Esther 9
1 So on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which as we have said above is called Adar, when all the Jews were designed to be massacred, and their enemies were greedy after their blood, the case being altered, the Jews began to have the upper hand, and to revenge themselves of their adversaries.
十二月，「阿達爾」月十三日，是該執行君令和上諭的那一天，也是猶太人的敵人原想殲滅猶太人的日期，卻變成了猶太人制服敵人的日子。
2 And they gathered themselves together in every city, and town, and place, to lay their hands on their enemies, and their persecutors. And no one durst withstand them, for the fear of their power had gone through every people.
住在薛西斯王各省各城的猶太人，都聚集起來，動手攻打那些想謀害他們的人，但沒有一個人能敵擋他們，因為所有人民都害怕他們。
3 And the judges of the provinces, and the governors, and lieutenants, and every one in dignity, that presided over every place and work, extolled the Jews for fear of Mardochai:
各省的首長，御史大臣和省長，以及為君王服務的人，都擁護猶太人，因為害怕摩爾德開。
4 For they knew him to be prince of the palace, and to have great power: and the fame of his name increased daily, and was spread abroad through all men’s mouths.
的確，摩爾德開在王宮裏已掌大權，聲譽傳遍各省，而摩爾德開的權力越來越大。
5 So the Jews made a great slaughter of their enemies, and killed them, repaying according to what they had prepared to do to them:
這樣猶太人就用刀屠殺，消滅了一切敵人，任意對待了仇恨他們的人；
6 Insomuch that even in Susan they killed five hundred men, besides the ten sons of Aman the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews: whose names are these:
只在穌撒禁城，猶太人就殺死了五百人，
7 Pharsandatha, and Delphon, and Esphatha,
也殺了帕商大達、達耳豐、阿斯帕達、
8 And Phoratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
頗辣達、阿黎大達、
9 And Phermesta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Jezatha.
帕瑪市達、阿黎賽、阿黎待與耶匝達，
10 And when they had slain them, they would not touch the spoils of their goods.
即哈曼大達的兒子，猶太人的仇人哈曼的十個兒子，但沒有下手搶奪財物。
11 And presently the number of them that were killed in Susan was brought to the king.
當天，君王就知道了在穌撒禁城內殺死的人數。
12 And he said to the queen: The Jews have killed five hundred men in the city of Susan, besides the ten sons of Aman: how many dost thou think they have slain in all the provinces? What askest thou more, and what wilt thou have me to command to be done?
對艾斯德爾后說：「在穌撒禁城內，猶太人已殺死了五百人和哈曼的十個兒子，在帝國其他各省內，他們更將做出何事﹖如今你還請求什麼，我必賜給你；你還要求什麼，我都必履行。」
13 And she answered: If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews, to do tomorrow in Susan as they have done today, and that the ten sons of Aman may be hanged upon gibbets.
艾斯德爾答說：「如蒙大王賜恩，請恩准住在穌撒的猶太人，明天也照今天的法律行事，把哈曼的十個兒子懸在刑架上。」
14 And the king commanded that it should be so done. And forthwith the edict was hung up in Susan, and the ten sons of Aman were hanged.
王就下令照辦。於是在穌撒發出了一道諭旨，要把哈曼的十個兒子懸在刑架上。
15 And on the fourteenth day of the month Adar the Jews gathered themselves together, and they killed in Susan three hundred men: but they took not their substance.
在「阿達爾」月十四日那一天，住在穌撒的猶太人又集合起來，在那裏擊殺了三百人，但沒有下手搶奪財物。
16 Moreover through all the provinces which were subject to the king’s dominion the Jews stood for their lives, and slew their enemies and persecutors: insomuch that the number of them that were Billed amounted to seventy-five thousand, and no man took any of their goods.
住在君王各省的他猶太人，也聚集起來保衛自己，擺脫敵人的侵害，把他們的七萬五千仇人殺死，但沒有下手搶奪財物。
17 Now the thirteenth day of the month Adar was the first day with them all of the slaughter, and on the fourteenth day they left off. Which they ordained to be kept holy day, so that all times hereafter they should celebrate it with feasting, joy, and banquets.
這是「阿達爾」月十三日的事；十四日那天，他們安息，舉行慶功的歡宴。
18 But they that were killing in the city of Susan, were employed in the slaughter on the thirteenth and fourteenth day of the same month: and on the fifteenth day they rested. And therefore they appointed that day to be a holy day of feasting and gladness.
