1選立新后這些事以後，亞哈隨魯王的怒氣消減了，就想念瓦實提和她所行的，以及怎樣降旨辦她的事。
1After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2於是有些侍臣對王說：“要差人為王尋找一些美貌的少女。
2Then the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
3王可以委派官員在國中各省，把所有美貌的少女都召到書珊城的女院那裡，交在掌理女子的王家太監希該手下，可以供給她們潔身用的香品。
3Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;
4王喜悅的女子，就可以作王后，代替瓦實提。”王喜悅這話，就這樣行了。
4and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
5以斯帖入宮在書珊城裡，有一個猶大人，名叫末底改，是便雅憫人基士的曾孫、示每的孫子、睚珥的兒子。
5There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
6末底改在巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒擄走猶大王耶哥尼雅和別的俘虜的時候，也同時被擄走。
6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7末底改撫養自己叔叔的女兒哈大沙（哈大沙就是以斯帖），因為她沒有父母。這女子體態美麗，容貌娟秀；她父母死了，末底改就收養她作自己的女兒。
7He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8王的命令和諭旨傳開了，許多少女都被召到書珊城，交在希該的手下；以斯帖也被帶到王宮裡去，交在管理女子的希該手下。
8So it happened, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9希該喜悅以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙供給她潔身用的香品和她應得的食物，又給她七個美麗的侍女，都是從王宮裡選出來給她的，再把她和她的侍女搬進女院上好的房子裡。
9The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.
10以斯帖沒有把自己的種族和身世告訴人，因為末底改吩咐她不可告訴人。
10Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.
11末底改天天都在女院的院子前面徘徊，要知道以斯帖平安不平安，她的情形怎樣。
11Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.
12每個少女輪流進宮見亞哈隨魯王之前，都要照著女子的規例潔淨身體十二個月，因為女子潔身的規例是這樣：六個月用沒藥油，六個月用香品和婦女潔身用的其他物品。
12Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).
13那時，少女進去見王是這樣的：從女院到王宮的時候，她所要的都要給她。
13The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.
14她晚上進去，次日早晨回到第二女院去，交給管理妃嬪的沙甲，就是王的太監；除非王喜悅她，題名召她，她就不再進去見王。
14In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
15末底改的叔叔亞比孩的女兒以斯帖，就是末底改收養作自己女兒的，輪到她進去見王的時候，除了王的太監，掌理女子的希該所預備的以外，以斯帖別無所求；看見以斯帖的，都喜愛她。
15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
16以斯帖被立為后亞哈隨魯王執政第七年十月，就是提別月，以斯帖被帶進王宮去見亞哈隨魯王。
16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17王愛以斯帖超過所有其他的女子；在所有的處女中，她在王的面前，最得王的恩寵與喜愛；王把王后的冠冕戴在她頭上，立她為王后，代替瓦實提。
17The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18王為他的文武百官大擺筵席，就是以斯帖的婚筵，又向各省頒布休假一天，並且照著王的厚意，頒賜禮物。
18Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
19第二次召集處女的時候，末底改坐在朝門那裡。
19When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
20以斯帖照著末底改吩咐她的，沒有把自己的身世和種族告訴人；末底改所說的話，以斯帖都遵行，就像昔日養育她的時候一樣。
20Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.
21末底改揭發陰謀那時，末底改坐在朝門那裡，王有兩個守門的太監：辟探和提列，一時因為惱怒，正想下手害亞哈隨魯王。
21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
22這陰謀給末底改知道了，他就告訴王后以斯帖；以斯帖就以末底改的名義對王說起這事。
22This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
23那陰謀查究起來，就發現真相；於是把二人懸掛在木架上。這事在王面前曾寫於史記。
23When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.