以斯帖記 3
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。
After these things hath the king Ahasuerus exalted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and lifteth him up, and setteth his throne above all the heads who [are] with him,
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。
and all servants of the king, who [are] in the gate of the king, are bowing and doing obeisance to Haman, for so hath the king commanded for him; and Mordecai doth not bow nor do obeisance.
3 於是御門供職的臣僕問摩爾德開說：「為什麼你違犯王命﹖」
And the servants of the king, who [are] in the gate of the king, say to Mordecai, 'Wherefore [art] thou transgressing the command of the king?'
4 他們天天這樣問他，他也不聽；他們便告訴了哈曼，說摩爾德開背版王命，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。
And it cometh to pass, in their speaking unto him, day by day, and he hath not hearkened unto them, that they declare [it] to Haman, to see whether the words of Mordecai do stand, for he hath declared to them that he [is] a Jew.
5 哈曼見摩爾德開不向他低頭下拜，就非常忿怒，
And Haman seeth that Mordecai is not bowing and doing obeisance to him, and Haman is full of fury,
6 心想只殺害摩爾德開一人，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。
and it is contemptible in his eyes to put forth a hand on Mordecai by himself, for they have declared to him the people of Mordecai, and Haman seeketh to destroy all the Jews who [are] in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus — the people of Mordecai.
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。
In the first month — it [is] the month of Nisan — in the twelfth year of the king Ahasuerus, hath one caused to fall Pur (that [is] the lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, [to] the twelfth, it [is] the month of 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。
And Haman saith to the king Ahasuerus, 'There is one people scattered and separated among the peoples, in all provinces of thy kingdom, and their laws [are] diverse from all people, and the laws of the king they are not doing, and for the king it is not profitable to suffer 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。」
if to the king [it be] good, let it be written to destroy them, and ten thousand talents of silver I weigh into the hands of those doing the work, to bring [it] in unto the treasuries of the king.'
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。
And the king turneth aside his signet from off his hand, and giveth it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, adversary of the Jews;
11 接著對哈曼說：「錢仍還給你，至於這個民族，你可任意處置。」
and the king saith to Haman, 'The silver is given to thee, and the people, to do with it as [it is] good in thine eyes.'
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，各民族族長；文書用薛西斯王的名義措辭，並蓋上君王的指璽；
And scribes of the king are called, on the first month, on the thirteenth day of it, and it is written according to all that Haman hath commanded, unto lieutenants of the king, and unto the governors who [are] over province and province, and unto the heads of people and people, province and province, according to its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, in the name of the king Ahasuerus it hath been written and sealed with the signet of the king,
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。
and letters to be sent by the hand of the runners unto all provinces of the king, to cut off, to slay, and to destroy all the Jews, from young even unto old, infant and women, on one day, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month — it [is] the month of Adar — and their spoil to seize,
14 諭文應在各省公佈，通知天下人民，準備應付這一天。
a copy of the writing to be made law in every province and province is revealed to all the peoples, to be ready for this day.
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。
The runners have gone forth, hastened by the word of the king, and the law hath been given in Shushan the palace, and the king and Haman have sat down to drink, and the city Shushan is perplexed.