住在穌撒的猶太人，因為在十三十四日聚集復仇，便於十五日安息，舉行慶功的歡宴。
19 But those Jews that dwelt in towns not walled and in villages, appointed the fourteenth day of the month Adar for banquets and gladness, so as to rejoice on that day, and send one another portions of their banquets and meats.
從此以後，那些住在村莊的猶太鄉民，奉「阿達爾」月十四日為慶日，歡宴慶祝，互送禮物；但居住在城市的猶太人卻以「阿達爾」月十五日為慶日，互送禮物。
20 And Mardochai wrote all these things, and sent them comprised in letters to the Jews that abode in all the king’s provinces, both those that lay near and those afar off,
摩爾德開於是將這些事記錄下來，並向薛西斯王各省遠近的猶太人頒發文書，
21 That they should receive the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar for holy days, and always at the return of the year should celebrate them with solemn honour:
通告他們應每年慶祝「阿達爾」月十四十五兩天，
22 Because on those days the Jews revenged themselves of their enemies, and their mourning and sorrow were turned into mirth and joy, and that these should be days of feasting and gladness, in which they should send one to another portions of meats; and should give gifts to the poor.
因為這兩是猶太人徹底擺脫仇敵的日子，而這一月為他們是化憂為喜，化凶為吉的一月，因此該以歡宴慶祝這兩天，互贈禮物，救濟窮困。
23 And the Jews undertook to observe with solemnity all they had begun to do at that time, which Mardochai by letters had commanded to be done.
猶太人便把已開始舉行的和摩爾德開給他們規定的事，奉為永遠當守的盛典。
24 For Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy and adversary of the Jews, had devised evil against them, to kill them and destroy them: and had cast Phur, that is, the lot.
原來阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼，那全猶太人的仇人曾蓄意加害猶太人，要將他們滅絕，就抽出「普爾」即籤，來擇定剷除殲滅他們的日子。
25 And afterwards Esther went in to the king, beseeching him that his endeavours might be made void by the king’s letters: and the evil that he had intended against the Jews, might return upon his own head. And so both he and his sons were hanged upon gibbets.
但是君王一洞悉此事，便下諭令說：「哈曼加害猶太人想出來的陰謀，應加在他自己頭上! 」就判處他和他的兒子們懸在刑架上。
26 And since that time these days are called Phurim, that is, of lots: because Phur, that is, the lot, was cast into the urn. And all things that were done, are contained in the volume of this epistle, that is, of this book:
從此，人就援用「普爾」一名，稱這兩天為「普凌節。」依照這文書記載的，和他們有關此事親身看見及經歷的一切，
27 And the things that they suffered, and that were afterwards changed, the Jews took upon themselves and their seed, and upon all that had a mind to be joined to their religion, so that it should be lawful for none to pass these days without solemnity: which the writing testifieth, and certain times require, as the years continually succeed one another.
猶太人便給自己，給自己的子孫，給一切加入他們集會的人，規定了「每年該照規定依時慶祝這兩天」為不可更改的法律；
28 These are the days which shall never be forgot: and which all provinces in the whole world shall celebrate throughout all generations: neither is there any city wherein the days of Phurim, that is, of lots, must not be observed by the Jews, and by their posterity, which is bound to these ceremonies.
世世代代，家家戶戶，各省各城，應紀念和慶祝這兩天；猶太人決不可廢除這兩天的「普凌節，」他們的子孫也決不可忘掉這慶節。
29 And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mardochai the Jew, wrote also a second epistle, that with all diligence this day should be established a festival for the time to come.
阿彼海耳的女兒艾斯德爾后與猶太人摩爾德開，又以全權再度寫了一道核准「普凌節」的文書。
30 And they sent to all the Jews that were in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of king Assuerus, that they should have peace, and receive truth,
然後把此文書分發給所有住在薛西斯帝國一百二十七省內的猶太人，以平如誠懇的言詞，
31 And observe the days of lots, and celebrate them with joy in their proper time: as Mardochai and Esther had appointed, and they undertook them to be observed by themselves and by their seed, fasts, and cries, and the days of lots,
勸他們遵照猶太人摩爾德開對這「普凌節」所規定的，依時舉行。至於禁食和哀歌的吟詠等禮，則可依照他們自己及自己的後代所規定的去行。
32 And all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther.
從此，艾斯德爾的命令，便成了「普凌節」的規定，並記載於史冊。
