以斯帖記 4

1 末底改知道所做的這一切事，就撕裂衣服，穿麻衣，蒙灰塵，在城中行走，痛哭哀號。

Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry:

2 到了朝門前停住腳步，因為穿麻衣的不可進朝門。

and he came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter within the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 王的諭旨所到的各省各處，猶大人大大悲哀，禁食哭泣哀號，穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。

And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 王后以斯帖的宮女和太監來把這事告訴以斯帖，她甚是憂愁，就送衣服給末底改穿，要他脫下麻衣，他卻不受。

And Esther’s maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sackcloth from off him: but he received it not.

5 以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一個太監，名叫哈他革召來，吩咐他去見末底改，要知道這是甚麼事，是甚麼緣故。

Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was.

6 於是哈他革出到朝門前的寬闊處見末底改。

So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place of the city, which was before the king’s gate.

7 末底改將自己所遇的事，並哈曼為滅絕猶大人應許捐入王庫的銀數都告訴了他；

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 又將所抄寫傳遍書珊城要滅絕猶大人的旨意交給哈他革，要給以斯帖看，又要給她說明，並囑咐她進去見王，為本族的人在王面前懇切祈求。

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.

9 哈他革回來，將末底改的話告訴以斯帖；

And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 以斯帖就吩咐哈他革去見末底改，說：

Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a message unto Mordecai, [saying]:

11 「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例：若不蒙召，擅入內院見王的，無論男女必被治死；除非王向他伸出金杖，不得存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」

All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。

And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.

13 末底改託人回覆以斯帖說：「你莫想在王宮裏強過一切猶大人，得免這禍。

Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

14 此時你若閉口不言，猶大人必從別處得解脫，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致滅亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是為現今的機會嗎？」

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father’s house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 以斯帖就吩咐人回報末底改說：

Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai,

16 「你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶大人，為我禁食三晝三夜，不吃不喝；我和我的宮女也要這樣禁食。然後我違例進去見王，我若死就死吧！」

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 於是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.