Esther 1
1 Now it came about in the days of Ahasuerus, (that Ahasuerus who was ruler of a hundred and twenty-seven divisions of the kingdom, from India as far as Ethiopia: )
在薛西斯為王時，發生了這樣的事：──這薛西斯當時管轄的版圖，自印度至雇士，共計一百二十七省──
2 That in those days, when King Ahasuerus was ruling in Shushan, his strong town,
他在穌撒禁城登極後，
3 In the third year of his rule he gave a feast to all his captains and his servants; and the captains of the army of Persia and Media, the great men and the rulers of the divisions of his kingdom, were present before him;
第三年設宴款待所有的公卿朝臣，波斯與瑪待的將官，各省的賢達與總督，
4 And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.
一連一百八十天，天天誇耀他帝國的豪華富裕，和他赫赫堂皇的榮耀。
5 And at the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.
這些日子過了以後，王又在官內的御苑裏，一連七天，歡宴穌撒禁城的全體人民，不分尊卑，都來參加。
6 There were fair hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone: the seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.
庭院各處裝飾著白色和紫紅色的壁氈，繫著純白色和朱紅色的彩帶，懸在白大理石柱的銀環子上；在碧玉、白玉、珍珠和寶石舖砌的地面上，陳設了金銀的床榻。
7 And they gave them drink in gold vessels, every vessel being different, and wine of the kingdom, freely given by the king.
進飲的器皿，都是金銀製的，大小俱全；御釀豐美，以示王家的厚贈。
8 And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.
飲酒隨意，無須強勸，因為王已命宮內侍役，應隨各人所好，善加招待。
9 And Vashti the queen gave a feast for the women in the house of King Ahasuerus.
同時瓦市提皇后，在薛西斯王的後宮，也擺設盛宴，款待婦女。
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven unsexed servants who were waiting before Ahasuerus the king,
至第七日，君王一時酒酣耳熱，就命默胡曼、彼次達、哈波納、彼革達、阿巴革達、則塔爾和加爾加斯，──七個侍從薛西斯王的宦官──
11 That Vashti the queen was to come before him, crowned with her crown, and let the people and the captains see her: for she was very beautiful.
去召瓦市提王后，叫她頭戴后冠，到君王跟前來，讓眾百姓與朝臣瞻仰她的美麗，因為她的容貌，嬌媚可愛。
12 But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come: then the king was very angry, and his heart was burning with wrath.
但是瓦市提王后拒絕前來，不肯遵行宦官傳來的王命。於是君王勃然大怒，五內如焚，
13 And the king said to the wise men, who had knowledge of the times, (for this was the king's way with all who were expert in law and in the giving of decisions:
遂與通達時務的朝臣商議說：──因為當時君王要辦一事，必與精通法律民情的朝臣商議；
14 And second only to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom: )
那時在王身傍有加爾舍納、舍塔爾、阿德瑪達、塔爾史士、默勒斯、瑪色納、默慕干，七位波斯和瑪待的公卿；他們常在君王左右，分居國家的高位──「
15 What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?
按法律應如何處置瓦市提王后呢﹖因為沒有覆行宦官傳下的王命。」
16 And before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus;
默慕干在君王及公卿前建議說：「瓦市提王后不但得罪了君王，並且還得罪了薛西斯王各省的諸候與人民，
17 For news of what the queen has done will come to the ears of all women, and they will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she came not.
因為王后的這種行為，一傳到所有的婦女耳中，她們必將效尤，輕視自己的丈夫，而且說：薛西斯王命人召瓦市提王后到他跟前，她卻沒有來；
18 And the wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and wrath.
今日凡聽到王后這種舉動的波斯與瑪待的公主貴婦，也必說同樣的話，對一切王家公卿，也照樣輕視忿怒。
19 If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him, and let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her place to another who is better than she.
陛下如果贊成，可下一道上諭，附於波斯與瑪待的法典內，成為法律，禁止瓦市提后今後朝見薛西斯王；至於她的后位，王可賜與另一位比她賢淑的國妃。
20 And when this order, given by the king, is made public through all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give honour to their husbands, great as well as small.
當君王下的這道命令，傳遍整個版圖廣闊的國土時，全國的婦女，不拘尊卑，對自己的丈夫必表示尊敬。」
21 And this suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains; and the king did as Memucan said;
對這建議，君王和公卿都表示贊成；王就依照默慕干的建議施行，
22 And sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom, to every division in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs, saying that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
向全國各省，傳遞文告，依各省的文字和各民族的語言，敕令天下所有的丈夫，應為一家之主，可隨意發號施令。
