< ダニエル書 4 >
1 ネブカデネザル王全世界に住める諸民諸族諸音に諭す願くは大なる平安汝らにあれ
Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.
2 至高神我にむかひて徴證と奇蹟を行へり我これを知しむることを善と思ふ
It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked towards me.
3 嗚呼大なるかなその徴證嗚呼盛なるかなその奇蹟その國は永遠の國その權は世々限なし
How great are his signs! How mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 我ネブカデネザルわが家に安然に居りわが宮に榮え居れり
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.
5 我一の夢を見て之がために懼れ即ち床にありてその事を想ひめぐらしその我腦中の異象のために心をなやませり
I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 是に於て我命を下しバビロンの智者をことごとく我前に召よせしめてその夢の解明を我にしめさせんと爲たれば
Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
7 すなはち博士法術士カルデヤ人卜筮師等きたりしに囚て我その夢を彼らに語りけるに彼らはその解明を我にしめすことを得ざりき
Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in; and I told them the dream, but they didn’t make known to me its interpretation.
8 かくて後ダニエルわが前に來れり彼の名は吾神の名にしたがひてベルテシヤザルと稱へられその裏には聖神の霊やどれり我その夢を彼の前に語りて曰けらく
But at last, Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. I told the dream before him, saying,
9 博士の長ベルテシヤザルよ我しる汝の裏には聖神の霊やどれば如何なる秘密も汝には難き事なし我が夢に見たるところの事等を聞きその解明を我に告げよ
“Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no secret troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
10 我が床にありて見たる吾腦中の異象は是のごとし我觀しに地の當中に一の樹ありてその丈高かりしが
These were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great.
11 その樹長じて強固なり天に達するほどの高となりて地の極までも見えわたり
The tree grew and was strong. Its height reached to the sky and its sight to the end of all the earth.
12 その葉は美しくその菓は饒にして一切の者その中より食を得また野の獣その蔭に臥し空の鳥その枝に棲み凡て血氣ある者みな是によりて身を養ふ
Its leaves were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it.
13 我床にありて得たる腦中の異象の中に一箇の警寤者一箇の聖者の天より下るを見たりしが
“I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and behold, a holy watcher came down from the sky.
14 彼聲高く呼はりて斯いへり此樹を伐たふしその枝を斫はなしその葉を搖おとしその果を打散し獣をしてその下より逃はしらせ鳥をしてその枝を飛さらしめよ
He cried aloud and said this: ‘Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches! Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the animals get away from under it and the birds from its branches.
15 但しその根の上の斬株を地に遺しおき鐵と銅の索をかけて之を野の草の中にあらしめよ是は天よりくだる露に濕れまた地の草の中にて獣とその分を同じうせん
Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.
16 又その心は變りて人間の心のごとくならず獣の心を稟て七の時を經ん
Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let an animal’s heart be given to him. Then let seven times pass over him.
17 この事は警寤者等の命によりこの事は聖者等の言による是至高者人間の國を治めて自己の意のままにこれを人に與へまた人の中の最も賤き者をその上に立たまふといふ事を一切の者に知しめんがためなり
“‘The sentence is by the decree of the watchers and the demand by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.’
18 我ネブカデネザル王この夢を見たりベルテシヤザルよ汝その解明を我に述よ我國の智者は執も皆その解明を我に示すことを得ざりしが汝は之を能せん其は汝の裏には聖神の霊やどればなりと
“This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen; and you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 その時ダニエル又の名はベルテシヤザルとい者暫時の間驚き居り心に深く懼れたれば王これに告て言りベルテシヤザルよ汝この夢とその解明のために懼るるにおよばずとベルテシヤザルすなはち答へて言けらく我主よ願くはこの夢汝を惡む者の上にかからん事を願くは此解明汝の敵にのぞまんことを
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was stricken mute for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered, “Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream or the interpretation, trouble you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation to your adversaries.
