以斯帖记 2
1 这事以后，亚哈随鲁王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦实提和她所行的，并怎样降旨办她。
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2 于是王的侍臣对王说：“不如为王寻找美貌的处女。
Then the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
3 王可以派官在国中的各省招聚美貌的处女到书珊城的女院，交给掌管女子的太监希该，给她们当用的香品。
Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;
4 王所喜爱的女子可以立为王后，代替瓦实提。”王以这事为美，就如此行。
and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
5 书珊城有一个犹大人，名叫末底改，是便雅悯人基士的曾孙，示每的孙子，睚珥的儿子。
There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
6 从前巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王耶哥尼雅和百姓从耶路撒冷掳去，末底改也在其内。
who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 末底改抚养他叔叔的女儿哈大沙（后名以斯帖），因为她没有父母。这女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她为自己的女儿。
He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8 王的谕旨传出，就招聚许多女子到书珊城，交给掌管女子的希该；以斯帖也送入王宫，交付希该。
So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 希该喜悦以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙给她需用的香品和她所当得的分，又派所当得的七个宫女服事她，使她和她的宫女搬入女院上好的房屋。
The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.
10 以斯帖未曾将籍贯宗族告诉人，因为末底改嘱咐她不可叫人知道。
Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.
11 末底改天天在女院前边行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，并后事如何。
Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.
12 众女子照例先洁净身体十二个月：六个月用没药油，六个月用香料和洁身之物。满了日期，然后挨次进去见亚哈随鲁王。
Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).
13 女子进去见王是这样：从女院到王宫的时候，凡她所要的都必给她。
The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.
14 晚上进去，次日回到女子第二院，交给掌管妃嫔的太监沙甲；除非王喜爱她，再提名召她，就不再进去见王。
In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
15 末底改叔叔亚比孩的女儿，就是末底改收为自己女儿的以斯帖，按次序当进去见王的时候，除了掌管女子的太监希该所派定给她的，她别无所求。凡看见以斯帖的都喜悦她。
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
16 亚哈随鲁王第七年十月，就是提别月，以斯帖被引入宫见王。
So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 王爱以斯帖过于爱众女，她在王眼前蒙宠爱比众处女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她头上，立她为王后，代替瓦实提。
The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 王因以斯帖的缘故给众首领和臣仆设摆大筵席，又豁免各省的租税，并照王的厚意大颁赏赐。
Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
19 第二次招聚处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门。
When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
20 以斯帖照着末底改所嘱咐的，还没有将籍贯宗族告诉人；因为以斯帖遵末底改的命，如抚养她的时候一样。
Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.
21 当那时候，末底改坐在朝门，王的太监中有两个守门的，辟探和提列，恼恨亚哈随鲁王，想要下手害他。
In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
22 末底改知道了，就告诉王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，报告于王；
This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
23 究察这事，果然是实，就把二人挂在木头上，将这事在王面前写于历史上。
When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.
