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Es 4:1-14.
简体中文
英語原文
Es 4:1-14.
MORDECAI AND THE JEWS MOURN.
1, 2. When Mordecai perceived all that was done--Relying on the irrevocable nature of a Persian monarch's decree
(Da 6:15),
Hamman made it known as soon as the royal sanction had been obtained; and Mordecai was, doubtless, among the first to hear of it. On his own account, as well as on that of his countrymen, this astounding decree must have been indescribably distressing. The acts described in this passage are, according to the Oriental fashion, expressive of the most poignant sorrow; and his approach to the gate of the palace, under the impulse of irrepressible emotions, was to make an earnest though vain appeal to the royal mercy. Access, however, to the king's presence was, to a person in his disfigured state, impossible: "for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth." But he found means of conveying intelligence of the horrid plot to Queen Esther.
4
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简体中文
4. 王后……甚是忧愁；……送衣服给……末底改——她这样做的目的，或是要使他可以换上正常衣服、恢复他原来的职务；又或是要他可以穿戴整齐，走到靠近王宫的地方，好把这样突然而剧烈的哀伤的原因告诉她。
英語原文
4. Then was the queen . . . grieved; and . . . sent raiment to . . . Mordecai--Her object in doing so was either to qualify him for resuming his former office, or else, perhaps, of fitting him to come near enough to the palace to inform her of the cause of such sudden and extreme distress.
5
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简体中文
5. 以斯帖就吩咐王所派伺候她的一个太监哈他革——与后宫女子的沟通极难进行，只能通过看守者的中介。太监总管从王后口中接到信息，再将其传达到后宫的某个下级办公处。差事办妥之后，下属再向总管报告，由总管将结果交付王后。这位太监总管通常是一位老人，因长期忠心的事奉而获得信任，总是由王所任命；但讨好王后，既符合他的职责，也符合他的利益。因此，我们看见哈他革在末底改与以斯帖之间的私下联络中甚为有用；末底改借此得以动员以斯帖强大的影响力。
英語原文
5. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her--Communication with the women in the harem is very difficult to be obtained, and only through the medium of the keepers. The chief eunuch receives the message from the lips of the queen, conveys it to some inferior office of the seraglio. When the commission is executed, the subaltern communicates it to the superintendent, by whom it is delivered to the queen. This chief eunuch, usually an old man who has recommended himself by a long course of faithful service, is always appointed by the king; but it is his interest, as well as his duty, to ingratiate himself with the queen also. Accordingly, we find Hatach rendering himself very serviceable in carrying on those private communications with Mordecai who was thereby enabled to enlist Esther's powerful influence.
8
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简体中文
8. 嘱咐她进去见王——这话语气极重。我们难以设想末底改此时仍以养父的身分对以斯帖行使权柄，因此当视为他乃是奉她弟兄的名、奉她神的名，恳求——而非命令——她直接向身为君王的丈夫的情感发出呼吁。
英語原文
8. charge her that she should go in unto the king--This language is exceedingly strong. As it can scarcely be supposed that Mordecai was still using authority over Esther as his adopted daughter, he must be considered as imploring rather than commanding her, in the name of her brethren and in the name of her God, to make a direct appeal to the feelings of her royal husband.
11
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简体中文
11. 无论男女，若不蒙召，进入内院见王——波斯王以几乎不可逾越的繁文缛节将自己围绕。这里所提及的律法，最初由玛代王戴奥塞斯（Deioces）所立，后来两国合并之后，便被波斯人所采用：一切事务都当通过王的众臣办理，一切请愿都当通过他们呈递。当然，这一限制本意并不适用于王后，然而因着波斯律法的严厉与不可更改，又因极力要高举君主威严的欲望，连他所宠爱的妻子也没有*进见（entrée）*的特权，除非蒙特许开恩。以斯帖正受这严苛律法之苦；她既整整一个月未被引见入王前，便有理由担心王的心意已经疏远了她，便几乎无望在这可怕的危机关头为她的祖国效力。
英語原文
11. whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called--The Persian kings surrounded themselves with an almost impassable circle of forms. The law alluded to was first enacted by Deioces, king of Media, and afterwards, when the empires were united, adopted by the Persians, that all business should be transacted and petitions transmitted to the king through his ministers. Although the restriction was not intended, of course, to apply to the queen, yet from the strict and inflexible character of the Persian laws and the extreme desire to exalt the majesty of the sovereign, even his favorite wife had not the privilege of entree, except by special favor and indulgence. Esther was suffering from the severity of this law; and as, from not being admitted for a whole month to the king's presence, she had reason to fear that the royal affections had become alienated from her, she had little hope of serving her country's cause in this awful emergency.
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简体中文
13、14. 末底改就吩咐人回答以斯帖说——他的回话大意是：以斯帖不必因自己为王后的身分而存虚空的幻想，以为能逃脱本族共同的厄运；他（末底改）深信神必介入，若不借着她，也必借着别的拯救者，拯救祂的百姓；但这一职责显然是落在她身上，因为很有理由相信，神护理使她被擢升为王后，正是为此目的；因此她当存勇敢的心前去，不要怀疑必能成功。
英語原文
13, 14. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther--His answer was to this effect, that Esther need not indulge the vain hope she would, from her royal connection, escape the general doom of her race--that he (Mordecai) confidently believed God would interpose, and, if not through her, by some other deliverer, save His people; but that the duty evidently devolved on her, as there was great reason to believe that this was the design of Providence in her elevation to the dignity of queen, and therefore that she should go with a courageous heart, not doubting of success.
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简体中文
16. 然后我违例进去见王——末底改的呼吁无法抗拒。她既已定下三日的严肃禁食，便表明了自己不顾性命、定要向王发出呼吁的坚决决心，即便为此而亡也在所不惜。
我……和我的宫女——她周围很可能有一些犹太少女，或是归信犹太教的妇女。
英語原文
16. so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law--The appeal of Mordecai was irresistible. Having appointed a solemn fast of three days, she expressed her firm resolution to make an appeal to the king, though she should perish in the attempt.
I . . . and my maidens--It is probable that she had surrounded herself with Jewish maidens, or women who were proselytes to that religion.
斯 4:1-14。
末底改与犹太人哀哭。
1、2. 末底改知道所进行的这一切事——基于波斯王谕旨的不可撤销性
(但 6:15)，
哈曼在取得王的批准之后，便尽快将其公布；末底改无疑是最先听见这消息的人之一。无论为他自己，还是为他的同胞，这道骇人的谕旨必使他痛苦莫名，难以言表。本段所描述的种种举动，按东方的风俗，都是表达最深切哀伤的方式；他受着难以压抑的情感的驱使，来到宫门前，是要向王的怜悯发出恳切——尽管徒然——的呼求。然而，以他那狼狈的样子，是不能进到王面前的：“因为不可穿麻衣进王的门。”但他却设法将这一可怕阴谋的消息传给了王后以斯帖。