20 汝が見たまひし樹すなはちその長じて強くなり天に達するほどの高となりて地の極までも見えわたり
The tree that you saw, which grew and was strong, whose height reached to the sky and its sight to all the earth;
21 その葉は美しくその果は饒にして一切の者その中より食を得またその下に野の獣臥しその枝に空の鳥棲たる者
whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all; under which the animals of the field lived, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their habitation—
22 王よ是はすなはち汝なり汝は長じて強くなり汝の勢ひは盛にして天におよび汝の權は地の極にまでおよべり
it is you, O king, that have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 王また一箇の警寤者一箇の聖者の天より下りて斯言ふを見たまへり云くこの樹を伐たふして之をそこなへ但し其根の上の斬株を地に遺しおき鐵と銅の索をかけて之を野の草の中にあらしめよ是は天より下る露に濡れ野の獣とその分を同じうして七の時を經ん
“Whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from the sky and saying, ‘Cut down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let it be wet with the dew of the sky. Let his portion be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.’
24 王よその解明は是の如し是即ち至高者の命にして王我主に臨まんとする者なり
“This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which has come on my lord the king:
25 即ち汝は逐れて世の人と離れ野の獣とともに居り牛のごとくに草を食ひ天よりくだる露に濡れん是の如くにして七の時を經て汝つひに知ん至高者人間の國を治めて自己の意のままに之を人に與へ給ふと
You will be driven from men and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You will be made to eat grass as oxen, and will be wet with the dew of the sky, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.
26 又彼らその樹の根の上の斬株を遺しおけと言たれば汝の國は汝が天は主たりと知にいたる時まで汝を離れん
Whereas it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure to you after you know that Heaven rules.
27 然ば王よ吾諌を容れ義をおこなひて罪を離れ貧者を憐みて惡を離れよ然らば汝の平安あるひは長く続かんと
Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your tranquillity.”
All this came on the King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 十二箇月を經て後王バビロンの王宮の上に歩みをり
At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon.
30 王すなはち語りて言ふ此大なるバビロンは我が大なる力をもて建て京城となし之をもてわが威光を耀かす者ならずや
The king spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
31 その言なほ王の口にある中に天より聲降りて言ふネブカデネザル王よ汝に告ぐ汝は國の位を失はん
While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from the sky, saying, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: ‘The kingdom has departed from you.
32 汝は逐れて世の人と離れ野の獣と共に居り牛のごとくに草を食はん斯の如くにして七の時を經て汝つひに知ん至高者人間の國を治めて己れの意のままにこれを人に與へたまふと
You shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen. Seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever he will.’”
33 その時直にこの事ネブカデネザルに臨み彼は逐れて世の人に離れ牛のごとくに草を食ひてその身は天よりくだる露に濡れ終にその髮毛は鷲の羽のごとくになりその爪は鳥の爪のごとくになりぬ
This was fulfilled the same hour on Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; and his body was wet with the dew of the sky until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 斯てその日の滿たる後我ネブカデネザル目をあげて天を望みしにわが分別性我に歸りたれば我至高者に感謝しその永遠に生る者を讃かつ崇めたり彼の御宇は永遠の御宇彼の國は世々かぎり無し
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
35 地上の居民は凡て無き者のごとし天の衆群にも地の居民にも彼はその意のままに事をなしたまふ誰も彼の手をおさへて汝なんぞ然するやと言ことを得る者なし
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can stop his hand, or ask him, “What are you doing?”
36 この時わが分別性かく我に歸りたりしがわが國の榮光につきてはまた我の尊嚴と光耀我にかへれり且また大臣牧伯等我に請求めて我ふたたび國の祚を踐み前よりも著しく威光を増たり
At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me. My counsellors and my lords sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me.
37 是において我ネブカデネザル今は天の王を讃頌へかつ崇む彼の作爲は凡て眞實彼の道は正義自ら高ぶる者は彼能くこれを卑くしたまふ
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.