エステル 記 1
1 アハシユエロスすなはち印度よりエテオピヤまで百二十七州を治めたるアハシユエロスの世
And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
2 アハシユエロス王シユシヤンの城にてその國の祚に坐しをりける当時
in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,
3 その治世の第三年にその牧伯等および臣僕等のために酒宴を設けたり ペルシヤとメデアの武士および貴族と讃州の牧伯等その前にありき
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
4 時に王その盛なる國の富有とその大なる威の榮を示して衆多の日をわたり百八十日に及びぬ
And after this, after he had shewn to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
5 これらの日のをはりし時 王また王の宮の園の庭にてシユシヤンに居る大小のすべての民のために七日の間酒宴を設けたり
when, [I say], the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king’s house,
6 白緑青の帳幔ありて細布と紫色の紐にて銀の環および蝋石の柱に繋がるまた牀榻は金銀にして赤白黄黒の蝋石の上に居らる
[which was] adorned with [hangings] of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: [there were] golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
7 金の酒盃にて酒を賜ふその酒盃は此と彼おのおの異なり王の用ゐる酒をたまふこと夥だし王の富有に適へり
gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
8 その飮むことは法にかなひて誰も強ることを爲ず 其は王人として各々おのれの好むごとく爲しむべしとその宮内のすべての有司に命じたればなり
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
9 后ワシテもまたアハシユエロス王に属する王宮の内にて婦女のために酒宴をまうけたり
Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes [dwelt].
10 第七日にアハシユエロス王酒のために心樂み王の前に事ふる七人の侍從メホマン、ビスタ、ハルボナ、ビグタ、アバグタ、セタルおよびカルカスに命じ
Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
11 后ワシテをして后の冠冕をかぶりて王の前に來らしめよと言り 是は彼観に美しければその美麗を民等と牧伯等に見さんとてなりき
to bring in the queen to him, to enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to shew her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.
12 しかるに后ワシテ侍從が傅へし王の命に從ひて來ることを肯はざりしかば王おほいに憤ほりて震怒その衷に燃ゆ
But queen Astin hearkened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
13 是において王時を知る智者にむかひて言ふ(王はすべて法律と審理に明かなる者にむかひて是の如くするを常とせり
And he said to his friends, Thus has Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this [case] law and judgment.
14 時に彼の次になりし者はペルシヤおよびメデアの七人の牧伯カルシナ、セタル、アデマタ、タルシシ、メレス、マルセナ、メムカンなりき 是みな王の面を見る者にして國の第一に位せり)
So Arkesæus, and Sarsathæus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief [in rank] by the king, drew near to him,
15 后ワシテ、アハシユエロス王が侍從をもて傅へし命を爲されば法律にしたがひて如何に彼になすべきや
and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
16 メムカン王と牧伯たちの前に答へて曰ふ 后ワシテは唯王にむかひて惡き事をなしたる而已ならず一切の牧伯たちおよびアハシユエロス王の各州のもろもろの民にむかひてもまた之を爲るなり
And Muchæus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king’s rulers and princes:
17 后のこの事あまねく一切の婦女に聞えて彼らつひにその夫を藐め観て言ん アハシユエロス王后ワシテに已のまへに來れと命じたりしに來らざりしと
for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
18 而して后の此所行を聞るペルシヤとメデアの諸夫人もまた今日王のすべての牧伯等に是のごとく言ん然すれば必らず藐視と忿怒多く起るべし
so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
19 王もし之を善としたまはばワシテは此後ふたたびアハシユエロス王の前に來るべからずといふ王命を下し之をペルシヤとメデアの律法の中に書いれて更ること無らしめ而してその后の位を彼に勝れる他の者に與へたまへ
If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter [it]: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
20 王の下したまはん御詔この大なる御國に徧ねく聞えわたる時は妻たる者ことごとくその夫を大小となく共に敬まふべしと
And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
21 王と牧伯等この言を善としければ王メムカンの言のごとく爲たり
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchæus had said,
22 かくて王の諸州に徧ねく書をおくりもろもろの州にその文字にしたがひて書おくりもろもろの民にその言語にしたがひて書おくり凡て男子たる者はその家の主となるべくまたおのれの民の言を用ひてものいふべしと諭しぬ
and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.
