< ダニエル書 1 >
1 ユダの王エホヤキムの治世の第三年にバビロンの王ネブカデネザル、ヱルサレムにきたりて之を攻圍みしに
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 主ユダの王ヱホヤキムと神の家の器具幾何とをかれの手にわたしたまひければ則ちこれをシナルの地に携へゆきて己の神の家にいたりその器具を己の神の庫に蔵めたり
The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God; and he carried them into the land of Shinar to the house of his god. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
3 茲に王寺人の長アシベナズに命じてイスラエルの子孫の中より王の血統の者と貴族たる者幾何を召寄しむ
The king spoke to Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring in some of the children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles:
4 即ち身に疵なく容貌美しくして一切の智慧の道に頴く知識ありて思慮深く王の宮に侍るに足る能幹ある少き者を召寄しめこれにカルデヤ人の文學と言語とを學ばせんとす
youths in whom was no defect, but well-favoured, skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding science, and who had the ability to stand in the king’s palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the language of the Chaldeans.
5 是をもて王は命を下して日々に王の用ゐる饌と王の飮む酒とを彼らに與へしめ三年の間かく彼らを養ひ育てしめんとす是その後に彼らをして王の前に立ことを得せしめんとてなり
The king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and that they should be nourished three years, that at its end they should stand before the king.
6 是等の中にユダの人ダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシヤエル、アザリヤありしが
Now amongst these of the children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 寺人の長かれらに名をあたへてダニエルをベルテシヤザルと名けハナニヤをシヤデラクと名けミシヤエルをメシヤクと名けアザリヤをアベデネゴと名く
The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 然るにダニエルは王の用ゐる饌と王の飮む酒とをもて己の身を汚すまじと心に思ひさだめたれば己の身を汚さざらしめんことを寺人の長に求む
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 以前よりヱホバ、ダニエルをして寺人の長の慈悲と寵愛とを蒙らしめたまふ
Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.
10 是において寺人の長ダニエルに言けるは吾主なる王すでに命をくだして汝らの食物と汝らの飮物とを頒たしめたまへば我かれを畏る恐くは彼なんぢらの面の其同輩の少者等と異にして憂色あるを見ん然る時は汝らのために我首王の前に危からん
The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”
11 寺人の長はメルザル官をしてダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシヤエル及びアザリヤを監督らせ置たればダニエル之に言けるは
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
12 請ふ十日の間僕等を驗したまへ即ち我らには菜蔬を與へて食せ水を與へて飮せよ
“Test your servants, I beg you, ten days; and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 而して我らの面と王の饌を食ふ少者どもの面とを較べ見汝の視るところにしたがひて僕等を待ひたまへと
Then let our faces be examined before you, and the face of the youths who eat of the king’s delicacies; and as you see, deal with your servants.”
14 是において彼この事を聽いれ十日のあひだ彼らを驗しけるが
So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.
15 十日の後にいたりて見るに王の饌を食へる諸の少者よりも彼らの面は美しくまた肥え膩つきてありければ
At the end of ten days, their faces appeared fairer and they were fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate of the king’s delicacies.
16 メルザル官すなはち彼らの分なる饌と彼らの飮べき酒とを撤きさりて菜蔬をこれに與へたり
So the steward took away their delicacies and the wine that they were given to drink, and gave them vegetables.
17 この四人の少者には神知識を得させ諸の文學と智慧に頴からしめたまへりダニエはまた能く各諸の異象と夢兆を暁る
Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 王かねて命をくだし少者どもを召いるる迄に經べき日を定めおきしがその日數も過たるに因て寺人の長かれらを引てネブカデザルの前にいたりければ
At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 王かれらと言談へり彼ら一切の中にはダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシヤエル、アザリヤに比ぶ者あらざりければこの四人は王の前に侍れり
The king talked with them; and amongst them all was found no one like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king.
20 王かれらに諸の事を詢たづね見に彼らは智慧の學においてその全國の博士と法術士に愈ること十倍なり
In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm.
Daniel continued even to the first year of King Cyrus.