以斯帖記 3
1
這事以後、亞哈隨魯王抬舉亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼、使他高升、叫他的爵位超過與他同事的一切臣宰。

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.

2
在朝門的一切臣僕、都跪拜哈曼、因為王如此吩咐.惟獨末底改不跪不拜.

All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

3
在朝門的臣僕問末底改說、你為何違背王的命令呢.

Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's command?"

4
他們天天勸他、他還是不聽、他們就告訴哈曼、要看末底改的事站得住站不住、因他已經告訴他們自己是猶大人.

Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

5
哈曼見末底改不跪不拜、他就怒氣填胸.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.

6
他們已將末底改的本族告訴哈曼、他以為下手害末底改一人是小事、就要滅絕亞哈隨魯王通國所有的猶大人、就是末底改的本族。

Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

7
亞哈隨魯王十二年正月、就是尼散月、人在哈曼面前、按日日月月掣普珥、就是掣籤、要定何月何日為吉、擇定了十二月、就是亞達月。

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

8
哈曼對亞哈隨魯王說、有一種民、散居在王國各省的民中、他們的律例、與萬民的律例不同、也不守王的律例、所以容留他們與王無益.

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them.

9
王若以為美、請下旨意滅絕他們.我就捐一萬他連得銀子、交給掌管國帑的人、納入王的府庫.

If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business."

10
於是王從自己手上摘下戒指、給猶大人的仇敵、亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼.

So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11
王對哈曼說、這銀子仍賜給你、這民也交給你、你可以隨意待他們。

"Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."

12
正月十三日就召了王的書記來、照著哈曼一切所吩咐的、用各省的文字、各族的方言、奉亞哈隨魯王的名寫旨意、傳與總督和各省的省長、並各族的首領、又用王的戒指蓋印.

Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.

13
交給驛卒傳到王的各省、吩咐將猶大人、無論老少婦女孩子、在一日之間、十二月、就是亞達月十三日、全然剪除、殺戮滅絕、並奪他們的財為掠物.

Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews--young and old, women and little children--on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

14
抄錄這旨意、頒行各省、宣告各族、使他們豫備等候那日.

A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.

15
驛卒奉王命急忙起行、旨意也傳遍書珊城。王同哈曼坐下飲酒.書珊城的民卻都慌亂。

Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.