以斯帖記 9
1 十二月，乃亞達月十三日，王的諭旨將要舉行，就是猶大人的仇敵盼望轄制他們的日子，猶大人反倒轄制恨他們的人。
And, in the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day thereof, when the word of the king and his edict arrived to be put in execution, —on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it, was changed, so that the Jews themselves should have power over them who hated them,
2 猶大人在亞哈隨魯王各省的城裏聚集，下手擊殺那要害他們的人。無人能敵擋他們，因為各族都懼怕他們。
the Jews assembled themselves together in their cities, throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to thrust forth a hand against them who were seeking their hurt, and, no man, stood before them, for the dread of them had fallen upon all the peoples.
3 各省的首領、總督、省長，和辦理王事的人，因懼怕末底改，就都幫助猶大人。
And, all the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps and the pashas, and the doers of business that pertained to the king, were extolling the Jews, —for the dread of Mordecai, had fallen upon them;
4 末底改在朝中為大，名聲傳遍各省，日漸昌盛。
since great was Mordecai, in the house of the king, and, his fame, was going forth throughout all the provinces, —for, the man Mordecai, went on waxing great.
5 猶大人用刀擊殺一切仇敵，任意殺滅恨他們的人。
So then the Jews smote all their enemies, with the smiting of the sword and slaughter, and destruction, —and they dealt with them who hated them according to their pleasure.
6 在書珊城，猶大人殺滅了五百人；
Yea, in Shusan the palace, did the Jews slay and destroy five hundred men.
7 又殺巴珊大他、達分、亞斯帕他、
And Parshandatha and Dalphon, and Aspatha;
8 破拉他、亞大利雅、亞利大他、
and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha;
9 帕瑪斯他、亞利賽、亞利代、瓦耶撒他；
and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha; —
10 這十人都是哈米大他的孫子、猶大人仇敵哈曼的兒子。猶大人卻沒有下手奪取財物。
the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the adversary of the Jews, slew they, —but, on the spoil, thrust they not forth their hand.
11 當日，將書珊城被殺的人數呈在王前。
On that day, came in the number of the slain into Shusan the palace, before the king.
12 王對王后以斯帖說：「猶大人在書珊城殺滅了五百人，又殺了哈曼的十個兒子，在王的各省不知如何呢？現在你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你還求甚麼，也必為你成就。」
Then said the king unto Esther the queen, In Shusan the palace, have the Jews slain and caused to perish five hundred men, and the ten sons of Haman, —in the rest of the provinces of the king, what have they done? What, then, is thy petition, that it may be granted thee? and what is thy request further, that it may he performed?
13 以斯帖說：「王若以為美，求你准書珊的猶大人，明日也照今日的旨意行，並將哈曼十個兒子的屍首掛在木架上。」
Then said Esther, If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be granted, to-morrow also, unto the Jews who are in Shusan, to do according to the edict of to-day, —and that, the ten sons of Haman, be hanged upon the gallows.
14 王便允准如此行。旨意傳在書珊，人就把哈曼十個兒子的屍首掛起來了。
And the king commanded it to be done so, and there was given an edict, in Shusan, —and, the ten sons of Haman, they hanged.
15 亞達月十四日，書珊的猶大人又聚集在書珊，殺了三百人，卻沒有下手奪取財物。
So the Jews who were in Shusan assembled themselves together, on the fourteenth day also, of the month Adar, and slew in Shusan three hundred men, —but, on the spoil, thrust they not forth their hand.
16 在王各省其餘的猶大人也都聚集保護性命，殺了恨他們的人七萬五千，卻沒有下手奪取財物。這樣，就脫離仇敵，得享平安。
And, the remainder of the Jews who were in the provinces of the king, assembled themselves together and stood for their life, and then had rest from their enemies, having slain of them that hated them seventy-five thousand, —but, on the spoil, thrust they not forth their hand:
17 亞達月十三日，行了這事；十四日安息，以這日為設筵歡樂的日子。
on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, —and then had rest on the fourteenth day thereof, and made it a day of banqueting and rejoicing.
