< Esther 5 >

1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the entrance of the house.
第三天,艾斯德爾身穿王后的華服,站在王宮的內院,面向宮殿;那時君王正坐在宮殿的寶座上,面向宮門。
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
君王一見艾斯德爾王后在庭院內,就對她起了寵幸的心,於是向艾斯德爾伸出手中的金杖,艾斯德爾遂上前來,摸了金杖的頂端。
3 Then the king said to her, What will thou, queen Esther? And what is thy request? It shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
君王問她說:「艾斯德爾后,你有什麼事﹖你要求什麼﹖即使要求一半江山,我也必賜給你! 」
4 And Esther said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him.
艾斯德爾答說:「若大王開恩,請大王今日與哈曼同去飲妾為陛下所預備的酒宴。」
5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste that it may be done as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
王遂說:「快叫哈曼來,以滿足艾斯德爾的心願! 」於是王和哈曼一同去赴艾斯德爾預備的酒宴。
6 And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? And it shall be granted thee. And what is thy request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
酒興之餘,王對艾斯德爾說:「你要求什麼,我必給你;不管你求什麼,那怕是半壁江山,也必照辦。」
7 Then Esther answered, and said, My petition and my request is,
艾斯德爾答說:「這即是我的懇請和要求:
8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.
如果我見寵於大王,如果大王樂意俯允我的懇請,實踐我的要求,就請大王明天與哈曼,再來飲妾所設的酒宴;明天我必依照君王的命答覆陛下。」
9 Then Haman went forth that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he did not stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
那一天,哈曼出去,非常高興,滿心喜樂;但是哈曼一見在御門前的猶太人摩爾德開既不起立,也不退避,就對他滿懷憤恨,
10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home, and he sent and fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife.
卻仍忍氣回了家,且打發人叫他的朋友和愛妻則勒士來,
11 And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the rulers and servants of the king.
向他們誇耀自己如何富貴榮華,子女如何眾多,君王如何尊崇他,如何高舉他在眾公卿和朝臣之上。
12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king.
他又說:「甚至,艾斯德爾王后,除我以外,沒有請任何人與君王一同赴她設的盛宴;明天又請我再同君王到她那裏去。
13 Yet all this avails me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.
但每當我一見坐在御門前的猶太人摩爾德開時,這一切於我都乏味了! 」
14 Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou to the king that Mordecai may be hanged on it. Then go thou in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman, and he caused the gallows to be made.
他的愛妻則勒士和他的朋友便對他說:「該做一個高五十尺的刑架,天一亮就對君王說:把摩爾德開懸在上面! 這樣你可欣然與君王共同赴筵了。」哈曼看這主意不錯,就叫人做了一個刑架。

< Esther 5 >