以斯帖記 3
1 這事以後，亞哈隨魯王抬舉亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼，使他高升，叫他的爵位超過與他同事的一切臣宰。
And after this king Artaxerxes highly honoured Aman [son] of Amadathes, the Bugaean, and exalted him, and set his seat above all his friends.
2 在朝門的一切臣僕都跪拜哈曼，因為王如此吩咐；惟獨末底改不跪不拜。
And all in the palace did him obeisance, for so the king had given orders to do: but Mardochaeus did not do him obeisance.
3 在朝門的臣僕問末底改說：「你為何違背王的命令呢？」
And they in the king's palace said to Mardochaeus, Mardochaeus, why do you transgress the commands of the king?
4 他們天天勸他，他還是不聽，他們就告訴哈曼，要看末底改的事站得住站不住，因他已經告訴他們自己是猶大人。
[Thus] they spoke daily to him, but he listened not to them; so they represented to Aman that Mardochaeus resisted the commands of the king: and Mardochaeus had shown to them that he was a Jew.
5 哈曼見末底改不跪不拜，他就怒氣填胸。
And when Aman understood that Mardochaeus did not obeisance to him, he was greatly enraged,
6 他們已將末底改的本族告訴哈曼；他以為下手害末底改一人是小事，就要滅絕亞哈隨魯王通國所有的猶大人，就是末底改的本族。
and took counsel to destroy utterly all the Jews who were under the rule of Artaxerxes.
7 亞哈隨魯王十二年正月，就是尼散月，人在哈曼面前，按日日月月掣普珥，就是掣籤，要定何月何日為吉，擇定了十二月，就是亞達月。
And he made a decree in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, and cast lots daily and monthly, to kill in one day the race of Mardochaeus: and the lot fell on the fourteenth [day] of the month which is Adar.
8 哈曼對亞哈隨魯王說：「有一種民散居在王國各省的民中；他們的律例與萬民的律例不同，也不守王的律例，所以容留他們與王無益。
And he spoke to king Artaxerxes, saying, There is a nation scattered amongst the nations in all your kingdom, and their laws differ from [those of] all the [other] nations; and they disobey the laws of the king; and it is not expedient for the king to let them alone.
9 王若以為美，請下旨意滅絕他們；我就捐一萬他連得銀子交給掌管國帑的人，納入王的府庫。」
If it seem good to the king, let him make a decree to destroy them: and I will remit into the king's treasury ten thousand talents of silver.
10 於是王從自己手上摘下戒指給猶大人的仇敵－亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼。
And the king took off his ring, and gave it into the hands of Aman, to seal the decrees against the Jews.
11 王對哈曼說：「這銀子仍賜給你，這民也交給你，你可以隨意待他們。」
And the king said to Aman, Keep the silver, and treat the nation as you will.
12 正月十三日，就召了王的書記來，照着哈曼一切所吩咐的，用各省的文字、各族的方言，奉亞哈隨魯王的名寫旨意，傳與總督和各省的省長，並各族的首領；又用王的戒指蓋印，
So the king's recorders were called in the first month, on the thirteenth [day], and they wrote as Aman commanded to the captains and governors in every province, from India even to Ethiopia, to a hundred and twenty-seven provinces; and to the rulers of the nations according to their [several] languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes.
13 交給驛卒傳到王的各省，吩咐將猶大人，無論老少婦女孩子，在一日之間，十二月，就是亞達月十三日，全然剪除，殺戮滅絕，並奪他們的財為掠物。
And [the message] was sent by posts throughout the kingdom of Artaxerxes, to destroy utterly the race of the Jews on the first day of the twelfth month, which is Adar, and to plunder their goods.
14 抄錄這旨意，頒行各省，宣告各族，使他們預備等候那日。
And the copies of the letters were published in every province; and an order was given to all the nations to be ready against that day.
15 驛卒奉王命急忙起行，旨意也傳遍書珊城。王同哈曼坐下飲酒，書珊城的民卻都慌亂。
And the business was hastened, and [that] at Susa: and the king and Aman began to drink; but the city was troubled.
