Esther 1
1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (that is, the Ahasuerus that reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces),
亚哈随鲁作王，从印度直到古实，统管一百二十七省。
2 in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the fortress,
亚哈随鲁王在书珊城的宫登基；
3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces being before him;
在位第三年，为他一切首领臣仆设摆筵席，有波斯和米底亚的权贵，就是各省的贵胄与首领，在他面前。
4 when he shewed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the splendid magnificence of his grandeur many days, a hundred and eighty days.
他把他荣耀之国的丰富和他美好威严的尊贵给他们看了许多日，就是一百八十日。
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the fortress, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
这日子满了，又为所有住书珊城的大小人民在御园的院子里设摆筵席七日。
6 White, green, and blue [hangings] were fastened with cords of byssus and purple to silver rings and pillars of white marble; couches of gold and silver [lay] upon a pavement of red and white marble, and alabaster, and black marble.
有白色、绿色、蓝色的帐子，用细麻绳、紫色绳从银环内系在白玉石柱上；有金银的床榻摆在红、白、黄、黑玉石的铺石地上。
7 And they gave drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the king's bounty.
用金器皿赐酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足显王的厚意。
8 And the drinking was, according to commandment, without constraint; for so the king had appointed to all the magnates of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
喝酒有例，不准勉强人，因王吩咐宫里的一切臣宰，让人各随己意。
9 Also the queen Vashti made a feast for the women of the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
王后瓦实提在亚哈随鲁王的宫内也为妇女设摆筵席。
10 On the seventh day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Ahasuerus,
第七日，亚哈随鲁王饮酒，心中快乐，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七个太监米户幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亚拔他、西达、甲迦，
11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown to shew the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was of beautiful countenance.
请王后瓦实提头戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因为她容貌甚美。
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king which was [sent] by the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burned in him.
王后瓦实提却不肯遵太监所传的王命而来，所以王甚发怒，心如火烧。
13 And the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king's business [conducted] before all that knew law and judgment;
那时，在王左右常见王面、国中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亚的七个大臣，就是甲示拿、示达、押玛他、他施斯、米力、玛西拿、米母干，都是达时务的明哲人。按王的常规，办事必先询问知例明法的人。王问他们说：
14 and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and who sat first in the kingdom),
15 What shall be done to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the word of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
“王后瓦实提不遵太监所传的王命，照例应当怎样办理呢？”
16 Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, The queen Vashti has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
米母干在王和众首领面前回答说：“王后瓦实提这事，不但得罪王，并且有害于王各省的臣民；
17 For the act of the queen will come abroad to all women, so as to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when they shall say, The king Ahasuerus commanded the queen Vashti to be brought in before him, and she came not!
因为王后这事必传到众妇人的耳中，说：‘亚哈随鲁王吩咐王后瓦实提到王面前，她却不来’，她们就藐视自己的丈夫。
18 And the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's act, will say it this day to all the king's princes, and there will be contempt and anger enough.
今日波斯和米底亚的众夫人听见王后这事，必向王的大臣照样行；从此必大开藐视和忿怒之端。
19 If it please the king, let a royal order go forth from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it may not pass, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she;
王若以为美，就降旨写在波斯和米底亚人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦实提再到王面前，将她王后的位分赐给比她还好的人。
20 and when the king's edict which he shall make shall be heard throughout his realm — for it is great — all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, from the greatest to the least.
所降的旨意传遍通国（国度本来广大），所有的妇人，无论丈夫贵贱都必尊敬他。”
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
王和众首领都以米母干的话为美，王就照这话去行，
22 And he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language, That every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.
发诏书，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使为丈夫的在家中作主，各说本地的方言。
