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英文原文
This is but a part of a chapter; the rest of it, beginning at Es 10:4, with six chapters more, being found only in the Greek, is rejected as apocryphal. In these three verses we have only some short hints, I. Concerning Ahasuerus in the throne, what a mighty prince he was, Es 10:1,2. II. Concerning Mordecai his favourite, what a distinguished blessing he was to his people, Es 10:2,3.
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The Glory of Mordecai (495 BC)
末底改的荣耀（公元前495年）
¹ 亚哈随鲁王使旱地和海岛的人都进贡。 ² 他有权柄和威严的一切作为，并王使末底改高升的详情，岂不都写在玛代和波斯列王的纪事上吗？ ³ 犹大人末底改作亚哈随鲁王的宰相，在犹大人中为大，得他本族众弟兄的喜悦，为本族的人求好处，向他们全体说平安的话。
此处我们被告知：
I. 亚哈随鲁王是何等伟大有能力。他拥有辽阔的版图，无论在大陆还是海岛，都从中征收庞大的赋税。除了波斯诸王所征的常规税项之外（拉 4:13），他又向臣民征收额外的贡赋，以备某项重大的用钱之需（斯 10:1）：王使人都进贡。我们这座海岛有福了，所纳的税没有不是由其代表、并由其自己拣选的人所定的，不受专制权势的榨取压迫，像某些邻国那样。除了亚哈随鲁这一伟大事例之外，还可举出许多他权柄与威严的作为。然而这些都不被认为宜于在此圣史中记载，因为圣史局限于犹大人，只在其与他国事务相关时才提别国之事；但这些事却记在波斯纪事中（斯 10:2），早已失传，湮没于遗忘之中，而圣书却长存，活着受尊荣，并将存到时间不再之时。当人间的国度——君王与王朝——被毁灭，他们的记念也随他们一同消灭之时（诗 9:6）， 神在人中间的国度，以及那国的记录，却必存留，如天之日之久，但 2:44。
II. 末底改是何等伟大而良善。
1. 他是伟大的；看见德行与敬虔如此得尊荣，实令人欣慰。(1.) 他在王眼前为大，仅次于王，为王最喜悦、最信任的人。末底改曾在朝门长久知足地坐着，如今终于被升到王议事会的首位。有功之人或许一时看似被活埋；但往往藉着这样那样的途径，他们至终被发现、被提拔。王使末底改升至之伟大的详情，记在列国纪事中，作为极其可记念的事，并且有助于王的许多伟大成就。当末底改作他的右手时，王所作的权柄之工，胜过以往任何时候。(2.) 他在犹大人中为大（斯 10:3），不仅在他们之上为大，比他们任何人都更尊荣，更是与他们同为大，为他们所亲爱、与他们亲密相处、为他们所大大敬重。他们不但不嫉妒他的高升，反而为此欢喜，并以此加增他的尊荣——使他在他们中间具有发号施令的影响力，把自己一切事务都交给他指导。
2. 他是良善的，极其良善，因为他行善。这良善使他真正伟大，而他的伟大又给他机会行更多的善。当王升高举他的时候：(1.) 他并不否认自己的本族犹大人，也不以与他们有亲属关系为耻，虽然他们是外人、是被掳之人，分散各处、被人轻看。他仍自称是犹大人末底改，因此无疑仍坚守犹大人的信仰，藉着信仰的礼仪使自己与众不同，然而这并不妨碍他的高升，也不被看作他的瑕疵。(2.) 他不求自己的富足，也不为自己和家族兴家立业——这是大多数人一旦在朝廷得高位后所追求的头等大事；他乃是寻求自己百姓的福祉，以此为他的事业去推进。他的权柄、他的财富，以及他在王和王后面前的一切影响力，他都用来为公益服务。(3.) 他不仅行善，更以谦卑俯就的方式行善，平易近人，举止有礼、和蔼可亲，向一切投奔他的人说平安的话。行善事是有财富权柄之人当尽的本分，也是首要的期待；但说好话也是值得称赞的，使善行更蒙悦纳。(4.) 他不偏袒本族中任何一个党派而对付另一党派，不偏宠某些人，而把其余的人冷落压制；乃是无论他们中间有何分歧，他都作他们众人的共同父亲，使自己得本族众弟兄的喜悦——不轻看群众，向他们全体说平安的话，毫无分别。如此，他因谦卑和惠泽而使自己蒙悦纳，便为众人所接纳，得了他众弟兄的称赞。感谢 神，我们也蒙福有这样的政府，寻求我们百姓的福祉，向他们全体说平安的话。愿 神长久、极长久地保守它，并叫我们在它幸福的保护与影响之下，过安静和平的生活，在敬虔、诚实和爱心中！
英文原文
The Glory of Mordecai (495 BC)
¹ And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
² And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
³ For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
We are here told,
I. How great and powerful king Ahasuerus was. He had a vast dominion, both in the continent and among the islands, from which he raised a vast revenue. Besides the usual customs which the kings of Persia exacted (Ezr 4:13), he laid an additional tribute upon his subjects, to serve for some great occasion he had for money (Es 10:1): The king laid a tribute. Happy is our island, that pays no tribute but what is laid upon it by its representatives, and those of its own choosing, and is not squeezed or oppressed by an arbitrary power, as some of the neighbouring nations are. Besides this instance of the grandeur of Ahasuerus, many more might be given, that were acts of his power and of his might. These however are not thought fit to be recorded here in the sacred story, which is confined to the Jews, and relates the affairs of other nations only as they fell in with their affairs; but they are written in the Persian chronicles (Es 10:2), which are long since lost and buried in oblivion, while the sacred writings live, live in honour, and will live till time shall be no more. When the kingdoms of men, monarchs and monarchies, are destroyed, and their memorial has perished with them (Ps 9:6), the kingdom of God among men, and the records of that kingdom, shall remain and be as the days of heaven, Da 2:44.
