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1:1 亞哈隨魯作王，從印度直到古實，統管一百二十七省。 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, 1:1 Hebrew ((Ahasuerus,)) a variant of Xerxes' Persian name; here and throughout Esther the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region
1:2 亞哈隨魯王在書珊城的宮登基； At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 1:3 在位第三年，為他一切首領臣僕設擺筵席，有波斯和米底亞的權貴，就是各省的貴冑與首領，在他面前。 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. 1:4 他把他榮耀之國的豐富和他美好威嚴的尊貴給他們看了許多日，就是一百八十日。 For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 1:5 這日子滿了，又為所有住書珊城的大小人民在御園的院子裏設擺筵席七日。 When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. 1:6 有白色、綠色、藍色的帳子，用細麻繩、紫色繩從銀環內繫在白玉石柱上；有金銀的榻擺在紅、白、黃、黑玉石鋪的石地上。 The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. 1:7 用金器皿賜酒，器皿各有不同。御酒甚多，足顯王的厚意。 Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality. 1:8 喝酒有例，不准勉強人，因王吩咐宮裏的一切臣宰，讓人各隨己意。 By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. 1:9 王后瓦實提在亞哈隨魯王的宮內也為婦女設擺筵席。 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes. 1:10 第七日，亞哈隨魯王飲酒，心中快樂，就吩咐在他面前侍立的七個太監米戶幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亞拔他、西達、甲迦， On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him--Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas-- 1:11 請王后瓦實提頭戴王后的冠冕到王面前，使各等臣民看她的美貌，因為她容貌甚美。 to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. 1:12 王后瓦實提卻不肯遵太監所傳的王命而來，所以王甚發怒，心如火燒。 But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger. 1:13 那時，在王左右常見王面、國中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亞的七個大臣，就是甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干，都是達時務的明哲人。按王的常規，辦事必先詢問知例明法的人。王問他們說： Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 1:14 那時，在王左右常見王面、國中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亞的七個大臣，就是甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干，都是達時務的明哲人。按王的常規，辦事必先詢問知例明法的人。王問他們說： and were closest to the king--Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom. 1:15 「王后瓦實提不遵太監所傳的王命，照例應當怎樣辦理呢？」 <<According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?>> he asked. <<She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.>> 1:16 米母干在王和眾首領面前回答說：「王后瓦實提這事，不但得罪王，並且有害於王各省的臣民； Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, <<Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 1:17 因為王后這事必傳到眾婦人的耳中，說：『亞哈隨魯王吩咐王后瓦實提到王面前，她卻不來』，她們就藐視自己的丈夫。 For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, <King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.> 1:18 今日波斯和米底亞的眾夫人聽見王后這事，必向王的大臣照樣行；從此必大開藐視和忿怒之端。 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord. 1:19 王若以為美，就降旨寫在波斯和米底亞人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦實提再到王面前，將她王后的位分賜給比她還好的人。 <<Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 1:20 所降的旨意傳遍通國（國度本來廣大），所有的婦人，無論丈夫貴賤都必尊敬他。」 Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.>> 1:21 王和眾首領都以米母干的話為美，王就照這話去行， The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed. 1:22 發詔書，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使為丈夫的在家中作主，各說本地的方言。 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, proclaiming in each people's tongue that every man should be ruler over his own household. This is Alex Markley's PHPScripture v1.2.0, displaying a copy of Chinese Union Version Bible in XOOPS. 本模組中文化由長島基督福音教會的Jack起始, 聖經文字部分由CCIM(網路基督使團)網站下載. 如欲修改經文請洽聖經公會. 荒漠甘泉五合一■ 中文荒漠甘泉（02月03日）
