Esther 2
1 After these things, at the ceasing of the fury of King Ahasuerus, he has remembered Vashti, and that which she did, and that which has been decreed concerning her;
这事以后，亚哈随鲁王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦实提和她所行的，并怎样降旨办她。
2 and servants of the king, his ministers, say, “Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance,
于是王的侍臣对王说：“不如为王寻找美貌的处女。
3 and the king appoints inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman—virgin, of good appearance—to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the hand of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,
王可以派官在国中的各省招聚美貌的处女到书珊城的女院，交给掌管女子的太监希该，给她们当用的香品。
4 and the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king reigns instead of Vashti”; and the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and he does so.
王所喜爱的女子可以立为王后，代替瓦实提。”王以这事为美，就如此行。
5 A man, a Jew, there has been in Shushan the palace, and his name [is] Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite—
书珊城有一个犹大人，名叫末底改，是便雅悯人基士的曾孙，示每的孙子，睚珥的儿子。
6 who had been removed from Jerusalem with the expulsion that was removed with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed—
从前巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王耶哥尼雅和百姓从耶路撒冷掳去，末底改也在其内。
7 and he is supporting Hadassah—she [is] Esther—daughter of his uncle, for she has neither father nor mother, and the young woman [is] of beautiful form, and of good appearance, and at the death of her father and her mother Mordecai has taken her to himself for a daughter.
末底改抚养他叔叔的女儿哈大沙（后名以斯帖），因为她没有父母。这女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她为自己的女儿。
8 And it comes to pass, in the word of the king, even his law, being heard, and in many young women being gathered to Shushan the palace, to the hand of Hegai, that Esther is taken to the house of the king, to the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women,
王的谕旨传出，就招聚许多女子到书珊城，交给掌管女子的希该；以斯帖也送入王宫，交付希该。
9 and the young woman is good in his eyes, and she receives kindness before him, and he hurries her purifications and her portions—to give to her, and the seven young women who are provided—to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changes her and her young women to a good [place in] the house of the women.
希该喜悦以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙给她需用的香品和她所当得的分，又派所当得的七个宫女服事她，使她和她的宫女搬入女院上好的房屋。
10 Esther has not declared her people, and her family, for Mordecai has laid a charge on her that she does not declare [it];
以斯帖未曾将籍贯宗族告诉人，因为末底改嘱咐她不可叫人知道。
11 and during every day Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to know the welfare of Esther, and what is done with her.
末底改天天在女院前边行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，并后事如何。
12 And in the drawing near of the turn of each young woman to come in to King Ahasuerus, at the end of there being to her—according to the law of the women—twelve months, for so they fulfill the days of their purifications; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with the purifications of women,
众女子照例先洁净身体十二个月：六个月用没药油，六个月用香料和洁身之物。满了日期，然后挨次进去见亚哈随鲁王。
13 and with this the young woman has come in to the king, all that she says is given to her to go in with her out of the house of the women to the house of the king;
女子进去见王是这样：从女院到王宫的时候，凡她所要的都必给她。
14 in the evening she has gone in, and in the morning she has turned back to the second house of the women, to the hand of Shaashgaz eunuch of the king, keeper of the concubines; she does not come in anymore to the king except the king has delighted in her, and she has been called by name.
晚上进去，次日回到女子第二院，交给掌管妃嫔的太监沙甲；除非王喜爱她，再提名召她，就不再进去见王。
15 And in the drawing near of the turn of Esther—daughter of Abihail, uncle of Mordecai, whom he had taken to himself for a daughter—to come in to the king, she has not sought a thing except that which Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, says, and Esther is receiving grace in the eyes of all seeing her.
末底改叔叔亚比孩的女儿，就是末底改收为自己女儿的以斯帖，按次序当进去见王的时候，除了掌管女子的太监希该所派定给她的，她别无所求。凡看见以斯帖的都喜悦她。
16 And Esther is taken to King Ahasuerus, to his royal house, in the tenth month—it [is] the month of Tebeth—in the seventh year of his reign,
亚哈随鲁王第七年十月，就是提别月，以斯帖被引入宫见王。
17 and the king loves Esther above all the women, and she receives grace and kindness before him above all the virgins, and he sets a royal crown on her head, and causes her to reign instead of Vashti,
王爱以斯帖过于爱众女，她在王眼前蒙宠爱比众处女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她头上，立她为王后，代替瓦实提。
18 and the king makes a great banquet to all his heads and his servants—the banquet of Esther—and has made a release to the provinces, and gives gifts as a memorial of the king.
王因以斯帖的缘故给众首领和臣仆设摆大筵席，又豁免各省的租税，并照王的厚意大颁赏赐。
19 And in the virgins being gathered a second time, then Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king;
第二次招聚处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门。
20 Esther is not declaring her family and her people, as Mordecai has laid a charge on her, and the saying of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.
以斯帖照着末底改所嘱咐的，还没有将籍贯宗族告诉人；因为以斯帖遵末底改的命，如抚养她的时候一样。
21 In those days, when Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king, has Bigthan been angry, and Teresh (two of the eunuchs of the king, the keepers of the threshold), and they seek to put forth a hand on King Ahasuerus,
当那时候，末底改坐在朝门，王的太监中有两个守门的，辟探和提列，恼恨亚哈随鲁王，想要下手害他。
22 and the thing is known to Mordecai, and he declares [it] to Esther the queen, and Esther speaks to the king in the name of Mordecai,
末底改知道了，就告诉王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，报告于王；
23 and the thing is sought out, and found, and both of them are hanged on a tree, and it is written in the scroll of the Chronicles before the king.
究察这事，果然是实，就把二人挂在木头上，将这事在王面前写于历史上。
