1Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
1亞哈隨魯王大宴群臣亞哈隨魯在位的時候，他統治從印度到古實共一百二十七省。
2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
2他在書珊城登了國位。
3In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
3他執政第三年，曾為眾領袖和臣僕擺設筵席；波斯和瑪代的權貴，以及各省的貴族和領袖都在他面前。
4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
4他把自己尊榮之國的財富和偉大威風的榮華，向他們展現很多日子，共有一百八十天。
5And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
5這些日子過了，王又為所有在書珊城的人民，無論尊卑大小，在御園的院子裡擺設筵席七天。
6Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
6御園中有白色綿織的帷幕、藍色的幔子，細麻繩、紫色繩懸在銀環裡和大理石柱上；有金銀的床榻擺在紅色、白色、黃色和黑色的大理石所鋪的地上。
7And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
7賜飲都用金器皿；器皿與器皿各有不同；御酒很多，足顯王的厚賜。
8And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
8飲酒都照著定例，不准勉強；因為王對他宮裡的所有臣僕立下規矩，要照著各人的意願而行。
9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
9瓦實提王后抗旨王后瓦實提也在亞哈隨魯王的王宮中，為婦女們擺設筵席。
10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
10第七日，亞哈隨魯王因飲酒心裡高興，就吩咐侍候在他面前的七個太監：米戶幔、比斯他、哈波拿、比革他、亞拔他、西達、甲迦，
11To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
11去請王后瓦實提，戴著后冕到王面前，使眾人和大臣欣賞她的美麗；因為她的容貌很美。
12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
12王后瓦實提卻不肯遵照王藉著太監所傳的命令，所以王非常生氣，怒火中燒。
13Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
13瓦實提被廢王就諮詢通達時務的哲士；因為當時按照王的常規，王要處理一事，必先問問面前所有精通法令和審斷的朝臣。
14And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
14那時在王身邊的有甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干等七位波斯、瑪代的大臣；他們都是常見王面，在國中居首位的。
15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
15王問他們說：“王后瓦實提不遵行亞哈隨魯王藉著太監所傳的命令，按照法令應怎樣辦理呢？”
16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
16米母干在王和眾領袖面前回答：“王后瓦實提不但得罪了皇上，而且還得罪了亞哈隨魯王各省的臣民。
17For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
17因為王后這事必傳到所有婦女的耳中，會使她們眼中輕視自己的丈夫，因為她們說：‘亞哈隨魯王吩咐人帶王后瓦實提到王面前，她卻沒有來。’
18Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
18現在波斯和瑪代的公主貴婦聽見王后這件事，就必照樣告訴王的大臣，這樣輕視和忿怒的事就常有了。
19If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
19王若是贊成，可以下一道諭旨，並且寫在波斯和瑪代的法令中，永不廢除。不准瓦實提再到亞哈隨魯王面前來，又請王把她王后的位分賜給另一位比她好的人。
20And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
20王頒布的諭旨傳遍全國的時候，所有的婦女都必敬重她們的丈夫，不論丈夫尊卑貴賤。”
21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
21王和眾領袖都贊成米母干的話；王就照著他的話去行，
22For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
22把詔書送到王的各省，每一省都用各省的文字，每一族都用各族的方言，使作丈夫的都在家中作主，說話有權威。