以斯帖記 1
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──
And it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh, of the same Achashverosh who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,
2 他在穌撒禁城登極後，
In those days, when this king Achashverosh was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the capital,
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，
That, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces who were near him:
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。
When he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the brilliance [and] the splendor of his greatness, during many days, a hundred and eighty days.
5 這些日子過了以後，王又在官內的御苑裏，一連七天，歡宴穌撒禁城的全體人民，不分尊卑，都來參加。
And when these days were completed, the king made unto all the people that were found in Shushan the capital, unto every one, from the great even to the small, a feast of seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6 庭院各處裝飾著白色和紫紅色的壁氈，繫著純白色和朱紅色的彩帶，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。
[Where were] white, green, and blue [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, on rollers of silver and pillars of marble; couches of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and yellow, and black marble.
7 進飲的器皿，都是金銀製的，大小俱全；御釀豐美，以示王家的厚贈。
And they gave them to drink in vessels of gold, —the vessels being diverse one from the other, —and the royal wine was in abundance, according to the ability of the king.
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。
And the drinking was, according to the [king's] order, without compulsion; for so had the king enjoined on all the officers of his house, to do according to the pleasure of every man.
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。
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.
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──
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Charbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Achashverosh,
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。
To bring Vashti the queen before the king [ornamented] with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was handsome in appearance.
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，
But queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king brought by the hand of the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burnt in him.
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；
Then said the king to the wise men, who knew [the occurrences of] the times; for so [came] every affair of the king before all acquainted with law and state institutions;
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──「
And those next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tharshish, Meress, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who could see [at all times] the king's face, who sat in the first rank in the kingdom:
15 按法律應如何處置瓦市提王后呢﹖因為沒有覆行宦官傳下的王命。」
What should according to law be done with queen Vashti; because she had not fulfilled the order of king Achashverosh by the hand of the chamberlains?
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候與人民，
Then said Memuchan before the king and the princes, Not against the king alone hath Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of king Achashverosh.
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；
For the conduct of the queen will go abroad unto all the women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought into his presence, but she came not.
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。
And even this day will the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the conduct of the queen, say this unto all the princes of the king; and there will arise too much contempt and quarrel.
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。
If it please the king, let there go forth a royal order from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that no one transgress it, That Vashti come no more before king Achashverosh: and let the king give her royal dignity unto another that is better than she.
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。」
And when the king's decree which he will make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, however great it is: all the wives will show respect to their husbands, unto every one, from the great even to the small.
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，
And the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king and of the princes; and the king did according to the speech of Memuchan.
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。
And he sent letters unto all the provinces of the king, unto every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, however he may speak according to the language of his people.
