Esther
Chapter 2
1 After this, when King Ahasuerus' wrath had cooled, he thought over what Vashti had done and what had been decreed against her.
这些事以后，薛西斯王的盛怒遂平息了，不再回念瓦市提和她所作的事，也不再追究对她所决定的事。
2 Then the king's personal attendants suggested: "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
于是侍奉君王的仆役说：应为大王另选美貌的年轻处女；
3 Let the king appoint commissaries in all the provinces of his realm to bring together all beautiful young virgins to the harem in the stronghold of Susa. Under the care of the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, let cosmetics be given them.
大王可指派委员到全国各省，把所有美貌的年轻处女，都召集到稣撒禁城的后宫来，由管理嫔妃的王家太监赫革负责照应，供给她们美容润身的香料。
4 Then the girl who pleases the king shall reign in place of Vashti." This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
那中悦君王的处女，就得代瓦市提为后。”这建议正合了王的心，王就照样进行。
5 There was in the stronghold of Susa a certain Jew named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
在稣撒禁城内，有一个犹太人名叫摩尔德开,是雅依尔的儿子,史米的孙子,本雅明族人克士的曾孙，
6 who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the captives taken with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported.
克士是巴比伦王拿步高由耶路撒冷将犹大王耶苛尼雅掳去时，被掳的俘虏之一。
7 1 He was foster father to Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin; for she had lost both father and mother. The girl was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. On the death of her father and mother, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.
摩尔德开抚养了他的堂妹哈达撒又名叫艾斯德尔，她自幼就丧失父母。这女孩身材标致，容貌美丽，自她父母去世后，摩尔德开就收她作自己的女儿。
8 When the king's order and decree had been obeyed and many maidens brought together to the stronghold of Susa under the care of Hegai, Esther also was brought in to the royal palace under the care of Hegai, custodian of the women.
不久皇帝的谕旨和诏令，传遍了全国，许多少女都被召到稣撒禁城，受赫革的监护，艾斯德尔也被带到王宫交与管理嫔妃的赫革看管。
9 The girl pleased him and won his favor. So he promptly furnished her with cosmetics and provisions. Then picking out seven maids for her from the royal palace, he transferred both her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
她很讨赫革喜悦，大得他的宠爱，遂立即供给她美容润身的物品和所需食品，并选派了七个美丽的宫女服侍她，又将她和她的侍女迁移到后宫最好的宫院里。
10 Esther did not reveal her nationality or family, for Mordecai had commanded her not to do so.
但艾斯德尔却没有说出她自己的民族和身世，因为摩尔德开早已吩咐她不要提及此事。
11 Day by day Mordecai would walk about in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was to become of her.
此后摩尔德开天天在后宫的庭院前徘徊，好打听艾斯德尔的消息，想知道她的情形如何。
12 Each girl went in turn to visit King Ahasuerus after the twelve months' preparation decreed for the women. Of this period of beautifying treatment, six months were spent with oil of myrrh, and the other six months with perfumes and cosmetics.
在每个处女轮流去见薛西斯王以前，都该先按嫔妃的规则，度过十二个月的“润身期”：六个月应用没药汁，六个月应用香液，以及女人润身的修饰品。
13 Then, when the girl was to visit the king, she was allowed to take with her from the harem to the royal palace whatever she chose.
有了这样的准备，少女才可去见君王；凡她所要求的都应让她由后宫带进王宫去。
14 She would go in the evening and return in the morning to a second harem under the care of the royal eunuch Shaashgaz, custodian of the concubines. She could not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and had her summoned by name.
她晚上进去，次日早晨回到另一座后宫，受君王管理滨妃的太监沙市加次的监护；除非君王宠爱她，提名召她，她不得再亲近君王。
15 As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of his nephew Mordecai, when her turn came to visit the king, she did not ask for anything but what the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, suggested. Yet she won the admiration of all who saw her.
一轮到摩尔德开的叔父阿彼海耳的女儿——即摩尔德开的养女——艾斯德尔去见君王的时候，除了管理嫔妃的王家太监赫革给她预备的东西以外，她什么也不要；凡看见艾斯德尔的人，没有不喜爱她的。
16 Esther was led to King Ahasuerus in his palace in the tenth month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
艾斯德尔在薛西斯为王第七年十月，“太贝特”月，被召进王宫。
17 The king loved Esther more than all other women, and of all the virgins she won his favor and benevolence. So he placed the royal diadem on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
王爱艾斯德尔超过所有的嫔妃。在所有的处女中，她最得君王的欢心和喜爱。王便将后冠戴在她头上，立她为王后以代瓦市提。
18 2 Then the king gave a great feast in honor of Esther to all his officials and ministers, granting a holiday to the provinces and bestowing gifts with royal bounty.
于是，王给众文武官员摆设盛宴，又给全国各省颁赐大赦，并按照君王法度敕赠御品。
19 3 [To resume: From the time the virgins had been brought together, and while Mordecai was passing his time at the king's gate,
当二次召集处女时，摩尔德开仍在御门供职。
20 Esther had not revealed her family or nationality, because Mordecai had told her not to; and Esther continued to follow Mordecai's instructions, just as she had when she was being brought up by him.
那时艾斯德尔按着摩尔德开事先给她吩咐了的，还没有透露自己的身世和种族：凡摩尔德开吩咐的，艾斯德尔必尽力遵守，如同昔日受他抚养时一样。
21 4 And during the time that Mordecai spent at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted in anger to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
摩尔德开在御门供职的时候，王的两个守门太监，彼革堂和特勒士，因一时忿怒，就设计对薛西斯王下毒手。
22 When the plot became known to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, who in turn informed the king for Mordecai.
但摩尔德开一发觉了那阴谋就告知艾斯德尔王后，艾斯德尔便以摩尔德开的名义转告君王。
23 5 The matter was investigated and verified, and both of them were hanged on a gibbet. This was written in the annals for the king's use.]
那阴谋经过调查证实以后，就将他们二人悬在木架上，处以极刑。此事的原委，当着君王的面，记录在年鉴内。
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [7] Hadassah (the feminine form of hadas, myrtle), was the name by which this woman would be known among her Jewish compatriots. Esther is a variant of the name of the Babylonian goddess lshtar.
2 [18] A holiday: or perhaps, "a remission of taxes."
3 [19-23] This is a resumption, in a slightly different form, of the story already told in Esther A:12-15.
4 [21] Mordecai . . . at the king's gate: to exercise watchful care for Esther. Some understand this to mean that Mordecai was stationed at the gate to render royal service; cf Esther A:2.
5 [23] Hanged on a gibbet: impaled, perhaps, after the Babylonian manner.