18 但書珊的猶大人，這十三日、十四日聚集殺戮仇敵；十五日安息，以這日為設筵歡樂的日子。
But, the Jews who were in Shusan, assembled themselves together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth day thereof, —and then had rest on the fifteenth day thereof, and made it a day of banqueting and rejoicing.
19 所以住無城牆鄉村的猶大人，如今都以亞達月十四日為設筵歡樂的吉日，彼此餽送禮物。
For this cause, the country Jews, who dwelt in the country towns, were making the fourteenth day of the month Adar one of rejoicing and banqueting, and a day of happiness, —and of sending portions every one to his neighbour.
20 末底改記錄這事，寫信與亞哈隨魯王各省遠近所有的猶大人，
And Mordecai wrote these things, —and sent letters unto all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near, and far off;
21 囑咐他們每年守亞達月十四、十五兩日，
to establish for them, that they should continue to observe the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day thereof, —always year by year;
22 以這月的兩日為猶大人脫離仇敵得平安、轉憂為喜、轉悲為樂的吉日。在這兩日設筵歡樂，彼此餽送禮物，賙濟窮人。
according to the days wherein the Jews found rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned for them, from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a happy day, —that they should make them days of banqueting and rejoicing, and of sending portions, every one to his neighbour, and gifts, unto the needy.
23 於是，猶大人按着末底改所寫與他們的信，應承照初次所守的守為永例；
And the Jews took upon them that which they had begun to do, —and that which Mordecai had written unto them;
24 是因猶大人的仇敵亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼設謀殺害猶大人，掣普珥，就是掣籤，為要殺盡滅絕他們；
because, Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews, to cause them to perish, —and had cast Pur, the same, is the Lot, to terrify them, and to destroy them;
25 這事報告於王，王便降旨使哈曼謀害猶大人的惡事歸到他自己的頭上，並吩咐把他和他的眾子都掛在木架上。
but, by [Esther’s] going in before the king, he commanded by letter, that his wicked plot which he had plotted against the Jews, should return, upon his own head, —and that he and his sons should be hanged upon the gallows.
26 照着普珥的名字，猶大人就稱這兩日為「普珥日」。他們因這信上的話，又因所看見所遇見的事，
For this cause, called they these days Purim, after the name Pur, for this cause, —for all the words of this epistle, —and what they had seen concerning such a matter, and what had reached unto them.
27 就應承自己與後裔，並歸附他們的人，每年按時必守這兩日，永遠不廢。
The Jews established and took upon themselves—and upon their seed, and upon all who should join themselves unto them, that it might not pass away, that they would continue to keep these two days, according to the writing concerning them and at their set time, —always year by year.
28 各省各城、家家戶戶、世世代代紀念遵守這兩日，使這「普珥日」在猶大人中不可廢掉，在他們後裔中也不可忘記。
And, these days, were to be remembered and to be kept, always from generation to generation, by every family, every province, and every city, —that, these days of Purim, should not pass away, out of the midst of the Jews, and, the memorial of them, not cease from their seed.
29 亞比孩的女兒－王后以斯帖和猶大人末底改以全權寫第二封信，堅囑猶大人守這「普珥日」，
Then wrote Esther the queen daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew, with all authority, —to confirm this second epistle concerning the Purim;
30 用和平誠實話寫信給亞哈隨魯王國中一百二十七省所有的猶大人，
and he sent letters unto all the Jews, throughout the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, —words of peace and stability:
31 勸他們按時守這「普珥日」，禁食呼求，是照猶大人末底改和王后以斯帖所囑咐的，也照猶大人為自己與後裔所應承的。
to establish these days of the Purim, in their set times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined upon them, and according as they had enjoined upon their own soul, and upon their seed, —the story of the fastings and of their outcry.
32 以斯帖命定守「普珥日」，這事也記錄在書上。
And, the command of Esther, confirmed the story of these Purim, —and it was written in a book.
