斯2:1 这些事以后，亚哈随鲁王的怒气消减了，就想念瓦实提和她所行的，以及怎样降旨办她的事。
斯2:1 After these things, when the king's feelings were calmer, the thought of Vashti and what she had done and the order he had made against her, came back to his mind.
斯2:2 于是有些侍臣对王说：“要差人为王寻找一些美貌的少女。
斯2:2 Then the servants who were waiting on the king said to him, Let search be made for some fair young virgins for the king:
斯2:3 王可以委派官员在国中各省，把所有美貌的少女都召到书珊城的女院那里，交在掌理女子的王家太监希该手下，可以供给她们洁身用的香品。
斯2:3 Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them;
斯2:4 王喜悦的女子，就可以作王后，代替瓦实提。”王喜悦这话，就这样行了。
斯2:4 And let the girl who is pleasing to the king be queen in place of Vashti. And the king was pleased with this suggestion; and he did so.
斯2:5 在书珊城里，有一个犹大人，名叫末底改，是便雅悯人基士的曾孙、示每的孙子、睚珥的儿子。
斯2:5 Now there was a certain Jew in Shushan named Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
斯2:6 末底改在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒掳走犹大王耶哥尼雅和别的俘虏的时候，也同时被掳走。
斯2:6 Who had been taken away from Jerusalem among those who had been made prisoner with Jeconiah, king of Judah, when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had taken him away.
斯2:7 末底改抚养自己叔叔的女儿哈大沙（哈大沙就是以斯帖），因为她没有父母。这女子体态美丽，容貌娟秀；她父母死了，末底改就收养她作自己的女儿。
斯2:7 And he had been a father to Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his father's brother: for she had no father or mother, and she was very beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his daughter.
斯2:8 王的命令和谕旨传开了，许多少女都被召到书珊城，交在希该的手下；以斯帖也被带到王宫里去，交在管理女子的希该手下。
斯2:8 So when the order made by the king was publicly given out, and a number of girls had been placed in the care of Hegai in the king's house in Shushan, Esther was taken into the king's house and put in the care of Hegai, the keeper of the women.
斯2:9 希该喜悦以斯帖，就恩待她，急忙供给她洁身用的香品和她应得的食物，又给她七个美丽的侍女，都是从王宫里选出来给她的，再把她和她的侍女搬进女院上好的房子里。
斯2:9 And he was pleased with the girl and was kind to her; and he quickly gave her what was needed for making her clean, and the things which were hers by right, and seven servant-girls who were to be hers from the king's house: and he had her and her servant-girls moved to the best place in the women's part of the house.
斯2:10 以斯帖没有把自己的种族和身世告诉人，因为末底改吩咐她不可告诉人。
斯2:10 Esther had not said what family or people she came from, for Mordecai had given her orders not to do so.
斯2:11 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，她的情形怎样。
斯2:11 And every day Mordecai took his walk before the square of the women's house, to see how Esther was and what would be done to her.
斯2:12 每个少女轮流进宫见亚哈随鲁王之前，都要照着女子的规例洁净身体十二个月，因为女子洁身的规例是这样：六个月用没药油，六个月用香品和妇女洁身用的其他物品。
斯2:12 Now every girl, when her turn came, had to go in to King Ahasuerus, after undergoing, for a space of twelve months, what was ordered by the law for the women (for this was the time necessary for making them clean, that is, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet perfumes and such things as are needed for making women clean):
斯2:13 那时，少女进去见王是这样的：从女院到王宫的时候，她所要的都要给她。
斯2:13 And in this way the girl went in to the king; whatever she had a desire for was given to her to take with her from the women's house into the house of the king.
斯2:14 她晚上进去，次日早晨回到第二女院去，交给管理妃嫔的沙甲，就是王的太监；除非王喜悦她，题名召她，她就不再进去见王。
斯2:14 In the evening she went, and on the day after she came back to the second house of the women, into the keeping of Shaashgaz, one of the king's unsexed servants who had the care of the king's wives: only if the king had delight in her and sent for her by name did she go in to him again.
斯2:15 末底改的叔叔亚比孩的女儿以斯帖，就是末底改收养作自己女儿的，轮到她进去见王的时候，除了王的太监，掌理女子的希该所预备的以外，以斯帖别无所求；看见以斯帖的，都喜爱她。
斯2:15 Now when the time came for Esther, the daughter of Abihail, his father's brother, whom Mordecai had taken as his daughter, to go in to the king, she made request for nothing but what Hegai, the king's servant and keeper of the women, had given her. And Esther was looked on kindly by all who saw her.
斯2:16 亚哈随鲁王执政第七年十月，就是提别月，以斯帖被带进王宫去见亚哈随鲁王。
斯2:16 So Esther was taken in to King Ahasuerus in his house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his rule.
斯2:17 王爱以斯帖超过所有其他的女子；在所有的处女中，她在王的面前，最得王的恩宠与喜爱；王把王后的冠冕戴在她头上，立她为王后，代替瓦实提。
斯2:17 And Esther was more pleasing to the king than all the women, and to his eyes she was fairer and more full of grace than all the other virgins: so he put his crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
斯2:18 王为他的文武百官大摆筵席，就是以斯帖的婚筵，又向各省颁布休假一天，并且照着王的厚意，颁赐礼物。
斯2:18 Then the king gave a great feast for all his captains and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he gave orders through all the divisions of his kingdom for a day of rest from work, and gave wealth from his store.
斯2:19 第二次召集处女的时候，末底改坐在朝门那里。
斯2:19 And when the virgins came together in the second house of the women, Mordecai took his seat in the doorway of the king's house.
斯2:20 以斯帖照着末底改吩咐她的，没有把自己的身世和种族告诉人；末底改所说的话，以斯帖都遵行，就像昔日养育她的时候一样。
斯2:20 Esther had still said nothing of her family or her people, as Mordecai had given her orders; for Esther did what Mordecai said, as when she was living with him.
斯2:21 那时，末底改坐在朝门那里，王有两个守门的太监：辟探和提列，一时因为恼怒，正想下手害亚哈随鲁王。
斯2:21 In those days, while Mordecai was seated at the king's doorway, two of the king's servants, Bigthan and Teresh, keepers of the door, being angry, were looking for a chance to make an attack on King Ahasuerus.
斯2:22 这阴谋给末底改知道了，他就告诉王后以斯帖；以斯帖就以末底改的名义对王说起这事。
斯2:22 And Mordecai, having knowledge of their purpose, sent word of it to Esther the queen; and Esther gave the news to the king in Mordecai's name.
斯2:23 那阴谋查究起来，就发现真相；于是把二人悬挂在木架上。这事在王面前曾写于史记。
斯2:23 And when the thing had been looked into, it was seen to be true, and the two of them were put to death by hanging on a tree: and it was put down in the records before the king.