Esther
Chapter 5
1 1 [Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal garments and stood in the inner courtyard, looking toward the royal palace, while the king was seated on his royal throne in the audience chamber, facing the palace doorway.
第二天，艾斯德尔身穿王后的华服，站在王宫的内院，面向宫殿；那时君王正坐在宫殿的宝座上，面向宫门。
2 He saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, and made her welcome by extending toward her the golden staff which he held. She came up to him, and touched the top of the staff.]
君王一见艾斯德尔王后在庭院内，就对她起了宠幸的心，于是向艾斯德尔伸出手中的金杖，艾斯德尔遂上前来，摸了金杖的顶端。
3 Then the king said to her, ＂What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it is half of my kingdom, it shall be granted you.＂
君王问她说：＂艾斯德尔后，你有什么事？你要求什么？即使要求一半江山我也必赐给你！＂
4 ＂If it please your majesty,＂ Esther replied, ＂come today with Haman to a banquet I have prepared.＂
艾斯德尔答说：＂若大王开恩，请大王令日与哈曼同去饮妾为陛下所预备的酒宴。＂
5 And the king ordered, ＂Have Haman make haste to fulfill the wish of Esther.＂ So the king went with Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.
王遂说：＂快叫哈曼来，以满足艾斯德尔的心愿！＂于是王和哈曼一同去赴艾斯德尔预备的酒宴。
6 During the drinking of the wine, the king said to Esther, ＂Whatever you ask for shall be granted, and whatever request you make shall be honored, even if it is for half my kingdom.＂
酒兴之余，王对艾斯德尔说：＂你要求什么，我必给你；不管你求什么，那怕是半壁江山，也必照办。＂
7 Esther replied: ＂This is my petition and request:
艾斯德尔答说：＂这即是我的恳请和要求：
8 if I have found favor with the king and if it pleases your majesty to grant my petition and honor my request, come with Haman tomorrow to a banquet which I shall prepare for you; and then I will do as you ask.＂
如果我见宠于大王，如果大王乐意俯允我的恳请，实践我的要求，就请大王明天与哈曼，再来饮妾所设的酒宴；明天我必依照君王的命答复陛下。＂
9 That day Haman left happy and in good spirits. But when he saw that Mordecai at the royal gate did not rise, and showed no fear of him, he was filled with anger toward him.
那一天，哈曼出去，非常高兴，满心喜乐；但是哈曼一见在御门前的犹太人摩尔德开既不起立，也不退避，就对他满怀愤恨，
10 Haman restrained himself, however, and went home, where he summoned his friends and his wife Zeresh.
却仍忍气回了家，且打发人叫他的朋友和爱妻则勒士，
11 He recounted the greatness of his riches, the large number of his sons, and just how the king had promoted him and placed him above the officials and royal servants.
来向他们夸耀自己如何富贵荣华，子女如何众多，君王如何尊崇他，如何高举他在众公卿和朝臣之上。
12 ＂Moreover,＂ Haman added, ＂Queen Esther invited no one but me to the banquet with the king; again tomorrow I am to be her guest, with the king.
他又说：＂甚至艾斯德尔王后，除我以外，没有请任何人与君王一同赴她设的盛宴；明天又请我再同君王到她那里去。
13 Yet none of this satisfies me as long as I continue to see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the royal gate.＂
但每当我一见坐在御门前的犹太人摩尔德开时，这一切于我都乏味了！
14 His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ＂Have a gibbet set up, fifty cubits in height, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king in good cheer.＂ This suggestion pleased Haman, and he had the gibbet erected.
他的爱妻则勒士和他的朋友便对他说：该做一个高五十尺的刑架，天一亮就对君王说：把摩尔德开悬在上面！这样你可欣然与君王同赴盛筵了。＂哈曼看这主意不错，就叫人做了一个刑架。
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [1] The Hebrew text here translated is a short form of the account already given in Greek.