The King Honors Mordecai
1That night the king couldn’t sleep. So he ordered the official records of his rule to be brought in. He ordered someone to read them to him. 2What Mordecai had done was written there. He had uncovered the plans of Bigthana and Teresh. They were two of the king’s officers who guarded the door of the royal palace. They had decided to kill King Xerxes.
3“What great honor has Mordecai received for doing that?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
4The king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the palace. He had come to speak to the king about putting Mordecai to death. He wanted to talk about putting Mordecai’s body on the pole he had prepared for him.
5The king’s attendants said to him, “Haman is standing in the courtyard.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
6Haman entered. Then the king asked him, “What should be done for the man I want to honor?”
Haman said to himself, “Is there anyone the king would rather honor than me?” 7So he answered the king. He said, “Here is what you should do for the man you want to honor. 8Have your servants get a royal robe you have worn. Have them bring a horse you have ridden on. Have a royal mark placed on its head. 9Then give the robe and horse to one of your most noble princes. Let the robe be put on the man you want to honor. Let him be led on the horse through the city streets. Let people announce in front of him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!’ ”
10“Go right away,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe. Bring the horse. Do exactly what you have suggested. Do it for Mordecai the Jew. He’s sitting out there at the palace gate. Make sure you do everything you have suggested.”
11So Haman got the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai. And he led him on horseback through the city streets. He walked along in front of him and announced, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!”
12After that, Mordecai returned to the palace gate. But Haman rushed home. He covered his head because he was very sad. 13He told his wife Zeresh everything that had happened to him. He also told all his friends.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh spoke to him. They said, “Your fall from power started with Mordecai. He’s a Jew. So now you can’t stand up against him. You are going to be destroyed!” 14They were still talking with him when the king’s officials arrived. They hurried Haman away to the feast Esther had prepared.
王赐末底改尊荣
1那夜王睡不着觉，就吩咐人拿史书念给他听。 2刚好念到末底改揭发两位守门太监辟探和提列谋害亚哈随鲁王的事， 3王便问：“末底改既行此事，可曾赐他什么尊荣和爵位吗？”服侍王的臣仆回答说：“没有赐他什么。” 4王问：“谁在院子里？”那时哈曼刚进到王宫外院，想请求王将末底改吊在他预备的木架上。 5服侍王的臣仆回答说：“是哈曼站在院子里。”王说：“让他进来。” 6哈曼进来后，王问他：“王愿意赏识一个人，该怎么做呢？”哈曼心想：“王愿意赏识的人不是我是谁呢？” 7于是，他就对王说：“王若愿意赏识一个人， 8可以拿来王穿过的袍子，牵来王骑过的戴冠的御马， 9交给王最尊贵的一位大臣，给王所愿意赏识的人穿上，让他骑着马在城中的广场上游行，并派人在他前面宣告，‘王愿意赏识谁，就会这样待他。’” 10王对哈曼说：“快去照你说的，把王袍和御马赐给在宫门供职的犹太人末底改。你所说的一样也不可少。” 11于是，哈曼将袍子给末底改穿上，让他骑着马在城中的广场上游行，并在他前面宣告：“王愿意赏识谁，就会这样待他。”
12之后，末底改回到宫门那里，哈曼却悲伤地蒙着头匆匆回家去了。 13他将自己的遭遇详细告诉妻子细利斯和所有的朋友。他的谋士及其妻子细利斯对他说：“你开始在末底改面前败落。如果他是犹太人，你必胜不过他，终必在他面前败落。”
14他们正在谈论的时候，王的太监来催哈曼赶快去赴以斯帖预备的宴席。
