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.
當日，亞哈隨魯王把猶大人仇敵哈曼的家產賜給王后以斯帖。末底改也來到王面前，因為以斯帖已經告訴王，末底改是她的親屬。
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.
王摘下自己的戒指，就是從哈曼追回的，給了末底改。以斯帖派末底改管理哈曼的家產。
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.
以斯帖又俯伏在王腳前，流淚哀告，求他除掉亞甲族哈曼害猶大人的惡謀。
4 Then the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, she arose and stood before the king.
王向以斯帖伸出金杖；以斯帖就起來，站在王前，
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：「亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼設謀傳旨，要殺滅在王各省的猶大人。現今王若願意，我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若以為美，若喜悅我，請王另下旨意，廢除哈曼所傳的那旨意。
6 For how could I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How could I endure watching the destruction of my relatives?”
我何忍見我本族的人受害？何忍見我同宗的人被滅呢？」
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.
亞哈隨魯王對王后以斯帖和猶大人末底改說：「因哈曼要下手害猶大人，我已將他的家產賜給以斯帖，人也將哈曼掛在木架上。
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.”
現在你們可以隨意奉王的名寫諭旨給猶大人，用王的戒指蓋印；因為奉王名所寫、用王戒指蓋印的諭旨，人都不能廢除。」
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.
三月，就是西彎月二十三日，將王的書記召來，按着末底改所吩咐的，用各省的文字、各族的方言，並猶大人的文字方言寫諭旨，傳給那從印度直到古實一百二十七省的猶大人和總督省長首領。
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.
末底改奉亞哈隨魯王的名寫諭旨，用王的戒指蓋印，交給騎御馬圈快馬的驛卒，傳到各處。
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.
諭旨中，王准各省各城的猶大人在一日之間，十二月，就是亞達月十三日，聚集保護性命，剪除殺戮滅絕那要攻擊猶大人的一切仇敵和他們的妻子兒女，奪取他們的財為掠物。
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.
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.
抄錄這諭旨，頒行各省，宣告各族，使猶大人預備等候那日，在仇敵身上報仇。
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.
於是騎快馬的驛卒被王命催促，急忙起行；諭旨也傳遍書珊城。
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.
末底改穿着藍色白色的朝服，頭戴大金冠冕，又穿紫色細麻布的外袍，從王面前出來；書珊城的人民都歡呼快樂。
16 The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.
猶大人有光榮，歡喜快樂而得尊貴。
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.
王的諭旨所到的各省各城，猶大人都歡喜快樂，設擺筵宴，以那日為吉日。那國的人民，有許多因懼怕猶大人，就入了猶大籍。
