以斯帖记 8

¹当日，亚哈随鲁王把犹大人仇敌哈曼的家产赐给王后以斯帖。末底改也来到王面前，因为以斯帖已经告诉王，末底改是她的亲属。That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.

²王摘下自己的戒指，就是从哈曼追回的，给了末底改。以斯帖派末底改管理哈曼的家产。The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

³以斯帖又俯伏在王脚前，流泪哀告，求他除掉亚甲族哈曼害犹大人的恶谋。And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

⁴王向以斯帖伸出金杖；以斯帖就起来，站在王前，The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

⁵说：“亚甲族哈米大他的儿子哈曼设谋传旨，要杀灭在王各省的犹大人。现今王若愿意，我若在王眼前蒙恩，王若以为美，若喜悦我，请王另下旨意，废除哈曼所传的那旨意。“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.

⁶我何忍见我本族的人受害？何忍见我同宗的人被灭呢？”For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

⁷亚哈随鲁王对王后以斯帖和犹大人末底改说：“因哈曼要下手害犹大人，我已将他的家产赐给以斯帖，人也将哈曼挂在木架上。So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.

⁸现在你们可以随意奉王的名写谕旨给犹大人，用王的戒指盖印；因为奉王名所写、用王戒指盖印的谕旨，人都不能废除。”Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

⁹三月，就是西弯月二十三日，将王的书记召来，按着末底改所吩咐的，用各省的文字、各族的方言，并犹大人的文字方言写谕旨，传给那从印度直到古实一百二十七省的犹大人和总督省长首领。At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush—writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

¹⁰末底改奉亚哈随鲁王的名写谕旨，用王的戒指盖印，交给骑御马圈快马的驿卒，传到各处。Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

^11–12谕旨中，王准各省各城的犹大人在一日之间，十二月，就是亚达月十三日，聚集保护性命，剪除杀戮灭绝那要攻击犹大人的一切仇敌和他们的妻子儿女，夺取他们的财为掠物。By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

¹³抄录这谕旨，颁行各省，宣告各族，使犹大人预备等候那日，在仇敌身上报仇。A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

¹⁴于是骑快马的驿卒被王命催促，急忙起行；谕旨也传遍书珊城。The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses, pressed on by the command of the king. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.

¹⁵末底改穿着蓝色白色的朝服，头戴大金冠冕，又穿紫色细麻布的外袍，从王面前出来；书珊城的人民都欢呼快乐。Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

¹⁶犹大人有光荣，欢喜快乐而得尊贵。For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor.

¹⁷王的谕旨所到的各省各城，犹大人都欢喜快乐，设摆筵宴，以那日为吉日。那国的人民，有许多因惧怕犹大人，就入了犹大籍。In every province and every city, wherever the king’s edict and decree reached, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many of the people of the land themselves became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.