二月三日 「聖靈立刻把耶穌催到曠野裡去。」馬可福音一章12節（直譯） 這似乎是很奇怪一回事。「立刻」在甚麼事情發生了之後，纔有這「立刻」呢？在主從水裡上來，看見天裂開了，聖靈彷彿鴿子降在祂身上，父神公開宣佈：「您是我的愛子，我喜悅您。」（10、11節）之後。這並不是反常的經歷。你有否這樣的經歷？豈不是山峰一程之後，立刻就是山谷的一程麼？也許昨天你曾飛翔天空，歌唱讚美；今天你的翅膀下垂，歌聲全止了。早晨你曾享受父神的歡笑；晚上你在曠野中說：「我的道路向耶和華隱藏。」（賽四十27） 可是，信徒們哪！事情突然轉變，並非出乎偶然，乃是神有美意在其中。 你有沒有想過：為甚麼祝福之後，就有這「立刻」呢？原來祝福是手續，「立刻」是目的。「立刻」就是祝福的下文。神給你祝福，原是要使你能勝任前面的荒漠——客西馬尼、各各他。神光照你，高舉你，給你力量，原是要你衝過前面可怕的陣地；神給你亮光，原是要你經過黑夜；神給你幫助，原是要你幫助那些無助的。 並非隨時有資格到曠野去受試煉的，你必須先有約但河的祝福，然後纔配到曠野去。唯有聖子的啟示，才能使你承擔聖靈的重負；唯有洗禮的榮耀，才能支持沙漠中的飢餓。 ─馬得勝 祝福之後就是爭戰。 一個人的精神修養，將因試煉而充實，而有顯著的進步。但試煉時期是不平常的。在這個時期，地獄好像張開了口的門戶，我們的靈魂如入網羅之中，神並且讓我們落到魔鬼的手掌中去。但這個時期，對於永遠把靈魂依賴祂的人，遲早必會結束於勝利之中，不管這試煉時期有多長，時有神奇的功用，無窮的後效。 ─懷特
■ 英文荒漠甘泉（02月03日）
February 3 "And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness." (Mark 1:12.) ＩT seemed a strange proof of Divine favor. "Immediately." Immediately after what? After the opened heavens and the dove-like peace and the voice of the Father's blessing, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It is no abnormal experience. Thou, too, hast passed through it, O my soul. Are not the times of thy deepest depression just the moments that follow thy loftiest flight? Yesterday thou wert soaring far in the firmament, and singing in the radiance of the morn; today thy wings are folded and thy song silent. At noon thou wert basking in the sunshine of a Father's smile; at eve thou art saying in the wilderness, "My way is hid from the Lord." Nay, but, my soul, the very suddenness of the change is a proof that it is not revolutionary. Hast thou weighed th confort of that word "immediately"? Why does it come so soon after the blessing? Just to show that it is the sequel to the blessing. God shines on thee to make thee fit for life's desert-places─for its Gethsemanes, for its Calvaries. He lifts thee up that He may give thee strength to go further down; He illuminates thee that He may send thee into the night, that He may make thee a help to the helpless. Not at all times art thou worthy of the wilderness; thou art only worthy of the wilderness after the splendors of Jordan. Nothing but the Son's vision can fit thee for the Spirit's burden; only the glory of the baptism can support the hunger of the desert. ─George Matheson. After benediction comes battle. The time of testing that marks and mightily enriches a soul's spiritual career is no ordinary one, but a period when all hell seems let loose, a period when we realize our souls are brought into a net, when we know that God is permitting us to be in the devil's hand. But it is a period which always ends in certain trumph for those who have committed the keeping of their souls to Him, a period of maryelous "nevertheless afterward" of abundant usefulness, the sixty-fold that surely follows. ─Aphra White.
