| 艾斯德爾傳 |
Esther |
| 1第三天，艾斯德爾身穿王后的華服，站在王宮的內院，面向宮殿；那時君王正坐在宮殿的寶座上，面向宮門。 |
1 [Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal garments and stood in the inner courtyard, looking toward the royal palace, while the king was seated on his royal throne in the audience chamber, facing the palace doorway. |
| 2君王一見艾斯德爾王后在庭院內，就對她起了寵幸的心，於是向艾斯德爾伸出手中的金杖，艾斯德爾遂上前來，摸了金杖的頂端。 |
2He saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, and made her welcome by extending toward her the golden staff which he held. She came up to him, and touched the top of the staff.] |
| 3君王問她說：「艾斯德爾后，你有什麼事？你要求什麼？即使要求一半江山，我也必賜給你！」 |
3Then the king said to her, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it is half of my kingdom, it shall be granted you." |
| 4艾斯德爾答說：「若大王開恩，請大王今日與哈曼同去飲妾為陛下所預備的酒宴。」 |
4"If it please your majesty," Esther replied, "come today with Haman to a banquet I have prepared." |
| 5王遂說：「快叫哈曼來，以滿足艾斯德爾的心願！」於是王和哈曼一同去赴艾斯德爾預備的酒宴。 |
5And the king ordered, "Have Haman make haste to fulfill the wish of Esther." So the king went with Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared. |
| 6酒興之餘，王對艾斯德爾說：「你要求什麼，我必給你；不管你求什麼，那怕是半壁江山，也必照辦。」 |
6During the drinking of the wine, the king said to Esther, "Whatever you ask for shall be granted, and whatever request you make shall be honored, even if it is for half my kingdom." |
| 7艾斯德爾答說：「這即是我的懇請和要求： |
7Esther replied: "This is my petition and request: |
| 8如果我見寵於大王，如果大王樂意俯允我的懇請，實踐我的要求，就請大王明天與哈曼，再來飲妾所設的酒宴；明天我必依照君王的命答覆陛下。」 |
8if I have found favor with the king and if it pleases your majesty to grant my petition and honor my request, come with Haman tomorrow to a banquet which I shall prepare for you; and then I will do as you ask." |
| 9那一天，哈曼出去，非常高興，滿心喜樂；但是哈曼一見在御門前的猶太人摩爾德開既不起立，也不退避，就對他滿懷憤恨， |
9That day Haman left happy and in good spirits. But when he saw that Mordecai at the royal gate did not rise, and showed no fear of him, he was filled with anger toward him. |
| 10卻仍忍氣回了家，且打發人叫他的朋友和愛妻則勒士來， |
10Haman restrained himself, however, and went home, where he summoned his friends and his wife Zeresh. |
| 11向他們誇耀自己如何富貴榮華，子女如何眾多，君王如何尊崇他，如何高舉他在眾公卿和朝臣之上。 |
11He recounted the greatness of his riches, the large number of his sons, and just how the king had promoted him and placed him above the officials and royal servants. |
| 12他又說：「甚至，艾斯德爾王后，除我以外，沒有請任何人與君王一同赴她設的盛宴；明天又請我再同君王到她那裡去。 |
12"Moreover," Haman added, "Queen Esther invited no one but me to the banquet with the king; again tomorrow I am to be her guest, with the king. |
| 13但每當我一見坐在御門前的猶太人摩爾德開時，這一切於我都乏味了！」 |
13Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I continue to see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the royal gate." |
| 14他的愛妻則勒士和他的朋友便對他說：「該做一個高五十尺的刑架，天一亮就對君王說：把摩爾德開懸在上面！這樣你可欣然與君王共同赴筵了。」哈曼看這主意不錯，就叫人做了一個刑架。 |
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gibbet set up, fifty cubits in height, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king in good cheer." This suggestion pleased Haman, and he had the gibbet erected. |
