< 以斯帖記 6 >

1 那夜王睡不着覺,就吩咐人取歷史來,念給他聽。
The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,
2 正遇見書上寫着說:王的太監中有兩個守門的,辟探和提列,想要下手害亞哈隨魯王,末底改將這事告訴王后。
they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.
3 王說:「末底改行了這事,賜他甚麼尊榮爵位沒有?」伺候王的臣僕回答說:「沒有賜他甚麼。」
When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”
4 王說:「誰在院子裏?」(那時哈曼正進王宮的外院,要求王將末底改掛在他所預備的木架上。)
And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.
5 臣僕說:「哈曼站在院內。」王說:「叫他進來。」
The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
6 哈曼就進去。王問他說:「王所喜悅尊榮的人,當如何待他呢?」哈曼心裏說:「王所喜悅尊榮的,不是我是誰呢?」
And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,
7 哈曼就回答說:「王所喜悅尊榮的,
answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
8 當將王常穿的朝服和戴冠的御馬,
ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.
9 都交給王極尊貴的一個大臣,命他將衣服給王所喜悅尊榮的人穿上,使他騎上馬,走遍城裏的街市,在他面前宣告說:王所喜悅尊榮的人,就如此待他。」
And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’”
10 王對哈曼說:「你速速將這衣服和馬,照你所說的,向坐在朝門的猶大人末底改去行。凡你所說的,一樣不可缺。」
And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”
11 於是哈曼將朝服給末底改穿上,使他騎上馬,走遍城裏的街市,在他面前宣告說:「王所喜悅尊榮的人,就如此待他。」
And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”
12 末底改仍回到朝門,哈曼卻憂憂悶悶地蒙着頭,急忙回家去了,
And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
13 將所遇的一切事詳細說給他的妻細利斯和他的眾朋友聽。他的智慧人和他的妻細利斯對他說:「你在末底改面前始而敗落,他如果是猶大人,你必不能勝他,終必在他面前敗落。」
And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”
14 他們還與哈曼說話的時候,王的太監來催哈曼快去赴以斯帖所預備的筵席。
As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.

< 以斯帖記 6 >