■ 永活之泉（02月03日）
二月三日 代禱和敬拜 「當以聖潔的妝飾敬拜耶和華。」詩篇九十六篇9節 我們越認識神，我們就越看見代禱能力的奇妙。我們要明白這是人與神同工，作成祂旨意的方法。神已經將祂整個的救贖在基督裡賜給祂的子民，啟示祂自己並與人交通。在這裡，代禱是主要的元素，因為在這裡，祂的僕人能與基督有完全的相交，接受那天上聖靈的能力，作為他們工作的能力。 我們很容易看見為甚麼神如此安排。神實在願意更新我們，使我們像祂。但我們無法辦到，除非我們將祂的愛慕，作為我們的愛慕，我們就不能有祂的性情；除非在愛裡獻上我們自己，我們就不能慢慢的像基督那樣「長遠活著為我們祈求。」在那些已經奉獻了的信徒，確能達到這種生活。 我們對神這偉大的目的看得越清楚，我們就越覺得需要真實的進到神面前，謙卑聖潔的敬拜祂。我們越這樣多花時間去親近在神的面前，完全進入祂的心意，整個的心充滿了祂偉大的旨意的思想，我們就更能相信，神因著我們的禱告，就作出祂的美意。當神的榮耀光照我們的時候，我們就認識我們是何等的無能，因此我們就在信心裡明白神的作工，遠超過我們所求所想的。代禱能使你感覺需要更深的敬拜。敬拜能使代禱有一種新的能力。一個誠實的代禱和一個更深的敬拜，兩者是不能分開的。 這真實敬拜的秘訣是只給那些肯擺上時間留在神面前，降服於神，讓神啟示祂自己的那一班人知道的。敬拜能叫我們認識神的榮耀。 「哦！來吧，讓我們俯伏敬拜，讓我們跪拜創造我們的主，因為祂是我們的神。」「給主祂的名所該得的榮耀。」
■ 中文屬天日子（02月03日）
二月三日 明認關係之斷絕 「還把我們看作世界上的污穢。」哥林多前書四章9—13節 這並非過分之言。我們今日自稱為福音僕人的，不以保羅的話為然。我覺得並不是保羅所用的言語不正確，卻是因為我們不肯與污穢的社會斷絕關係。「要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。」（西一24）並不是一種成聖的明證，乃是傳福音。 彼得說：「有火煉的試驗臨到你們，不要以為希奇。」如果我們真以所遇的事為希奇，那是因為我們的心怯懦之故。我們的托詞冠冕堂皇，我不屈伏，我不折節，其實是怕受人的反對而蒙屈辱。你僅求得救，不受甚麼患難，是你的自由；你拒絕神把你算為一個特派傳福音者，也是你的自由。不然你便得說：「只要福音傳開，即使把我看為萬物中的渣滓，我亦不在乎。」耶穌基督的僕人是願意為神福音的真實而殉身的。一個僅有道德的男女與卑鄙不德和欺騙發生接觸之時，善性就受到不可挽救的打擊，心靈亦大大的失望。神贖罪之真實，是奇妙莫測的，就是極惡大罪的人也不能跳出祂愛的範圍以外。保羅不說神特派他，顯出神把他造成了一個特出的人物，卻是說「在我裡面啟示祂的兒子。」
■ 中文上海嗎哪（02月03日）
二月三日 「亞伯拉罕……出去的時候，還不知往那裡去。」希伯來書十一章8節 亞伯拉罕的信心才是真正的信心。因為我們若能看見，就可靠推理，而不必全憑信心。我在坐船橫越大西洋時，就體驗到這種信心的原則。我們既看不到航道、更望不到海岸，然而舵手每天彷彿照著一條在海中，用粉筆畫出來的航線而行。當我只離陸地廿海哩時，他知道我們在那，就好像我們在三千哩遠時，他就看到了一樣。 我們如何測量、畫出我們的航道呢？船長每天用他的儀器，藉著太陽來決定他的航線。他不是靠地上的亮光，乃是仰望屬天的光源。所以說，是信心使他望上看，且繼續航行。他雖然看不到海岸、燈塔或是航道，但是他可以依賴神最大的光──太陽。 很多時候，我們似乎面臨一些完全不可靠的情況，或是甚至處在黑暗和災禍當中；但是神會為我們開路，叫我們黑夜的時分變成白晝的開始。 儘管我們不知道什麼事會發生，但讓我們今天帶著信心，勇往直前。
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中英聖經朗讀◎黃哲輝牧師◎
