Esther 7
1 So the king and Haman went to eat the second banquet/feast that Queen Esther had prepared.
君王和哈曼同來與艾斯德爾王后宴飲。
2 As they were drinking wine, the king asked again, “Esther, what do you want me to do [for you? Tell me, and] I will do it for you. Even if [you ask me for] half of my kingdom, I will give it to you.”
在這第二天的酒興之餘，王又對艾斯德爾說：「艾斯德爾后! 你要求什麼，我必給你；不論要求什麼，即便是半壁江山，也必照辦。」
3 Esther replied, “O king, if you are pleased with me, and if you are willing to do [what I ask], save me, and save my people. That is what I want you to do for me.
艾斯德爾后答說：「大王! 如果我獲得你垂青寵愛，如果大王歡喜，請饒我一命，這是我的懇請；也饒我民族一命，這是我的要求，
4 [It is as though] I and my people [are cattle that] have been sold to be slaughtered. [It is as though] we have been sold to people who want to completely destroy us. If we had only been sold to people to become their male and female slaves, I would not say anything, because that would have been a matter too small to bother you, the king.”
因為我和我的民族，已被人出賣，快要遭受蹂躪、屠殺、毀滅。若是我們只被人賣為奴婢，那麼我必不開口；但這仇人毫不顧及君王所受的災害。」
5 Then King Xerxes asked her, “Who would want to do such a [terrible] thing? Where is he?”
薛西斯王問艾斯德爾后說：「這人是誰﹖那心內打算做這事的人在那裏﹖」
6 Esther replied, “[The man who is] our enemy is this evil man Haman!” Then Haman was terrified as he stood in front of the king and queen.
艾斯德爾答說：「這仇人和死敵，就是這敗類哈曼。」哈曼立時在君王及王后前，驚惶萬分。
7 The king became extremely angry. He immediately left his wine and got up and went outside into the palace garden [to decide what to do]. But Haman stayed, in order to plead with Queen Esther that she would spare his life.
於是君王勃然大怒，即刻退席，走進了御苑；哈曼遂起來懇求艾斯德爾后饒他一命，因為他看出了君王已決意要將他置於死地。
8 He threw himself down on the couch where Esther was reclining. But at that moment the king returned from the garden to the room where they had been eating. [He saw Haman, and assumed he was preparing to rape Esther]. He exclaimed, “Are you going to rape the queen while she is here with me in my own palace?” As soon as the king said that, some officials covered Haman’s head, [as they did to people who were about to be hanged].
王由御苑回到餐廳，哈曼正俯伏在艾斯德爾所坐的榻旁，王惡聲叱叱說：「在王宮內，當著我的面，居然膽敢存心侮辱王后! 」王的話一出口，僕人就蒙起哈曼的臉。
9 Then Harbona, one of the king’s personal officials, said, “[Outside, ] near Haman’s house, there is a (gallows/set of poles for hanging someone). It is 75 feet high. Haman made it for Mordecai, the man who spared your life!” The king said, “Hang him on it!”
君王座前的一個太監哈波納說：「正巧，在哈曼家裏，有他給那位曾一言造福大王的摩爾德開，豎立的一個五十尺高的刑架。」王說：「將他懸在上面! 」
10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for hanging Mordecai! And then (the king’s anger cooled off/the king was no longer so angry).
人們遂把嚨哈曼懸在他自己為摩爾德開所做的刑架上；王的忿怒這纔平息。
