エステル 記 3

1 これらの事の後アハシユエロス王アガグ人ハンメダタの子ハマンを貴びこれを高くして己とともにある一切の牧伯の上にその席を定めしむ

After this, king Artaxerxes exalted Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who was of Agag lineage, and he set his throne above all the rulers whom he had.

2 王の門にある主の諸臣みな跪づきてハマンを拝せり 是は王斯かれになすことを命じたれぱなり 然れどもモルデカイは跪づかず又これを拝せざりき

And all the king’s servants, who passed by the doors of the palace, bent their knees and adored Haman, for so the ruler had instructed them. Only Mordecai did not bend his knee, nor adore him.

3 ここをもて王の門にある王の諧臣モデカイにむかひて言ふ 汝いかなれば王の命に背くやと

The king’s servants, who presided over the doors of the palace, said to him, “Why do you, more than the others, not observe the king’s command?”

4 かれらモデカイに日々かく言ふといへども聴ざりければその事の爲をふさるべきか否を見んとてハマンにこれを告たり 其はモルデカイおのれのユダヤ人なることを語りたればなり

And when they were saying this frequently, and he would not listen to them, they reported it to Haman, desiring to know whether he would continue in his resolution, for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 ハマン、モルデカイの跪づかずまた己を拝せざるを見たれば ハマン忿怒にたへざりしが

Now when Haman had heard this, and had proved by a test that Mordecai did not bend his knee to him, nor adore him, he was very angry.

6 ただモルデカイ一人を殺すは事小さしと思へり彼らモルデカイの属する民をハマンに顕はしければハマンはアハシユエロスの國の中にある一切のユダヤ人すなはちモルデカイの属する民をことごとく殺さんと謀れり

And he considered it pointless to lay his hands on Mordecai alone, for he had heard that he was part of the Jewish people. And so he wanted more: to destroy the entire nation of the Jews, who were in the kingdom of Artaxerxes.

7 アハシユエロス王の十二年正月即ちニサンの月にハマンの前にて十二月すなはちアダルの月まで一日一日のため一月一月のためにプルを投しむプルは即ち籤なり

In the first month, which is called Nisan, in the twelfth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Pur, in the presence of Haman, to determine on what day and in which month the Jewish people should be destroyed. And it turned out to be the twelfth month, which is called Adar.

8 ハマンかくてアハシユエロス王に言けるは御國の各州にある諸民の中に散されて別れ別れになりをる一の民ありその律法は一切の民と異り また王の法律を守らずこの故にこれを容しおくは王の益にあらず

And Haman said to king Artaxerxes, “There is a people dispersed throughout all the provinces of your kingdom and separated one from another, who make use of unusual laws and ceremonies, and who, in addition, show contempt for the king’s ordinances. And you know very well that it is not expedient for your kingdom that they should become insolent through independence.

9 王もしこれを善としたまはば願くは彼らを滅ぼせと書くだしたまへ さらば我王の事をつかさどる者等の手に銀一萬タラントを秤り交して王の府庫に人しめん

If it pleases you, declare that they may be destroyed, and I will weigh out ten thousand talents to the keepers of your treasury.”

10 王すなはち指環をその手より取はづしアガグ人ハンメダタの子ハマンすなはちユダヤ人の敵たる者に交し

And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.

11 しかしてハマンに言けるはその銀はなんぢに與ふ その民もまた汝にあたふれば汝に善と見ゆるごとく爲よ

And he said to him, “Let the silver, which you promise, be for yourself. As for the people, do with them as it pleases you.”

12 ここにおいて正月の十三日に王の書記官を召あつめ王に属する州牧各州の方伯およびもろもろの民の牧伯にハマンが命ぜんとする所をことごとく書しるさしむ 即ちもろもろの州におくるものは其文字をもちひ もろもろの民におくるものはその言語をもちひ おのおのアハシユエロス王の名をもてこれを書き王の指環をもてこれに印したり

And the scribes of the king were summoned, in the first month Nisan, on the thirteenth day of the same month. And it was written, as Haman had commanded, to all the king’s governors, and to the judges of the provinces, and to various peoples, so that each people could read and hear according to their various languages, in the name of king Artaxerxes. And the letters were sealed with his ring.

13 しかして驛卒をもて書を王の諸州におくり十二月すなはちアダルの月の十三日において一日の内に一切のユダヤ人を若き者老たる者小児婦人の差別なくことごとく滅ぼし殺し絶しかつその所有物を奪ふべしと諭しぬ

These were sent by the king’s messengers to all the provinces, so as to kill and destroy all the Jews, from children all the way to the elderly, even little children and women, on one day, that is, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is called Adar, and to plunder their goods, even their necessities.

14 この詔旨を諸州に傅へてかの日のために準備をなさしめんとてその書る物の寫本を一切の民に開きて示せり

And the effect of the letters was this: that all provinces would know and prepare for the prescribed day.

15 驛卒王の命によりて急ぎて出ゆきぬ この詔書はシユシヤンの城に於て出されたり かくて王とハマンは坐して酒飮ゐたりしがシユシヤンの邑は惑ひわづらへり

The couriers, who had been sent, hurried to complete the king’s command, but the edict was hung up in Susa immediately. And the king and Haman celebrated a feast, while all the Jews in the city were weeping.