< Esther 3 >

1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
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
2 All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay him homage.
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ばなり 然れどもモルデカイは跪まづかず又これを拝せざりき
3 Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”
ここをもて王の門にある王の諸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
4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he did not listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
かれらモルデカイに日々かく言ふといへども聽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
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.
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
6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.
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屬する民をハマンに顯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屬する民をことごとく殺さんと謀れり
7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
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
8 Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from other people’s. They do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain.
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
9 If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who are in charge of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”
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入しめん
10 The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
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
11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”
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
12 Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to the king’s local governors, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king’s ring.
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屬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
13 Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder their possessions.
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兒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
14 A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready against that day.
この詔旨を諸州に傳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
15 The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexed.
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

< Esther 3 >