今日读经

亚哈随鲁王大摆筵席

¹亚哈随鲁作王，从印度直到古实，统管一百二十七省。This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

²亚哈随鲁王在书珊城的宫登基；In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.

³在位第三年，为他一切首领臣仆设摆筵席，有波斯和米底亚的权贵，就是各省的贵胄与首领，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他把他荣耀之国的丰富和他美好威严的尊贵给他们看了许多日，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这日子满了，又为所有住书珊城的大小人民在御园的院子里设摆筵席七日。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、绿色、蓝色的帐子，用细麻绳、紫色绳从银环内系在白玉石柱上；有金银的床榻摆在红、白、黄、黑玉石的铺石地上。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用金器皿赐酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足显王的厚意。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，不准勉强人，因王吩咐宫里的一切臣宰，让人各随己意。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王后瓦实提在亚哈随鲁王的宫内也为妇女设摆筵席。Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

王后瓦实提不肯奉召

¹⁰第七日，亚哈随鲁王饮酒，心中快乐，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七个太监米户幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亚拔他、西达、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请王后瓦实提头戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因为她容貌甚美。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王后瓦实提却不肯遵太监所传的王命而来，所以王甚发怒，心如火烧。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.

王与大臣商议

^13–14那时，在王左右常见王面、国中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亚的七个大臣，就是甲示拿、示达、押玛他、他施斯、米力、玛西拿、米母干，都是达时务的明哲人。按王的常规，办事必先询问知例明法的人。王问他们说：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“王后瓦实提不遵太监所传的王命，照例应当怎样办理呢？”“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?”

米母干建议废后

¹⁶米母干在王和众首领面前回答说：“王后瓦实提这事，不但得罪王，并且有害于王各省的臣民；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因为王后这事必传到众妇人的耳中，说：‘亚哈随鲁王吩咐王后瓦实提到王面前，她却不来’，她们就藐视自己的丈夫。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今日波斯和米底亚的众夫人听见王后这事，必向王的大臣照样行；从此必大开藐视和忿怒之端。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王若以为美，就降旨写在波斯和米底亚人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦实提再到王面前，将她王后的位分赐给比她还好的人。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所降的旨意传遍通国（国度本来广大），所有的妇人，无论丈夫贵贱都必尊敬他。”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王和众首领都以米母干的话为美，王就照这话去行，The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan advised.

²²发诏书，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使为丈夫的在家中作主，各说本地的方言。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.

为王寻找新王后

¹这事以后，亚哈随鲁王的忿怒止息，就想念瓦实提和她所行的，并怎样降旨办她。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于是王的侍臣对王说：“不如为王寻找美貌的处女。Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,

³王可以派官在国中的各省招聚美貌的处女到书珊城（或译：宫）的女院，交给掌管女子的太监希该，给她们当用的香品。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王所喜爱的女子可以立为王后，代替瓦实提。”王以这事为美，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书珊城有一个犹大人，名叫末底改，是便雅悯人基士的曾孙，示每的孙子，睚珥的儿子。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从前巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王耶哥尼雅（又名约雅斤）和百姓从耶路撒冷掳去，末底改也在其内。He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

⁷末底改抚养他叔叔的女儿哈大沙（后名以斯帖），因为她没有父母。这女子又容貌俊美；她父母死了，末底改就收她为自己的女儿。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王的谕旨传出，就招聚许多女子到书珊城，交给掌管女子的希该；以斯帖也送入王宫，交付希该。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希该喜悦以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙给她需用的香品和她所当得的分，又派所当得的七个宫女服事她，使她和她的宫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以斯帖未曾将籍贯宗族告诉人，因为末底改嘱咐她不可叫人知道。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边行走，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，并后事如何。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.

众女子轮流进见王

¹²众女子照例先洁净身体十二个月：六个月用没药油，六个月用香料和洁身之物。满了日期，然后挨次进去见亚哈随鲁王。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女子进去见王是这样：从女院到王宫的时候，凡她所要的都必给她。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晚上进去，次日回到女子第二院，交给掌管妃嫔的太监沙甲；除非王喜爱她，再提名召她，就不再进去见王。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末底改叔叔亚比孩的女儿，就是末底改收为自己女儿的以斯帖，按次序当进去见王的时候，除了掌管女子的太监希该所派定给她的，她别无所求。凡看见以斯帖的都喜悦她。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.

以斯帖被立为王后

¹⁶亚哈随鲁王第七年十月，就是提别月，以斯帖被引入宫见王。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王爱以斯帖过于爱众女，她在王眼前蒙宠爱比众处女更甚。王就把王后的冠冕戴在她头上，立她为王后，代替瓦实提。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王因以斯帖的缘故给众首领和臣仆设摆大筵席，又豁免各省的租税，并照王的厚意大颁赏赐。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第二次招聚处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门。When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

²⁰以斯帖照着末底改所嘱咐的，还没有将籍贯宗族告诉人；因为以斯帖遵末底改的命，如抚养她的时候一样。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.

末底改揭发谋害王的阴谋

²¹当那时候，末底改坐在朝门，王的太监中有两个守门的，辟探和提列，恼恨亚哈随鲁王，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，就告诉王后以斯帖。以斯帖奉末底改的名，报告于王；When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

²³究察这事，果然是实，就把二人挂在木头上，将这事在王面前写于历史上。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.

相关经文 ›

从米利都航向泰尔

¹我们离别了众人，就开船一直行到哥士。第二天到了罗底，从那里到帕大喇，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遇见一只船要往腓尼基去，就上船起行。Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail.

³望见塞浦路斯，就从南边行过，往叙利亚去，我们就在泰尔上岸，因为船要在那里卸货。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.

泰尔的门徒劝阻

⁴找着了门徒，就在那里住了七天。他们被圣灵感动，对保罗说：“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过了这几天，我们就起身前行。他们众人同妻子儿女，送我们到城外，我们都跪在岸上祷告，彼此辞别。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我们上了船，他们就回家去了。And after we had said our farewells, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

经多利买到凯撒利亚腓利家

⁷我们从泰尔行尽了水路，来到多利买，就问那里的弟兄安，和他们同住了一天。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，我们离开那里，来到凯撒利亚，就进了传福音的腓利家里，和他同住。他是那七个执事里的一个。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他有四个女儿，都是处女，是说预言的。He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.

亚迦布用腰带预言

¹⁰我们在那里多住了几天，有一个先知，名叫亚迦布，从犹太下来，After we had been there several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

¹¹到了我们这里，就拿保罗的腰带捆上自己的手脚，说：“圣灵说：犹太人在耶路撒冷，要如此捆绑这腰带的主人，把他交在外邦人手里。”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.’”

保罗甘愿为主的名受苦

¹²我们和那本地的人听见这话，都苦劝保罗不要上耶路撒冷去。When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.

¹³保罗说：“你们为什么这样痛哭，使我心碎呢？我为主耶稣的名，不但被人捆绑，就是死在耶路撒冷也是愿意的。”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保罗既不听劝，我们便住了口，只说：“愿主的旨意成就”，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过了几日，我们收拾行李上耶路撒冷去。After these days, we packed up and went on to Jerusalem.

¹⁶有凯撒利亚的几个门徒和我们同去，带我们到一个久为（久为：或译老）门徒的家里，叫我们与他同住；他名叫拿孙，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，弟兄们欢欢喜喜地接待我们。When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.