should be seized as spoil.
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：
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。
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。