エステル 記 2

1 これらの事の後アハシユエロス王忿怒とけてワシテおよび彼が爲たる所またその彼にむかひて議定めしところの事を憶ひおこせり

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 ここに王の前に事ふる僕等いひけるは請ふ美しき少き處女等を王のために尋もとめん

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'Let there be sought for the king young virgins fair to look on;

3 願はくは王御國の各州において官吏を擇び之をして美はしき處女をことごとくシユシヤンの城に集めしめ婦人を管理る王の侍從ヘガイの手にわたして婦人の局に入らしめ而して潔淨の物をこれに與へたまへ

and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the castle, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their ointments be given them;

4 斯して王の御意に適ふ女子を取りワシテに代りて后とならしめたまへと王この事を善として然なしぬ

and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 茲にシユシヤンの城に一人のユダヤ人ありその名をモルデカイと曰ひキシの曾孫シメイの孫ヤイルの子にしてベニヤミン人なり

There was a certain Jew in Shushan the castle, whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair the son of Shimei the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

6 かれはバビロンの王ネブカデネザルが擄へゆきしユダのヱコニヤとともに擄はれ往る俘囚の中にありてヱサレムより移されたる者なり

who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 かれその叔父の女ハダツサすなはちエステルを養ひ育てたり 是は父も母もなかりければなり この女子顔貌勝れてうるはしかりしがその父母の死たる後モルデカイこれを取ておのれの女となせるなり

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was of beautiful form and fair to look on; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 王の命令と詔言の聞え傳はり衆多の女子シユシヤンの城にあつめられてヘガイの手にわたされし時エステルも亦王の家に携へられてゆき婦人を管理るヘガイの手に交されしが

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was published, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the castle, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 この女子ヘガイの意にかなひて之が惠を受たり即はちヘガイすみやかに之に潔淨の物およびその分を與へまた王の家の中より七人の侍女を擧てこれに附そはしめ彼とその侍女等を婦人の局の中なる最も佳き處に移しぬ

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her ointments, with her portions, and the seven maidens, who were meet to be given her out of the king's house; and he advanced her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.

10 エステルはおのれの民をもおのれの宗族をも顯はさざりき其はモルデカイこれを顯はすなかれと彼に言ふくめたればなり

Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it.

11 またモルデカイはエステルの模樣およびその如何になれるかを知んため日々に婦人の局の庭の前をあゆめり

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.

12 女子はおのおの婦人の則にしたがひて十二ヶ月を經しかる後順番にいりてアハシユエロス王にいたる是その潔淨の日を終るはかくのごとくなるが故なり 即ち沒薬の油を用ふること六ヶ月また各種の薫物および婦人の潔淨ごとにあつる物等を用ふること六ヶ月

Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women, twelve months — for so were the days of their anointing accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six month with sweet odours, and with other ointments of the women —

13 女子の王にいたるは是のごとしその婦人の局より出て王の家にゆく時には凡てその望む物をことごとく與へらる

when then the maiden came unto the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

14 而して夕に往き朝におよびて婦人の第二の局に還り妃嬪をつかさどる王の侍從シヤシガスの手に屬す王これを喜こびて名をさして召すにあらざれば重ねて王にいたることなし

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

15 ここにモルデカイの叔父アビハイルの女すなはちモルデカイが取ておのれの女となしたるエステル入て王にいたるべき順番にあたりけるが彼は婦人をつかさどる王の侍從ヘガイが言きかせたる事の外には何をももとめざりき エステルは凡て彼を見る者によろこばれたり

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 かくエステルは王の家に召いれられてアハシユエロス王にいたれり是その治世の第七年十月即ちテベテの月なり

So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 王一切の婦人に超てエステルを愛しければエステルはすべての處女にまさりて王の前に恩寵と厚情を得たり 王つひに后の冕をかれの首に戴かせ彼をしてワシテにかはりて后とならしむ

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 ここにおいて王おほいなる酒宴を設けてそのもろもろの牧伯と臣僕を饗す これをエステルの酒宴と稱ふまた諸州に租税をゆるし王の富有にかなひて物を賜ふ

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

19 再度處女の集められし時モルデカイは王の門に坐しをりぬ

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, and Mordecai sat in the king's gate —

20 エステルはモルデカイがかれに言ふくめたる如くして未だおのれの宗族をもおのれの民をも顯はさざりき エステルはモルデカイの言語にしたがふことその彼に養なひ育てられし時と異ならざりき

Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him —

21 當時モルデカイ王の門に坐し居ける時王の侍從にて戸を守る者の中ビグタンおよびテレシの二人怨むる事ありてアハシユエロス王を弑せんともとめたりしが

in those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those that kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.

22 その事モルデカイに知れければモルデカイこれを后エステルに告げエステルまたモルデカイの名をもてこれを王に告げたり

And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

23 ここにおいて此事をしらべさせしにその然ること顯はれければ彼ら二人は木にかけられその事は王の前なる日誌の書にかきしるさる

And when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.