以斯帖記 2
1 這事以後，亞哈隨魯王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，並怎樣降旨辦她。
Later on, after all this had happened, King Xerxes' anger subsided and he thought about Vashti and what she'd done, and the decree issued against her.
2 於是王的侍臣對王說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。
His advisors suggested to him, “Why not order a search to find beautiful young virgins for Your Majesty?
3 王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。
Your Majesty should put officers in charge in each province of his empire to gather all the beautiful young women and bring them to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa. They should placed under the supervision of Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the women, and they should be given beauty treatments.
4 王所喜愛的女子可以立為王后，代替瓦實提。」王以這事為美，就如此行。
The young woman the king finds most attractive can become queen in place of Vashti.” The king thought this was a good idea, so he acted upon it.
5 書珊城有一個猶大人，名叫末底改，是便雅憫人基士的曾孫，示每的孫子，睚珥的兒子。
There was a Jewish man living in the fortress of Susa named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite
6 從前巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王耶哥尼雅和百姓從耶路撒冷擄去，末底改也在其內。
who was among those taken prisoner with King Jehoiachin of Judah and carried into exile from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
7 末底改撫養他叔叔的女兒哈大沙（後名以斯帖），因為她沒有父母。這女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她為自己的女兒。
He had brought up Hadassah (or Esther), his uncle's daughter, because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. After her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.
8 王的諭旨傳出，就招聚許多女子到書珊城，交給掌管女子的希該；以斯帖也送入王宮，交付希該。
When the king's order and decree had been announced, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa under the supervision of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the king's palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
9 希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙給她需用的香品和她所當得的分，又派所當得的七個宮女服事她，使她和她的宮女搬入女院上好的房屋。
Esther caught his eye and he treated her favorably. He quickly arranged beauty treatments and special food for her. He also provided her with seven specially-chosen maids from the king's palace, and moved her and her maids to the best location in the harem.
10 以斯帖未曾將籍貫宗族告訴人，因為末底改囑咐她不可叫人知道。
Esther had not let anyone know her nationality or who her family was, because Mordecai had ordered her not to.
11 末底改天天在女院前邊行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，並後事如何。
Each day Mordecai spent time walking around in front of the courtyard of the harem so he could find out how Esther was doing and what was happening to her.
12 眾女子照例先潔淨身體十二個月：六個月用沒藥油，六個月用香料和潔身之物。滿了日期，然後挨次進去見亞哈隨魯王。
Before it was the turn of a young woman to go to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments for women that were required: six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumed oils and ointments.
13 女子進去見王是這樣：從女院到王宮的時候，凡她所要的都必給她。
When it was time for the young woman to go to the king, she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.
14 晚上進去，次日回到女子第二院，交給掌管妃嬪的太監沙甲；除非王喜愛她，再提名召她，就不再進去見王。
In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to a different harem under the supervision of Shaashgaz, who was the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not go back to be with the king again unless he was particularly attracted to her and called for her by name.
15 末底改叔叔亞比孩的女兒，就是末底改收為自己女兒的以斯帖，按次序當進去見王的時候，除了掌管女子的太監希該所派定給她的，她別無所求。凡看見以斯帖的都喜悅她。
(Esther was the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.) When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she didn't ask for anything to take with her except what Hegai advised. (He was the king's eunuch in charge of the women.) Esther was looked on with admiration by everybody.
16 亞哈隨魯王第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被引入宮見王。
Esther was taken to King Xerxes into his royal palace, in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。
The king loved Esther more than all the other women. He treated her more favorably and with greater kindness than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 王因以斯帖的緣故給眾首領和臣僕設擺大筵席，又豁免各省的租稅，並照王的厚意大頒賞賜。
The king gave a great feast for all his officials and administrators—Esther's feast. He also declared it a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed generous gifts.
19 第二次招聚處女的時候，末底改坐在朝門。
Even though there had been a second gathering of virgins, and Mordecai had been given a position by the king,
20 以斯帖照着末底改所囑咐的，還沒有將籍貫宗族告訴人；因為以斯帖遵末底改的命，如撫養她的時候一樣。
Esther still did not let anyone know about her family or her nationality, as Mordecai had ordered her. She followed Mordecai's instructions just as she did when he brought her up.
21 當那時候，末底改坐在朝門，王的太監中有兩個守門的，辟探和提列，惱恨亞哈隨魯王，想要下手害他。
At that time, as Mordecai was doing his work at the palace gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the entrance to the king's rooms, became furious with King Xerxes and looked for a way to assassinate him.
22 末底改知道了，就告訴王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，報告於王；
Mordecai found out about the plot and reported it to Queen Esther. Esther in turn told the king on Mordecai's behalf.
23 究察這事，果然是實，就把二人掛在木頭上，將這事在王面前寫於歷史上。
When the plot was investigated and found to be true, both men were impaled on poles. This was recorded in the official Book of Records by order of the king.
