以斯帖記-Esther<上一章 下一章>

以斯帖記-Esther 第 4 章

4:1末底改知道所發生的這一切事,就撕裂衣服,穿麻衣,蒙灰塵,在城中行走,大聲哀號。
Now when Mordecai learned about all that had been done, Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes; and he went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.
4:2到了王門前停住腳步,因為穿麻衣的不可進王門。
And he went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
4:3王的諭旨和法令所到的各省各處,猶大人大大悲哀,禁食哭泣哀號,穿麻衣躺在灰中的甚多。
And throughout every province, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and wailing; many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4:4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,他卻不接受。
And Esther's maids and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was greatly distressed. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might remove his sackcloth from him; but he would not accept them.
4:5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,要知道這是什麼事,是為什麼緣故。
Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had appointed to serve her, and she commanded him to go out to Mordecai to find out what this was and why it was.
4:6於是哈他革出到王門前城的寬闊處,見末底改。
So Hathach went out to Mordecai at the open square of the city in front of the king's gate.
4:7末底改將自己所遇的一切事,並哈曼為滅絕猶大人應許捐入王庫的準確銀數,都告訴了他;
And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
4:8又將所抄寫在書珊頒布,要滅絕猶大人的法令交給哈他革,要他給以斯帖看,向她說明,並囑咐她進去見王,向王求情,為本族的人在王面前懇求。
And he also gave him a copy of the written decree which was issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and tell her about it and charge her to go in to the king to supplicate him and make a request for her people before him.
4:9哈他革回來,將末底改的話告訴以斯帖;
And Hathach came and told Esther Mordecai's words.
4:10以斯帖就把以下的話告訴哈他革,吩咐他去見末底改,說,
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to answer Mordecai:
4:11王的一切臣僕和王各省的人民都知道一條法令,無論男女,若不蒙召就進入內院見王,必被處死,除非王向他伸出金杖,叫他得以存活;現在我沒有蒙召進去見王已經三十日了。
All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that for any man or woman who comes in to the king at the inner court who has not been called for, there is but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out his scepter of gold to him that he may live; and I have not been called to come in to the king during these past thirty days.
4:12人就把以斯帖的話告訴末底改。
And they told Mordecai Esther's words.
4:13末底改叫人回覆以斯帖說,你不要以為在王宮裡就強過一切猶大人,得免這禍。
Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, Do not imagine that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the Jews.
4:14此時你若閉口不言,猶大人必從別處得解脫,蒙拯救;你和你父家就必滅亡。焉知你得了王后的位分,不是為現今這樣的時機麼?
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
4:15以斯帖就叫人回報末底改說,
Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,
4:16你當去招聚書珊城所有的猶大人,為我禁食,三日之內,晝夜不吃不喝;我和我的侍女也要這樣禁食。然後我就違令進去見王;我若滅亡就滅亡罷。
Go; assemble all the Jews who are to be found in Susa, and fast for me; and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day; I also and my maids will fast in the same way. And so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
4:17於是末底改就去照以斯帖一切所吩咐的而行。
So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
 
以斯帖記-Esther 第 4 章 <上一章 下一章>