II. How great and good Mordecai was.
1. He was great; and it does one good to see virtue and piety thus in honour. (1.) He was great with the king, next to him, as one he most delighted and confided in. Long had Mordecai sat contentedly in the king's gate, and now at length he is advanced to the head of his council-board. Men of merit may for a time seem buried alive; but often, by some means or other, they are discovered and preferred at last. The declaration of the greatness to which the king advanced Mordecai was written in the chronicles of the kingdom, as very memorable, and contributing to the great achievements of the king. He never did such acts of power as he did when Mordecai was his right hand. (2.) He was great among the Jews (Es 10:3), not only great above them, more honourable than any of them, but great with them, dear to them, familiar with them, and much respected by them. So far were they from envying his preferment that they rejoiced in it, and added to it by giving him a commanding interest among them and submitting all their affairs to his direction.
2. He was good, very good, for he did good. This goodness made him truly great, and then his greatness gave him an opportunity of doing so much the more good. When the king advanced him, (1.) He did not disown his people the Jews, nor was he ashamed of his relation to them, though they were strangers and captives, dispersed and despised. Still he wrote himself Mordecai the Jew, and therefore no doubt adhered to the Jews' religion, by the observances of which he distinguished himself, and yet it was no hindrance to his preferment, nor looked upon as a blemish to him. (2.) He did not seek his own wealth, or the raising of an estate for himself and his family, which is the chief thing most aim at when they get into great places at court; but he consulted the welfare of his people, and made it his business to advance that. His power, his wealth, and all his interest in the king and queen, he improved for the public good. (3.) He not only did good, but he did it in a humble condescending way, was easy of access, courteous and affable in his behaviour, and spoke peace to all that made their application to him. Doing good works is the best and chief thing expected from those that have wealth and power; but giving good words is also commendable, and makes the good deed the more acceptable. (4.) He did not side with any one party of his people against another, nor make some his favourites, while the rest were neglected and crushed; but, whatever differences there were among them, he was a common father to them all, recommended himself to the multitude of his brethren, not despising the crowd, and spoke peace to all their seed, without distinction. Thus making himself acceptable by humility and beneficence, he was universally accepted, and gained the good word of all his brethren. Thanks be to God, such a government as this we are blessed with, which seeks the welfare of our people, speaking peace to all their seed. God continue it long, very long, and grant us, under the happy protection and influence of it, to live quiet and peaceable lives, in godliness, honesty, and charity!
这只是半章经文；本章余下的部分，从斯 10:4 起，连同另外六章，只见于希腊文版本，被定为次经而予以排除。在这三节经文里，我们只见简略的提示：I. 论及坐在宝座上的亚哈随鲁，他是何等伟大的君王，斯 10:1,2。II. 论及他所宠爱的末底改，他对其百姓是何等卓越的福分，斯 10:2,3。