以斯帖记 1
1 亚哈随鲁作王，从印度直到古实，统管一百二十七省。
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
2 亚哈随鲁王在书珊城的宫登基；
[That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
3 在位第三年，为他一切首领臣仆设摆筵席，有波斯和米底亚的权贵，就是各省的贵胄与首领，在他面前。
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, [being] before him:
4 他把他荣耀之国的丰富和他美好威严的尊贵给他们看了许多日，就是一百八十日。
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, [even] an hundred and fourscore days.
5 这日子满了，又为所有住书珊城的大小人民在御园的院子里设摆筵席七日。
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
6 有白色、绿色、蓝色的帐子，用细麻绳、紫色绳从银环内系在白玉石柱上；有金银的床榻摆在红、白、黄、黑玉石的铺石地上。
[Where were] white, green, and blue, [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds [were of] gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 用金器皿赐酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足显王的厚意。
And they gave [them] drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8 喝酒有例，不准勉强人，因王吩咐宫里的一切臣宰，让人各随己意。
And the drinking [was] according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9 王后瓦实提在亚哈随鲁王的宫内也为妇女设摆筵席。
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.
10 第七日，亚哈随鲁王饮酒，心中快乐，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七个太监米户幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亚拔他、西达、甲迦，
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11 请王后瓦实提头戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因为她容貌甚美。
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she [was] fair to look on.
12 王后瓦实提却不肯遵太监所传的王命而来，所以王甚发怒，心如火烧。
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by [his] chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13 那时，在王左右常见王面、国中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亚的七个大臣，就是甲示拿、示达、押玛他、他施斯、米力、玛西拿、米母干，都是达时务的明哲人。按王的常规，办事必先询问知例明法的人。王问他们说：
Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so [was] the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
And the next unto him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, [and] which sat the first in the kingdom; )
15 “王后瓦实提不遵太监所传的王命，照例应当怎样办理呢？”
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 米母干在王和众首领面前回答说：“王后瓦实提这事，不但得罪王，并且有害于王各省的臣民；
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that [are] in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17 因为王后这事必传到众妇人的耳中，说：‘亚哈随鲁王吩咐王后瓦实提到王面前，她却不来’，她们就藐视自己的丈夫。
For [this] deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 今日波斯和米底亚的众夫人听见王后这事，必向王的大臣照样行；从此必大开藐视和忿怒之端。
[Likewise] shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus [shall there arise] too much contempt and wrath.
19 王若以为美，就降旨写在波斯和米底亚人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦实提再到王面前，将她王后的位分赐给比她还好的人。
If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
20 所降的旨意传遍通国（国度本来广大），所有的妇人，无论丈夫贵贱都必尊敬他。”
And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great, ) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 王和众首领都以米母干的话为美，王就照这话去行，
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22 发诏书，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使为丈夫的在家中作主，各说本地的方言。
For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that [it] should be published according to the language of every people.
