6

王赐末底改荣誉

¹那夜王睡不着觉，吩咐人取历史书，就是史籍，念给他听， ²发现书上写着：王有两个守门的太监辟探和提列，想要下手害亚哈随鲁王，末底改告发了这件事。 ³王说：“末底改做了这事，有没有赐给他什么尊荣或高位呢？”伺候王的臣仆说：“没有赐给他什么。” ⁴王说：“谁在院子里？”那时哈曼正进入王宫的外院，要请王把末底改挂在他所预备的木架上。 ⁵王的臣仆对他说：“看哪，哈曼站在院子里。”王说：“叫他进来。” ⁶哈曼就进去。王对他说：“王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人，当如何待他呢？”哈曼心里说：“王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人，除了我，还有谁呢？” ⁷哈曼就对王说：“王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人， ⁸当把王所穿的王袍拿来，牵了戴冠的御马， ⁹把王袍和御马都交给王一个极尊贵的大臣，吩咐人把王袍给王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人穿上，领他骑着御马走遍城里的广场，在他面前宣告：‘王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人，就是这样待他。’” ¹⁰王对哈曼说：“你速速把这王袍和御马，照你所说的，向坐在朝门的犹太人末底改去做。凡你所说的，一样都不可缺。” ¹¹于是哈曼把王袍给末底改穿上，领他骑着御马走遍城里的广场，在他面前宣告：“王所喜爱要赐尊荣的人，就是这样待他。”
¹²末底改仍回到朝门，哈曼却忧忧闷闷地蒙着头，急忙回家去了。 ¹³哈曼把所遭遇的一切都说给他妻子细利斯和他所有的朋友听。他的智囊团和他的妻子细利斯对他说：“你在末底改面前开始败落；他既是犹太人，你必不能胜过他，终必在他面前败落。”
¹⁴他们正跟哈曼说话的时候，王的几位太监来了，催哈曼快去赴以斯帖所预备的宴席。

6

Mordecai Honored

¹That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. ²It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
³“What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
⁴The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
⁵His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
⁶When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” ⁷So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, ⁸have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. ⁹Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’ ”
¹⁰“Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
¹¹So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
¹²Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, ¹³and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” ¹⁴While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.