< Esther 7 >

1 So the king and Haman went to feast with Queen Esther.
君王和哈曼同來與艾斯德爾王后宴飲。
2 On this second day, while they were serving wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It will be granted to you. What is your request? Up to half of the kingdom, and it will be granted.”
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 Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your eyes, king, and if it pleases you, let my life be given to me—this is my petition, and I request this also for my people.
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 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we had only been sold into slavery, as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, for no such distress as this would justify disturbing 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 Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he? Where is this person to be found who has filled his heart to do such a thing?”
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 said, “The hostile man, that enemy, is this evil Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and the 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 got up in a rage from the wine-drinking at the feast and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther. He saw that disaster was being decided against him by the king.
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 Then the king returned from the palace garden into the room where the wine had been served. Haman had just fallen on the couch where Esther was. The king said, “Will he assault the queen in my presence in my own house?” As soon as this sentence came out of the king's mouth, the servants covered Haman's face.
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 officials who served the king, said, “A gallows fifty cubits tall stands beside Haman's house. He set it up for Mordecai, the one who spoke up to protect the king.” 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 Mordecai. Then the king's rage died down.
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。

< Esther 7 >