以斯帖記 8 – CCBT & NIRV

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)

以斯帖記 8:1-17

猶太人獲拯救

1當天,亞哈隨魯王把猶太人的仇敵哈曼的家產賜給以斯帖王后。末底改也來到王面前,因為以斯帖陳明了他們的親屬關係。 2王摘下自己的戒指,就是從哈曼手中取回的,賜給末底改以斯帖末底改管理哈曼的家產。

3以斯帖又俯伏在王的腳前,流淚哀求王廢掉亞甲哈曼加害猶太人的陰謀。 4王向以斯帖伸出金杖,以斯帖就起來站在王面前, 5說:「王若願意,我若得到王的恩寵,王若認為好,並且喜悅我,就請王降旨,廢除亞甲哈米大他的兒子哈曼陰謀滅絕各省猶太人的諭旨。 6我怎能忍心看我本族的人受害?我怎能忍心看我的親族被殺?」 7亞哈隨魯王對以斯帖王后和猶太末底改說:「我已把哈曼的家產賜給以斯帖,並把他吊在木架上了,因為他想害猶太人。 8現在,你們盡可奉王的名寫諭旨給猶太人,用王的戒指蓋印,因為奉王的名所寫、用王的戒指蓋印的諭旨是不可廢除的。」

9三月,即西彎月二十三日,王的書記被召來,按照末底改的一切吩咐用各省的文字和各族的語言,包括猶太人的文字和語言寫諭旨,傳給從印度古實的一百二十七省的猶太人、總督、省長和官員。 10末底改亞哈隨魯王的名寫諭旨,用王的戒指蓋印,讓信差騎王室快馬送往各地。 11-12諭旨上說,王准許各城的猶太人在十二月,即亞達月十三日,聚集起來自衛,剷除、殺光、滅盡各族各省攻擊他們的仇敵及其兒女、妻子,奪取仇敵的財物。 13諭旨的抄本頒佈到各省,昭告各族,使猶太人在那天預備好向仇敵報仇。 14信差接到王的命令,急忙騎上王室快馬上路。在書珊城也頒佈了諭旨。

15末底改身穿藍色和白色朝服,頭戴大金冠,披著紫色細麻布外袍,從王那裡出來,書珊城的人都歡呼雀躍。 16猶太人高興歡喜,感到快樂光榮。 17各省各城,凡諭旨所到之處,猶太人都歡喜快樂,設宴慶祝。許多當地人因懼怕猶太人而入了猶太籍。

New International Reader’s Version

Esther 8:1-17

The King Allows the Jews to Fight for Their Lives

1That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther everything Haman had owned. Haman had been the enemy of the Jews. Esther had told the king that Mordecai was her cousin. So Mordecai came to see the king. 2The king took his ring off. It had his royal mark on it. He had taken it back from Haman. Now he gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of everything Haman had owned.

3Esther made another appeal to the king. She fell at his feet and wept. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman, the Agagite. He had decided to kill the Jews. 4The king reached out his gold scepter toward Esther. She got up and stood in front of him.

5She said, “King Xerxes, I hope you will think what I’m asking is the right thing to do. I hope you are pleased with me. If you are, and if it pleases you, let an order be written. Let it take the place of the messages Haman wrote. Haman was the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite. He planned to kill the Jews. He wrote orders to destroy us in all your territories. 6I couldn’t stand by and see the horrible trouble that would fall on my people! I couldn’t stand to see my family destroyed!”

7King Xerxes gave a reply to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew. He said, “Haman attacked the Jews. So I’ve given Esther everything he owned. My men have stuck a pole through his dead body. And they’ve set it up where everyone can see it. 8Now write another order in my name. Do it for the benefit of the Jews. Do what seems best to you. Stamp the order with my royal mark. Nothing that is written in my name and stamped with my mark can ever be changed.”

9Right away the king sent for the royal secretaries. It was the 23rd day of the third month. That was the month of Sivan. They wrote down all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews. They also wrote them to the royal officials, the governors and the nobles of the 127 territories in his kingdom. The territories reached from India all the way to Cush. The orders were written down in the writing of each territory. They were written in the language of each nation. They were also written to the Jews in their own writing and language. 10Mordecai wrote the orders in the name of King Xerxes. He stamped them with the king’s royal mark. He sent them by messengers on horseback. They rode fast horses that were raised just for the king.

11The Jews in every city could now gather together and fight for their lives. The king’s order gave them that right. But suppose soldiers from any nation or territory attacked them, their women or children. Then the Jews could destroy, kill and wipe out those soldiers. They could also take the goods that belonged to their enemies. 12A day was appointed for the Jews to do that in all the king’s territories. It was the 13th day of the 12th month. That was the month of Adar. 13A copy of the order was sent out as law in every territory. It was announced to the people of every nation. So the Jews would be ready on that day. They could pay back their enemies.

14The messengers rode on the royal horses. They raced along. That’s what the king commanded them to do. The order was also sent out in the fort of Susa.

The Jews Win the Battle Over Their Enemies

15Mordecai left the king and went on his way. Mordecai was wearing royal clothes when he went. They were blue and white. He was also wearing a large gold crown. And he was wearing a purple coat. It was made out of fine linen. The city of Susa celebrated with great joy. 16The Jews were filled with joy and happiness. They were very glad because now they were being honored. 17They celebrated and enjoyed good food. They were glad and full of joy. That was true everywhere the king’s order came. It was true in every territory and every city. Many people from other nations announced that they had become Jews. That’s because they were so afraid of the Jews.