Esther 2
1 After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus subsided, he thought about Vashti and what she had done. He also thought about the decree that he had made against her.
這事以後，亞哈隨魯王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，並怎樣降旨辦她。
2 Then the king's young men who served him said, “Let a search be made on the king's behalf for beautiful young virgins.
於是王的侍臣對王說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。
3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the fortress in Susa. Let them be put under the care of Hegai, the king's official, who is in charge of the women, and let him give them their cosmetics.
王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。
4 Let the young girl who pleases the king become queen in the place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he did so.
王所喜愛的女子可以立為王后，代替瓦實提。」王以這事為美，就如此行。
5 There was a certain Jew in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, who was a Benjamite.
書珊城有一個猶大人，名叫末底改，是便雅憫人基士的曾孫，示每的孫子，睚珥的兒子。
6 He had been taken away from Jerusalem with the exiles along with those taken with Jehoiachin, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia carried away.
從前巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王耶哥尼雅和百姓從耶路撒冷擄去，末底改也在其內。
7 He was caring for Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely in appearance. Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
末底改撫養他叔叔的女兒哈大沙（後名以斯帖），因為她沒有父母。這女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她為自己的女兒。
8 When the king's order and decree were proclaimed, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa. They were put under Hegai's care. Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put under the care of Hegai, the overseer of the women.
王的諭旨傳出，就招聚許多女子到書珊城，交給掌管女子的希該；以斯帖也送入王宮，交付希該。
9 The young girl pleased him, and she found favor with him. Immediately he provided her with cosmetics and her portion of food. He assigned to her seven servant girls from the king's palace, and he moved her and the servant girls to the best place in the house of the women.
希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙給她需用的香品和她所當得的分，又派所當得的七個宮女服事她，使她和她的宮女搬入女院上好的房屋。
10 Esther had not told anyone who her people or relatives were, for Mordecai had instructed her not to tell.
以斯帖未曾將籍貫宗族告訴人，因為末底改囑咐她不可叫人知道。
11 Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard outside the house of the women, to learn about Esther's welfare, and about what would be done with her.
末底改天天在女院前邊行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，並後事如何。
12 When the turn came for each girl to go to King Ahasuerus—complying with the regulations for the women, each girl had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumes and cosmetics—
眾女子照例先潔淨身體十二個月：六個月用沒藥油，六個月用香料和潔身之物。滿了日期，然後挨次進去見亞哈隨魯王。
13 when a young woman went to the king, whatever she desired was given to her from the house of the women, for her to take to the palace.
女子進去見王是這樣：從女院到王宮的時候，凡她所要的都必給她。
14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women, and to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's official, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king again unless he had taken great pleasure in her and called for her again.
晚上進去，次日回到女子第二院，交給掌管妃嬪的太監沙甲；除非王喜愛她，再提名召她，就不再進去見王。
15 Now when the time came for Esther (daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter) to go in to the king, she did not ask for anything but what Hegai the king's official, who was in charge of the women, suggested. Now Esther received the favor of all who saw her.
末底改叔叔亞比孩的女兒，就是末底改收為自己女兒的以斯帖，按次序當進去見王的時候，除了掌管女子的太監希該所派定給她的，她別無所求。凡看見以斯帖的都喜悅她。
16 Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into the royal residence on the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
亞哈隨魯王第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被引入宮見王。
17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she received acceptance and favor before him, more than all the other virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
王愛以斯帖過於愛眾女，她在王眼前蒙寵愛比眾處女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。
18 The king gave a great feast for all his officials and his servants, “Esther's feast,” and he granted relief from taxation to the provinces. He also gave gifts with royal generosity.
王因以斯帖的緣故給眾首領和臣僕設擺大筵席，又豁免各省的租稅，並照王的厚意大頒賞賜。
19 Now when the virgins had been gathered together a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
第二次招聚處女的時候，末底改坐在朝門。
20 Esther had not yet told anyone about her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had instructed her. She continued to follow Mordecai's advice, as she had done when she was raised by him.
以斯帖照着末底改所囑咐的，還沒有將籍貫宗族告訴人；因為以斯帖遵末底改的命，如撫養她的時候一樣。
21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, two of the king's officials, Bigthana and Teresh, who guarded the doorway, became angry and sought to do harm to King Ahasuerus.
當那時候，末底改坐在朝門，王的太監中有兩個守門的，辟探和提列，惱恨亞哈隨魯王，想要下手害他。
22 When the matter was revealed to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, and Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai.
末底改知道了，就告訴王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，報告於王；
23 The report was investigated and confirmed, and both the men were hanged from a gallows. This account was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
究察這事，果然是實，就把二人掛在木頭上，將這事在王面前寫於歷史上。
