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, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
第三日，以斯帖穿上朝服，進王宮的內院，對殿站立。王在殿裏坐在寶座上，對着殿門。
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, [that] she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that [was] in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
王見王后以斯帖站在院內，就施恩於她，向她伸出手中的金杖；以斯帖便向前摸杖頭。
3 And the king said, What will you, Esther? and what is your request? [ask] even to the half of my kingdom, and it shall be yours.
王對她說：「王后以斯帖啊，你要甚麼？你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必賜給你。」
4 And Esther said, To-day is my great day: if then it seem good to the king, let both him and Aman come to the feast which I will prepare this day.
以斯帖說：「王若以為美，就請王帶着哈曼今日赴我所預備的筵席。」
5 And the king said, Hasten Aman hither, that we may perform the word of Esther. So they both come to the feast of which Esther had spoken.
王說：「叫哈曼速速照以斯帖的話去行。」於是王帶着哈曼赴以斯帖所預備的筵席。
6 And at the banquet the king said to Esther, What is [your request], queen Esther? [speak], and you shall have all that you require.
在酒席筵前，王又問以斯帖說：「你要甚麼，我必賜給你；你求甚麼，就是國的一半也必為你成就。」
7 And she said, My request and my petition [are]:
以斯帖回答說：「我有所要，我有所求。
8 if I have found favor in the sight of the king, let the king and Aman come again to-morrow to the feast which I shall prepare for them, and to-morrow I will do the same.
我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若願意賜我所要的，准我所求的，就請王帶着哈曼再赴我所要預備的筵席。明日我必照王所問的說明。」
9 So Aman went out from the king very glad [and] merry: but when Aman saw Mardochaeus the Jew in the court, he was greatly enraged.
那日哈曼心中快樂，歡歡喜喜地出來；但見末底改在朝門不站起來，連身也不動，就滿心惱怒末底改。
10 And having gone into his own house, he called his friends, and his wife Zosara.
哈曼暫且忍耐回家，叫人請他朋友和他妻子細利斯來。
11 And he showed them his wealth, and the glory with which the king had invested him, and how he had caused him to take precedence and bear chief rule in the kingdom.
哈曼將他富厚的榮耀、眾多的兒女，和王抬舉他使他超乎首領臣僕之上，都述說給他們聽。
12 And Aman said, The queen has called no one to the feast with the king but me, and I am invited to-morrow.
哈曼又說：「王后以斯帖預備筵席，除了我之外不許別人隨王赴席。明日王后又請我隨王赴席；
13 But these things please me not, while I see Mardochaeus the Jew in the court.
只是我見猶大人末底改坐在朝門，雖有這一切榮耀，也與我無益。」
14 And Zosara his wife and his friends said to him, Let there be a gallows made for you of fifty cubits, and in the morning do you speak to the king, and let Mardochaeus be hanged on the gallows: but do you go in to the feast with the king, and be merry. And the saying pleased Aman, and the gallows was prepared.
他的妻細利斯和他一切的朋友對他說：「不如立一個五丈高的木架，明早求王將末底改掛在其上，然後你可以歡歡喜喜地隨王赴席。」哈曼以這話為美，就叫人做了木架。
