以斯帖記 8
1 當日，亞哈隨魯王把猶大人仇敵哈曼的家產賜給王后以斯帖。末底改也來到王面前，因為以斯帖已經告訴王，末底改是她的親屬。
On that day king, Artaxerxes gave the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, to queen Esther, and Mordecai entered before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her paternal uncle.
2 王摘下自己的戒指，就是從哈曼追回的，給了末底改。以斯帖派末底改管理哈曼的家產。
And the king took the ring, which he had ordered to be taken from Haman, and he handed it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over her house.
3 以斯帖又俯伏在王腳前，流淚哀告，求他除掉亞甲族哈曼害猶大人的惡謀。
Not content with these things, she threw herself down at the king’s feet and wept, and, speaking to him, pleaded that he would give orders that the malice of Haman the Agagite, and his most wicked schemes, which he had contrived against the Jews, would be made ineffective.
4 王向以斯帖伸出金杖；以斯帖就起來，站在王前，
But he, as was the custom, extended the golden scepter with his hand, which was the sign of clemency, and she rose up and stood before him.
5 說：「亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼設謀傳旨，要殺滅在王各省的猶大人。現今王若願意，我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若以為美，若喜悅我，請王另下旨意，廢除哈曼所傳的那旨意。
And she said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his eyes, and my request is not seen to be disagreeable to him, I beg you that the former letters of Haman, the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he instructed them to be destroyed in all the king’s provinces, may be corrected by new letters.
6 我何忍見我本族的人受害？何忍見我同宗的人被滅呢？」
For how will I be able to endure the murder and execution of my people?”
7 亞哈隨魯王對王后以斯帖和猶大人末底改說：「因哈曼要下手害猶大人，我已將他的家產賜給以斯帖，人也將哈曼掛在木架上。
And king Artaxerxes answered Esther the queen and Mordecai the Jew, “I have granted Haman’s house to Esther, and I have ordered him to be fastened to a cross, because he dared to lay hands on the Jews.
8 現在你們可以隨意奉王的名寫諭旨給猶大人，用王的戒指蓋印；因為奉王名所寫、用王戒指蓋印的諭旨，人都不能廢除。」
Therefore, write to the Jews, just as it pleases you, in the king’s name, sealing the letters with my ring.” For this was the custom, that letters which were sent in the king’s name and were sealed with his ring, no one would dare to contradict.
9 三月，就是西彎月二十三日，將王的書記召來，按着末底改所吩咐的，用各省的文字、各族的方言，並猶大人的文字方言寫諭旨，傳給那從印度直到古實一百二十七省的猶大人和總督省長首領。
Then the scribes and copyists were brought in, (now it was the time of the third month which is called Sivan, ) on the twenty-third day of the month, and letters were written, as Mordecai wanted, to the Jews, and to the governors, and procurators, and judges, who presided over the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, from India all the way to Ethiopia: to one province and another, to one people and another, in accordance with their languages and letters, and to the Jews, exactly as they were able to read and hear.
10 末底改奉亞哈隨魯王的名寫諭旨，用王的戒指蓋印，交給騎御馬圈快馬的驛卒，傳到各處。
And these letters, which were sent in the king’s name, had been signed with his ring, and were sent by swift couriers who were to rush in every direction, through all the provinces, so as to prevent the former letters with new messages.
11 諭旨中，王准各省各城的猶大人在一日之間，十二月，就是亞達月十三日，聚集保護性命，剪除殺戮滅絕那要攻擊猶大人的一切仇敵和他們的妻子兒女，奪取他們的財為掠物。
The king commanded them to bring together the Jews throughout each city, and to instruct them to join together, so as to make a stand for their lives, and to execute and destroy all their enemies, with their wives and children and their entire houses, and to plunder their spoil.
And one day of retribution was established throughout all the provinces, namely, the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar.
13 抄錄這諭旨，頒行各省，宣告各族，使猶大人預備等候那日，在仇敵身上報仇。
And such was the content of the letter, so that it would be made known in all lands and nations, which are subject to the authority of king Artaxerxes, that the Jews have been made ready to be vindicated of their enemies.
14 於是騎快馬的驛卒被王命催促，急忙起行；諭旨也傳遍書珊城。
And so the swift couriers departed in haste, carrying through the announcement, and the king’s edict was hung up in Susa.
15 末底改穿着藍色白色的朝服，頭戴大金冠冕，又穿紫色細麻布的外袍，從王面前出來；書珊城的人民都歡呼快樂。
But Mordecai, going forth from the palace and from the king’s presence, shone in royal apparel the color of hyacinth and of the sky, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was joyful.
16 猶大人有光榮，歡喜快樂而得尊貴。
But for the Jews, a new light seemed to rise; there was joy, honor, and dancing.
17 王的諭旨所到的各省各城，猶大人都歡喜快樂，設擺筵宴，以那日為吉日。那國的人民，有許多因懼怕猶大人，就入了猶大籍。
With all the peoples, cities, and provinces, wherever the king’s orders arrived, there was wonderful rejoicing, banquets and feasts, and a solemn holy day, so much so that many of the other nations joined themselves to their religious practices and ceremonies. For a great fear of the name of the Jews had overcome them all.
