Ester 1

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¶ 亞哈隨魯{H325}作王{H4427},從印度{H1912}直到古實{H3568},統管一百{H3967}二十{H6242}七{H7651}省{H4082}。

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亞哈隨魯{H325}王{H4428}在書珊{H7800}城的宮{H1002}登{H3427}基{H3678}{H4438};

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在位{H4427}第三{H7969}年{H8141},為他一切首領{H8269}臣僕{H5650}設擺{H6213}筵席{H4960},有波斯{H6539}和瑪代{H4074}的權貴{H2428},就是各省{H4082}的貴冑{H6579}與首領{H8269},在他面前{H6440}。

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他把他榮耀{H3519}之國{H4438}的豐富{H6239}和他美好{H3366}威嚴{H3366}的尊貴{H3366}給他們看了{H7200}許多{H7227}日{H3117},就是一百{H3967}八十{H8084}日{H3117}。

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這日子{H3117}滿了{H4390},又為所有{H4672}住書珊{H1002}城{H7800}的大{H1419}小{H6996}人民{H5971}在御{H4428}{H1055}園{H1594}的院子{H2691}裡設擺{H6213}筵席{H4960}七{H7651}日{H3117}。

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有白色{H2353}、綠色{H3768}、藍色{H8504}的帳子,用細麻{H948}繩{H2256}、紫色{H713}繩從銀{H3701}環{H1550}內繫{H270}在白玉石{H5982}柱{H5982}上;有金{H2091}銀{H3701}的床榻{H4296}擺在紅{H923}、白{H1858}、黃{H8504}、黑{H5508}玉石{H8336}鋪的石地{H7531}上。

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用金{H2091}器皿{H3627}賜酒{H8248},器皿{H3627}各{H3627}有不同{H8138}。御{H4438}酒{H3196}甚多{H7227},足顯王{H4428}的厚意{H3027}。

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喝酒{H8360}有例{H1881},不准勉強{H597}人,因王{H4428}吩咐{H3245}宮裡{H1004}的一切臣宰{H7227},讓{H6213}人各隨己{H376}意{H7522}。

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王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}在亞哈隨魯{H325}王{H4428}的宮{H1004}內也為婦女{H802}設擺{H6213}筵席{H4960}。

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第七{H7637}日{H3117},亞哈隨魯{H325}王{H4428}飲酒{H3196},心{H3820}中快樂{H2896},就吩咐{H559}在他面前{H6440}侍立{H8334}的七個{H7651}太監{H5631}米戶幔{H4104}、比斯他{H968}、哈波拿{H2726}、比革他{H903}、亞拔他{H5}、西達{H2242}、甲迦{H3752},

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請{H935}王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}頭戴王后的冠冕{H3804}到王{H4428}面前{H6440},使各等臣{H8269}民{H5971}看{H7200}他的美貌{H3308},因為他容貌{H4758}甚美{H2896}。

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王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}卻不肯{H3985}遵太監{H5631}所傳的{H3027}王{H4428}命{H1697}而來{H935},所以王{H4428}甚{H3966}發怒{H7107},心如火燒{H1197}。

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那時,在王{H4428}左右{H7138}常見{H7200}王{H4428}面{H6440}、國{H4438}中坐{H3427}高位{H7223}的,有波斯{H6539}和瑪代{H4074}的七{H7651}個大臣{H8269},就是甲示拿{H3771}、示達{H8369}、押瑪他{H133}、他施斯{H8659}、米力{H4825}、瑪西拿{H4826}、米母干{H4462},都是達{H3045}時務{H6256}的明哲人{H2450}。按王{H4428}的常規{H1697},辦事必先{H6440}詢問知{H3045}例{H1779}明法{H1881}的人。王問他們說{H559}:

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見上節

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「王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}不遵{H6213}太監{H5631}所傳的王{H4428}命{H3982},照例{H1881}應當怎樣辦理{H6213}呢?」

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米母干{H4462}在王{H4428}和眾首領{H8269}面前{H6440}回答{H559}說:王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}這事,不但得罪{H5753}王{H4428},並且有害於王{H4428}各省{H4082}的臣{H8269}民{H5971};

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因為王后{H4436}這事{H1697}必傳到{H3318}眾婦人{H802}的耳中,說{H559}:『亞哈隨魯{H325}王{H4428}吩咐{H559}王后{H4436}瓦實提{H2060}到{H935}王面前{H6440},他卻不來{H935}』,他們就藐視{H959}自己的丈夫{H1167}。

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今日{H3117}波斯{H6539}和瑪代{H4074}的眾夫人{H8282}聽見{H8085}王后{H4436}這事{H1697},必向王{H4428}的大臣{H8269}照樣行;從此必大開{H1767}藐視{H963}和忿怒{H7110}之端。

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王{H4428}若以為美{H2895},就降{H3318}旨{H1697}寫{H3789}在波斯{H6539}和瑪代{H4074}人的例{H1881}中,永不更改{H5674},不准瓦實提{H2060}再到{H935}王{H4428}面前{H6440},將他王后的位分{H4438}賜給{H5414}比他還好{H2896}的人。

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所降{H6213}的旨意{H6599}傳遍{H8085}通國{H4438}(國度本來廣大{H7227}),所有的婦人{H802},無論丈夫{H1167}貴{H1419}賤{H6996}都必尊敬{H5414}{H3366}他。」

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王{H4428}和眾首領{H8269}都以米母干{H4462}的話{H1697}為美{H3190}{H5869},王{H4428}就照這話{H1697}去行{H6213},

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發{H7971}詔書{H5612},用各省{H4082}的文字{H3791}、各族{H5971}的方言{H3956}通知各省{H4082},使為丈夫{H376}的在家{H1004}中作主{H8323},各說{H1696}本地的{H5971}方言{H3956}。