以斯帖記

第4章

1 末底改知道所作的這一切事,就撕裂衣服,穿麻衣,蒙灰塵,在城中行走,痛哭哀號。

2 到了朝門前停住腳步,因為穿麻衣的不可進朝門。

3 王的諭旨所到的各省各處,猶太人大大悲哀,禁食哭泣哀號,穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。

4 王后以斯帖的宮女和太監來把這事告訴以斯帖,她甚是憂愁,就送衣服給末底改穿,要他脫下麻衣,他卻不受。

5 以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一個太監,名叫哈他革召來,吩咐他去見末底改,要知道這是甚麼事,是甚麼緣故。

6 於是哈他革出到朝門前的街道[street]見末底改。

7 末底改將自己所遇的事,並哈曼為滅絕猶太人應許捐入王庫的[money]都告訴了他;

8 又將所抄寫傳遍書珊城要滅絕猶太人的旨意交給哈他革,要給以斯帖看,又要給她說明,並囑咐她進去見王,為本族的人在王面前懇切祈求。

9 哈他革回來,將末底改的話告訴以斯帖;

10 以斯帖[Again]吩咐哈他革去見末底改,說:

11 「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例:若不蒙召,擅入內院見王的,無論男女必被治死;除非王向他伸出金權杖[sceptre]纔得[that he may]存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」

12 人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。

13 末底改吩咐[commanded]人回覆以斯帖說:「你莫想在王宮裏強過一切猶太人,得免這禍。

14 此時你若閉口不言,猶太人必從別處得解脫,蒙拯救;你和你父家必致滅亡。焉知你到這國來[come to the kingdom],不是為現今的機會嗎?」

15 以斯帖就吩咐人回報末底改,這樣[this]說:

16 「你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶太人,為我禁食三晝三夜,不吃不喝;我和我的宮女也要這樣禁食。然後我違例進去見王,我若死就死吧。」

17 於是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。

Esther

Chapter 4

1 WHEN Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, howling with a loud and bitter lamentation;

2 And came even as far as the king's gate; for it was unlawful for any man to enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, wherever the king's decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting and weeping and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 So when Esther's eunuchs and her maidens came in and told her, the queen was exceedingly disturbed; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he did not accept them.

5 Then Esther called for Hathan, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why it was,

6 So Hathan went forth to Mordecai to the streets of the city which were in front of the king's gate.

7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 He also gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was is sued in Shushan the palace, to show it to Esther, and to charge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and to make request be fore him for her people.

9 And Hathan came in and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Again Esther spoke to Hathan and commanded him to go to Mordecai, saying,

11 All the king's servants know that whosoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court who is not called, for him there is but one law to put him to death, except the one to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in to the king these three days.

12 And he told Mordecai Esther's words.

13 Then Mordecai told him to tell Esther, Think not in yourself that you shall escape because you are in the king's house, more than all the other Jews.

14 For if you altogether remain silent this time, then relief and salvation shall arise to the Jews from an other place; but you and your father's house shall be destroyed; and who knows whether you have been called to come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther told him to return Mordecai this answer:

16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan the pal ace, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and then I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.

17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

以斯帖記

第4章

Esther

Chapter 4

1 末底改知道所作的這一切事,就撕裂衣服,穿麻衣,蒙灰塵,在城中行走,痛哭哀號。

1 WHEN Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, howling with a loud and bitter lamentation;

2 到了朝門前停住腳步,因為穿麻衣的不可進朝門。

2 And came even as far as the king's gate; for it was unlawful for any man to enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 王的諭旨所到的各省各處,猶太人大大悲哀,禁食哭泣哀號,穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。

3 And in every province, wherever the king's decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting and weeping and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 王后以斯帖的宮女和太監來把這事告訴以斯帖,她甚是憂愁,就送衣服給末底改穿,要他脫下麻衣,他卻不受。

4 So when Esther's eunuchs and her maidens came in and told her, the queen was exceedingly disturbed; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he did not accept them.

5 以斯帖就把王所派伺候她的一個太監,名叫哈他革召來,吩咐他去見末底改,要知道這是甚麼事,是甚麼緣故。

5 Then Esther called for Hathan, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why it was,

6 於是哈他革出到朝門前的街道[street]見末底改。

6 So Hathan went forth to Mordecai to the streets of the city which were in front of the king's gate.

7 末底改將自己所遇的事,並哈曼為滅絕猶太人應許捐入王庫的[money]都告訴了他;

7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 又將所抄寫傳遍書珊城要滅絕猶太人的旨意交給哈他革,要給以斯帖看,又要給她說明,並囑咐她進去見王,為本族的人在王面前懇切祈求。

8 He also gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was is sued in Shushan the palace, to show it to Esther, and to charge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and to make request be fore him for her people.

9 哈他革回來,將末底改的話告訴以斯帖;

9 And Hathan came in and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 以斯帖[Again]吩咐哈他革去見末底改,說:

10 Again Esther spoke to Hathan and commanded him to go to Mordecai, saying,

11 「王的一切臣僕和各省的人民都知道有一個定例:若不蒙召,擅入內院見王的,無論男女必被治死;除非王向他伸出金權杖[sceptre]纔得[that he may]存活。現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。」

11 All the king's servants know that whosoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court who is not called, for him there is but one law to put him to death, except the one to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in to the king these three days.

12 人就把以斯帖這話告訴末底改。

12 And he told Mordecai Esther's words.

13 末底改吩咐[commanded]人回覆以斯帖說:「你莫想在王宮裏強過一切猶太人,得免這禍。

13 Then Mordecai told him to tell Esther, Think not in yourself that you shall escape because you are in the king's house, more than all the other Jews.

14 此時你若閉口不言,猶太人必從別處得解脫,蒙拯救;你和你父家必致滅亡。焉知你到這國來[come to the kingdom],不是為現今的機會嗎?」

14 For if you altogether remain silent this time, then relief and salvation shall arise to the Jews from an other place; but you and your father's house shall be destroyed; and who knows whether you have been called to come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 以斯帖就吩咐人回報末底改,這樣[this]說:

15 Then Esther told him to return Mordecai this answer:

16 「你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶太人,為我禁食三晝三夜,不吃不喝;我和我的宮女也要這樣禁食。然後我違例進去見王,我若死就死吧。」

16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan the pal ace, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and then I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.

17 於是末底改照以斯帖一切所吩咐的去行。

17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.