Esther 8
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, and Mordecai began to serve before the king, for Esther told the king how Mordecai was related to her.
薛西斯王當王就將猶太人的敵人哈曼的家業，賜給了艾斯德爾王后；艾斯德爾同時也說明了摩爾德開與她自己的關係，摩爾德開就來覲見君王。
2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman's estate.
君王於是取下由哈曼那裏拿回來的指璽，給了摩爾德開，艾斯德爾以後叫摩爾德開管理哈曼的家業。
3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She lay facedown on the ground and wept as she pleaded with him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, to the scheme that he had devised against the Jews.
艾斯德爾又去向君王求情，俯伏在他足下，含淚哀求他取消阿加格人哈曼所加的禍害，和他為害猶太人所設的陰謀。
4 Then the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, she arose and stood before the king.
王向艾斯德爾伸出金杖，艾斯德爾就起來，站在君王前，
5 She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in your eyes, if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in your eyes, let a decree be written to revoke the letters written by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the letters that he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
說「如果大王喜歡，如果我得陛下寵幸，如果大王認為合理且喜愛我，就請寫一道諭令，把大王為消滅全國各省的猶太人所頒下的文書，即阿加格人哈默大達的兒子哈曼的陰謀廢除。
6 For how could I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How could I endure watching the destruction of my relatives?”
事實上，我怎能忍見我的民族遭受迫害﹖我怎能忍見我的親屬消滅﹖」
7 King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he was going to attack the Jews.
薛西斯王對艾斯德爾后和猶太人摩爾德開說：「我已將哈曼的家業賜給了艾斯德爾，而他本人已被懸在刑架上，因為他竟要對猶太人下毒手。
8 Write another decree for the Jews in the name of the king and seal it with the king's ring. For the decree that has already been written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.”
如今就照你們的意思，以君王的名義，為保護猶太人寫一道文書，蓋上君王的玉印。凡以君王名義所寫，且蓋有君王玉印的文書，決不得廢除。」
9 Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month. A decree was written containing all that Mordecai was commanding concerning the Jews. It was written to the provincial governors, the governors and officials of the provinces that were located from India to Cush, 127 provinces, to every province written in their own writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing and language.
就在那時候，即在三月──「息汪」月二十三日，召集了眾御史，要依照摩爾德開為保護猶太人提示的一切，用各省的文字，各民族的語言，也給猶太人以他們的文字語言，寫了一道文書，公告由印度至雇士一百二十七省的猶太人、御史大臣、各省省長及首長。
10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He sent the documents by couriers riding on the fast horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud.
摩爾德開遂以薛西斯王的名義，寫了這道文書，蓋上君王的玉印，然後派遣驛使，騎著御廄裏的駿馬，傳遞文書。
11 The king gave to the Jews who were in every city permission to gather together and to make a stand to protect their lives: To annihiliate, to kill, and to destroy any armed force from any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, or to plunder their possessions.
文書上載著：君王恩准在各城市的猶太人，有團結自衛的權利，也准許他們破壞、殺害、消滅那些侵害他們的各族和各省的軍民，也可殺他們的婦孺，搶奪他們的財產；
12 This was to be in effect in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
且應在十二月「阿達爾」十三日那一天，在薛西斯帝國各省內開始生效。
13 A copy of the decree was to be issued as a law and publicly displayed to all the peoples. The Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.
這道文書應視為法律，公佈在各省內，通告各民族一律遵守，好使猶太人準備在這一天，可向自己的敵人復仇。
14 So the couriers rode on the royal horses that were used in the king's service. They went without delay. The king's decree was also issued from the palace in Susa.
驛使迫於君令，騎著御馬，火速出發。這諭文同時也在穌撒禁城公佈。
15 Then Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal clothes of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
摩爾德開於是拜別君王出來，身穿紫白相間的御袍，戴著大金冠，披著純白和朱紅色的氅衣。此時穌撒城歡欣雀躍。
16 The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.
猶太人終於得到了光明、喜樂、幸福和榮耀。
17 In every province and in every city, wherever the king's decree reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the variety of peoples of the land became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
在各省各城中，凡是君令、上諭所到之處，猶太人無不歡欣雀躍，休假宴飲；各地的異民有許多人因為害怕猶太人，而入了猶太籍。
