¹After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

¹末底改不向哈曼跪拜這事以後，亞哈隨魯王使亞甲族哈米大他的兒子晉陞；王提拔他，使他的地位高過所有與他在一起的大臣。

²And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

²在朝門那裡，王的所有臣僕，都向哈曼屈身下拜，因為王曾經這樣吩咐；只有末底改不跪，也不拜。

³Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

³於是在朝門的臣僕問末底改：“你為甚麼違背王的命令呢？”

⁴Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

⁴他們天天勸他，他還是不聽，他們就告訴哈曼，要看看末底改的話是不是堅持到底，因為他已經告訴他們，他自己是猶大人。

⁵And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

⁵哈曼見末底改不向他屈身下拜，就非常忿怒。

⁶And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

⁶他以為只下手對付末底改一人還是小事，因為有人把末底改的本族告訴了哈曼；所以哈曼設法要把亞哈隨魯王全國所有的猶大人，與末底改一起消滅。

⁷In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

⁷哈曼圖謀滅絕猶大人亞哈隨魯王十二年正月，就是尼散月，有人在哈曼面前弄卜“普珥”，就是抽籤，逐日逐月地抽，結果抽出了十二月，就是亞達月。

⁸And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

⁸哈曼對亞哈隨魯王說：“有一個種族，散居在王國各省各民族之中；他們的法例與各族的法例不同，他們也不遵守王的法規；所以留下他們，對王實在無益。

⁹If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

⁹王若是贊成，請王降旨消滅他們；我願捐出三萬四千公斤銀子，交在管理國務的人手中，納入王庫。”

¹⁰And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

¹⁰於是王從自己的手中取下戒指，交給猶大人的敵人，亞甲族哈米大他的兒子哈曼。

¹¹And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

¹¹王對哈曼說：“這銀子仍賜給你，這民也交給你，你看怎樣好，就怎樣待他們吧。”

¹²Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

¹²王准哈曼滅絕猶大人正月十三日，王的書記都召了來，照著哈曼的一切吩咐，用各省的文字，各族的方言，奉亞哈隨魯王的名下旨，又用王的戒指蓋上印，頒給總督、各省的省長和各族的領袖。

¹³And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

¹³王旨交給眾驛使傳到王的各省，吩咐要在一日之內，在十二月，就是亞達月十三日，把所有的猶大人，無論老少婦孺，都全部毀滅、殺絕、除盡，並且搶奪他們的財產。

¹⁴The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

¹⁴諭文抄本頒行各省，通告各族，使他們準備好這一天。

¹⁵The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

¹⁵驛使奉王命急忙出發，御旨從書珊城頒布出去。那時王與哈曼又同坐共飲，書珊城的居民卻非常慌亂。