今日讀經

亞哈隨魯王大擺筵席

¹亞哈隨魯作王，從印度直到古實，統管一百二十七省。This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

²亞哈隨魯王在書珊城的宮登基；In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.

³在位第三年，為他一切首領臣僕設擺筵席，有波斯和米底亞的權貴，就是各省的貴冑與首領，在他面前。In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.

⁴他把他榮耀之國的豐富和他美好威嚴的尊貴給他們看了許多日，就是一百八十日。And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.

⁵這日子滿了，又為所有住書珊城的大小人民在御園的院子裡設擺筵席七日。At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.

⁶有白色、綠色、藍色的帳子，用細麻繩、紫色繩從銀環內繫在白玉石柱上；有金銀的床榻擺在紅、白、黃、黑玉石的鋪石地上。Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.

⁷用金器皿賜酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足顯王的厚意。Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.

⁸喝酒有例，不准勉強人，因王吩咐宮裡的一切臣宰，讓人各隨己意。By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.

⁹王后瓦實提在亞哈隨魯王的宮內也為婦女設擺筵席。Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

王后瓦實提不肯奉召

¹⁰第七日，亞哈隨魯王飲酒，心中快樂，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七個太監米戶幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亞拔他、西達、甲迦，On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—

¹¹請王后瓦實提頭戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因為她容貌甚美。to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.

¹²王后瓦實提卻不肯遵太監所傳的王命而來，所以王甚發怒，心如火燒。Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.

王與大臣商議

^13–14那時，在王左右常見王面、國中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亞的七個大臣，就是甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干，都是達時務的明哲人。按王的常規，辦事必先詢問知例明法的人。王問他們說：Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice. His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.

¹⁵「王后瓦實提不遵太監所傳的王命，照例應當怎樣辦理呢？」“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”

米母干建議廢后

¹⁶米母干在王和眾首領面前回答說：「王后瓦實提這事，不但得罪王，並且有害於王各省的臣民；And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.

¹⁷因為王后這事必傳到眾婦人的耳中，說：『亞哈隨魯王吩咐王后瓦實提到王面前，她卻不來』，她們就藐視自己的丈夫。For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’

¹⁸今日波斯和米底亞的眾夫人聽見王后這事，必向王的大臣照樣行；從此必大開藐視和忿怒之端。This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.

¹⁹王若以為美，就降旨寫在波斯和米底亞人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦實提再到王面前，將她王后的位分賜給比她還好的人。So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.

²⁰所降的旨意傳遍通國（國度本來廣大），所有的婦人，無論丈夫貴賤都必尊敬他。」The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”

²¹王和眾首領都以米母干的話為美，王就照這話去行，The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan advised.

²²發詔書，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使為丈夫的在家中作主，各說本地的方言。He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.

為王尋找新王后

¹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。Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

²於是王的侍臣對王說：「不如為王尋找美貌的處女。Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,

³王可以派官在國中的各省招聚美貌的處女到書珊城（或譯：宮）的女院，交給掌管女子的太監希該，給她們當用的香品。and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

⁴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。Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

末底改和以斯帖

⁵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。Now there was at the citadel of Susa a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish.

⁶從前巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王耶哥尼雅（又名約雅斤）和百姓從耶路撒冷擄去，末底改也在其內。He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

⁷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。And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.

⁸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。When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

⁹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。And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.

¹⁰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。Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.

¹¹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。And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

眾女子輪流進見王

¹²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。In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.

¹³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。When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

¹⁴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。She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

¹⁵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。Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

以斯帖被立為王后

¹⁶亞哈隨魯王第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被引入宮見王。She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

¹⁷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。And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

¹⁸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。Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

以斯帖仍未透露身分

¹⁹第二次招聚處女的時候，末底改坐在朝門。When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

²⁰以斯帖照著末底改所囑咐的，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。Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

末底改揭發謀害王的陰謀

²¹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。In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

²²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；When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

²³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。After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.

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從米利都航向泰爾

¹我們離別了眾人，就開船一直行到哥士。第二天到了羅底，從那裡到帕大喇，After we had torn ourselves away from them, we sailed directly to Cos, and the next day on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara.

²遇見一隻船要往腓尼基去，就上船起行。Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.

³望見塞浦路斯，就從南邊行過，往敘利亞去，我們就在泰爾上岸，因為船要在那裡卸貨。After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.

泰爾的門徒勸阻

⁴找著了門徒，就在那裡住了七天。他們被聖靈感動，對保羅說：「不要上耶路撒冷去。」We sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

⁵過了這幾天，我們就起身前行。他們眾人同妻子兒女，送我們到城外，我們都跪在岸上禱告，彼此辭別。But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

⁶我們上了船，他們就回家去了。And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

經多利買到凱撒利亞腓利家

⁷我們從泰爾行盡了水路，來到多利買，就問那裡的弟兄安，和他們同住了一天。When we had finished our voyage from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day.

⁸第二天，我們離開那裡，來到凱撒利亞，就進了傳福音的腓利家裡，和他同住。他是那七個執事裡的一個。Leaving the next day, we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the Seven.

⁹他有四個女兒，都是處女，是說預言的。He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

亞迦布用腰帶預言

¹⁰我們在那裡多住了幾天，有一個先知，名叫亞迦布，從猶太下來，After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

¹¹到了我們這裡，就拿保羅的腰帶捆上自己的手腳，說：「聖靈說：猶太人在耶路撒冷，要如此捆綁這腰帶的主人，把他交在外邦人手裡。」Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

保羅甘願為主的名受苦

¹²我們和那本地的人聽見這話，都苦勸保羅不要上耶路撒冷去。When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³保羅說：「你們為甚麼這樣痛哭，使我心碎呢？我為主耶穌的名，不但被人捆綁，就是死在耶路撒冷也是願意的。」Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

¹⁴保羅既不聽勸，我們便住了口，只說：「願主的旨意成就」，便了。When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

上到耶路撒冷

¹⁵過了幾日，我們收拾行李上耶路撒冷去。After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem.

¹⁶有凱撒利亞的幾個門徒和我們同去，帶我們到一個久為（久為：或譯老）門徒的家裡，叫我們與他同住；他名叫拿孫，是塞浦路斯人。Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to stay at the home of Mnason the Cypriot, an early disciple.

¹⁷到了耶路撒冷，弟兄們歡歡喜喜地接待我們。When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.