Esther 1
1 This is an account of what happened during the time of King Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
亚哈随鲁作王，从印度直到古实，统管一百二十七省。
2 At the time King Xerxes was ruling from his royal throne at the fortress in Susa.
亚哈随鲁王在书珊城的宫登基；
3 In the third year of his reign he organized a feast for his officials and administrators. The army commanders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were all there with 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 He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 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 After that the king gave a feast lasting for seven days for all the people, great and small, who were there in the fortress of Susa in the garden courtyard of the king's pavilion.
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 It was decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with cords of fine linen and purple thread on silver rings, held up by marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were placed on a pavement made of purple porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and expensive stones.
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 Drinks were served in golden goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine flowed freely because of the king's generosity.
用金器皿赐酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足显王的厚意。
8 The king had ruled that there was to be no limit on how much a guest could drink; he had told his servants to give each guest whatever they wanted.
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 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Xerxes.
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 of the feast, the king, feeling happy from drinking wine, ordered the seven eunuchs who were his attendants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas,
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 Queen Vashti to him wearing her royal headdress, so he could show her beauty to the people and officials, for she was very good-looking.
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 when the eunuchs delivered the order from the king, Queen Vashti refused to come. The king became extremely angry—he was absolutely furious.
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 Then the king spoke with the wise men who would know what to do, for it was the custom for him to ask the opinion of experts in procedures and legal matters.
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 Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had frequent meetings with the king and had the highest positions in the kingdom.
15 “What does the law say should be done with Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She refused to obey the direct order of King Xerxes as delivered by the eunuchs!”
“王后瓦实提不遵太监所传的王命，照例应当怎样办理呢？”
16 Memucan gave his answer before the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti hasn't just insulted the king but all the nobles and all the people of all the provinces of King Xerxes.
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 Once it gets out what the queen has done, all wives will despise their husbands, looking down on them and telling them, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti brought to him but she didn't come!’
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 By the end of the day, the wives of all the nobles throughout Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will treat their noble husbands with angry contempt!
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 Your Majesty, issue a royal decree, in accordance with the laws of Persia and Media which cannot be changed, that Vashti is banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that Your Majesty will give her royal position to another, one who is better than her.
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 When Your Majesty's decree is proclaimed throughout your vast empire, all wives will respect their husbands, highborn or lowborn.”
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 This advice looked good to the king and the nobles, so the king did what Memucan had said.
王和众首领都以米母干的话为美，王就照这话去行，
22 He sent letters to all provinces in the empire, in each province's script and language, that every man should rule his own home, and use his own mother tongue.
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。
