以斯帖記 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
亞哈隨魯王大宴群臣
1 亞哈隨魯在位期間，統治從印度到古實的一百二十七個省。 2 亞哈隨魯王在書珊城登基， 3 他在執政第三年大宴群臣，波斯和瑪代的將領、各省的貴族和大臣都在場。 4 整整一百八十天，他展示自己帝國的財富和王權的威榮。 5 之後，他又一連七天在御花園宴請書珊城裡所有的居民，無論尊卑。 6 御花園裡有白色的棉帳和藍色的彩帳，用細麻繩和紫色繩繫在大理石柱的銀環上。有金銀製成的床榻擺在各色斑岩、大理石、珍珠貝殼及其他貴重石頭鋪成的地上。 7 飲酒用的是各式各樣的金器皿，御酒大量供應，足顯王的慷慨。 8 喝酒有個規矩，不許勉強人，因為王吩咐過宮裡所有的侍從，招待各人要隨其所願。 9 瓦實提王后也在亞哈隨魯王的宮裡設宴招待女賓。
瓦實提王后被廢
10 第七天，亞哈隨魯王喝得心中暢快，就吩咐在王身邊服侍的米戶幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亞拔他、西達和甲迦七位太監， 11 去請瓦實提王后戴著后冠到王面前，向百姓和官員展現她的美貌，因為她非常美麗。 12 但瓦實提王后違抗太監所傳的諭旨，拒絕前來，王非常生氣，怒火中燒。
13 王有事習慣徵求通曉律例和法則之人的意見，於是他去問精通時務的哲士。 14 那時，靠近王的有甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿和米姆干七位波斯和瑪代的大臣，他們常見王的面，在國中身居高位。 15 王問他們：「瓦實提王后違抗太監所傳的諭旨，按律該如何處置她？」
16 米姆干當著王和大臣們的面說：「瓦實提王后不但冒犯了王，而且有害於舉國的臣民。 17 因為王后的事必傳到所有婦女的耳中，致使她們藐視自己的丈夫，因為她們會說，『亞哈隨魯王請瓦實提王后到他面前，她卻不去。』 18 今天，波斯和瑪代的貴婦聽到王后這事，也會如此對待王的大臣，藐視和惱怒之事必層出不窮。 19 王若願意，就請降旨不准瓦實提再到王面前，把她王后的位分賜給比她更好的女子，並將此諭旨寫入波斯和瑪代的律法，永不更改。 20 王的諭旨傳遍王遼闊的國境後，所有的婦女，無論丈夫貴賤，都必尊重他們。」
21 王和大臣們都贊同米姆干的建議，王便依照他的建議， 22 用各省的文字和各族的語言寫諭旨，通告各省，丈夫要做一家之主，說話有權柄。
Esther 1
Lexham English Bible
The King’s Banquets
1 And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush[a]—over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.[b] 2 In those days as King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in the citadel of Susa, 3 he gave a banquet in the third year of his reign for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and officials of the provinces were in his presence 4 as he displayed the wealth of the glory of his kingdom and the glorious splendor of his greatness for many days, one hundred and eighty days[c].
5 And when those days were completed, the king gave for all the people that were present at the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet in the courtyard of the king’s palace garden that lasted seven days. 6 There were curtains of finely woven linen and blue cloth tied with cords of fine white linen and purple cloth to silver curtain rings and pillars of alabaster, and couches of gold and silver on a paved floor of alabaster, precious stone, mother-of-pearl, and costly stones.[d] 7 Drinks were served in goblets of gold and goblets of different kinds,[e] and there was plentiful royal wine according to the bounty of the king.[f] 8 There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed every official of his palace to do as each one pleased. 9 Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace[g] that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Queen Vashti Refuses the King’s Request
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven of the eunuchs attending King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown[h] to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive.[i] 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king that was conveyed by[j] the eunuchs. And the king became very angry, and his anger burned in him.
13 And the king said to the wise men, the ones who know the times[k]—for it was the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights;[l] 14 and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king[m] and sat first in the kingdom— 15 “According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she has not done the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by[n] the eunuchs? 16 And Memucan said before the king and the officials, “Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but to all the officials and all of the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen will be known[o] to all the women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands,[p] as they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come!’ 18 This day the women of nobility from Persia and Media will respond to all the officials of the king and there will be no end to contempt and anger. 19 If it pleases[q] the king, let a royal edict[r] go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it will not be altered, that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who is better than she. 20 And let the king’s decree that he will make be proclaimed in all his kingdom, because it is vast and all the women will honor their husbands, great and small.”[s]
21 This advice pleased the king[t] and the officials, and the king acted according to the word of Memucan. 22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own language,[u] that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the language[v] of his people.
Footnotes
- Esther 1:1 That is, “Ethiopia”
- Esther 1:1 Hebrew “province”
- Esther 1:4 Hebrew “day”
- Esther 1:6 Hebrew “stone”
- Esther 1:7 Literally “goblets from changing goblets”
- Esther 1:7 Literally “much wine of the kingdom according to the hand of the king”
- Esther 1:9 Literally “in the house of the reign” or “in the house of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:11 Literally “with her headdress of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:11 Literally “for she was of good appearance”
- Esther 1:12 Literally “by the hand of”
- Esther 1:13 Literally “the knowers of the times”
- Esther 1:13 Or “custom and legalities”
- Esther 1:14 Literally “saw the face of the king”
- Esther 1:15 Literally “by the hand of”
- Esther 1:17 Literally “will go out”
- Esther 1:17 Literally “to despise their husbands in their eyes”
- Esther 1:19 Literally “If it is good to”
- Esther 1:19 Literally “a word of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:20 Or “high and low”
- Esther 1:21 Literally “The word was good in the eyes of the king
- Esther 1:22 Literally “tongue”
- Esther 1:22 Literally “tongue”
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software