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Esther 1 1 During the reign of Ahasuerus-this was the Ahasuerus who ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from 在薛西斯为王时，发生了这样的事：——这薛西斯当时管辖的版图，自印度至雇士，共计一百二十七省—— 2 2 while he was occupying the royal throne in the stronghold of 他在稣撒禁城登极后， 3 in the third year of his reign, he presided over a feast for all his officers and ministers: the Persian and Median aristocracy, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces. 第三年，设宴款待所有的公卿朝臣，波斯与玛待德将官，各省的贤达与总督， 4 For as many as a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the resplendent wealth of his royal estate. 一连一百八十天，天天夸耀他帝国的豪华富裕，和他赫赫堂皇的荣耀。 5 At the end of this time the king gave a feast of seven days in the garden court of the royal palace for all the people, great and small, who were in the stronghold of 这些日子过了以后，王又在宫内的御苑里，一连七天欢宴稣撒禁城的全体人民，不分尊卑都来参加。 6 There were white cotton draperies and violet hangings, held by cords of crimson byssus from silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones. 庭院各处装饰着白色和紫红色的壁毡，系着纯白色和朱红色的彩带，悬在白大理石柱的银环上；在碧玉、白玉、珍珠和宝石铺砌的地面上，陈设了金银的床榻。 7 Liquor was served in a variety of golden cups, and the royal wine flowed freely, as befitted the king's munificence. 进饮的器皿，都是金银制的，大小俱全；御酿丰美，以示王家的富厚。 8 By ordinance of the king the drinking was unstinted, for he had instructed all the stewards of his household to comply with the good pleasure of everyone. 饮酒随意，无须强劝，因为王已命宫内侍役，应随各人所好，善加招待。 9 3 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women inside the royal 同时瓦市提皇后，在薛西斯王的后宫，也摆设盛宴，款待妇女。 10 On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he instructed Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended King Ahasuerus, 至第七日，君王一时酒酣耳热，就命默胡曼、彼次达、哈波纳、彼革达、阿巴革达、则塔尔和加尔加斯，——七个侍从薛西斯王的宦官—— 11 to bring Queen Vashti into his presence wearing the royal crown, that he might display her beauty to the populace and the officials, for she was lovely to behold. 去召瓦市提王后，叫她头戴后冠，到君王跟前来，让众百姓与朝臣瞻仰她的美丽，因为她的容貌，娇媚可爱。 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the royal order issued through the eunuchs. At this the king's wrath flared up, and he burned with fury. 但是瓦市提王后拒绝前来，不肯遵行宦官传来的王命。于是君王勃然大怒，五内如焚， 13 He conferred with the wise men versed in the law, because the king's business was conducted in general consultation with lawyers and jurists. 遂与通达时务的朝臣商议说：——因为当时君王要办一事，必与精通法律民情的朝臣商议； 14 He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who were in the king's personal service and held first rank in the realm, 那时在王身旁有加尔舍纳、舍塔尔、阿德玛达、塔尔史士、默勒斯、玛色、纳默慕干，七位波斯和玛待的公卿；他们常在君王左右，分居国家的高位—— 15 and asked them,＂What is to be done by law with Queen Vashti for disobeying the order of King Ahasuerus issued through the eunuchs?＂ ＂按法律应如何处置瓦市提王后呢？因为她没有履行宦官传下的王命。＂ 16 In the presence of the king and of the officials, Memucan answered:＂Queen Vashti has not wronged the king alone, but all the officials and the populace throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 默慕干在君王及公卿前建议说：＂瓦市提王后不但得罪了君王，并且还得罪了薛西斯王各省的诸候与人民， 17 For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and they will look with disdain upon their husbands when it is reported,＂King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti be ushered into his presence, but she would not come.' 因为王后的这种行为，一传到所有的妇女耳中，她们必将效尤，轻视自己的丈夫，而且说薛西斯王命人召瓦市提王后到他跟前，她却没有来； 18 This very day the Persian and Median ladies who hear of the queen's conduct will rebel against all the royal officials, with corresponding disdain and rancor. 今日凡听到王后这种举动的波斯与玛待的公主贵妇，也必说同样的话，对一切王家公卿，也照样大为轻视忿怒。 19 4 If it please the king, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued by him and inscribed among the laws of the Persians and Medes, forbidding Vashti to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus and authorizing the king to give her royal dignity to one more worthy than she. 陛下如果赞成，可下一道上渝，附于波斯与玛待的法典内，成为法律，禁止瓦市提后今后朝见薛西斯王；至于她的后位，王可赐与另一位比她贤淑的国妃。 20 Thus, when the decree which the king will issue is published throughout his realm, vast as it is, all wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least.＂ 当君王下的这道命令，传遍整个版图广阔的国土时，全国的妇女不拘尊卑对自己的丈夫必表示尊敬。 21 This proposal found acceptance with the king and the officials, and the king acted on the advice of Memucan. 对这建议君王和公卿都表示赞同；王就依照默慕干的建议施行， 22 5 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, to the effect that every man should be lord in his own home. 向全国各省，传递文告，依各省的文字和各民族的语言，敕令天下所有的丈夫应为一家之主，可随意发号施令。 Footnotes 1 [1] From India to Ethiopia: from western India to Upper Egypt, the greatest extent of the Persian Empire achieved under Darius the Great, father of Ahasuerus. 2 [2] 3 [9] Queen Vashti: Herodotus (Histories 7:61) relates that the wife of Ahasuerus was Amestris. 4 [19] Irrevocable royal decree: the historian Siculus Indicates that such a concept of irrevocable laws existed in the time of Darius III (335-331 B.C.), the last of the Persian kings; cf Esther 8:8. 5 [22] To each province . . . script and to each people . . . language: many languages were spoken in the Persian Empire, the principal ones being Persian, Elamite, Babylonian, Aramaic, Phoenician, Egyptian, and Greek. Each of them had its own script. |
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