エステル 記 4

1 モルデカイ凡てこの爲れたる事を知しかばモルデカイ衣服を裂き麻布を纒ひ灰をかぶり邑の中に行て大に哭き痛く號び

WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

2 王の門の前までも斯して來れり 其は麻布をまとふては王の門の内に入ること能はざればなり

And came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 すべて王の命とその詔書と到れる諸州にてはユダヤ人の中におほいなる哀みあり斷食哭泣號呼おこれり また麻布をまとふて灰の上に坐する者おほかりき

And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 ここにエステルの侍女およびその侍從等きたりてこれを告ければ后はなはだしく憂ひ衣服をおくり之をモルデカイにきせてその麻布を脱しめんとしたりしがうけざりき

So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.

5 ここをもてエステルは王の侍從の一人すなはち王の命じて己に侍らしむるハタクといふ者を召しモルデカイの許に往きてその何事なるか何故なるかを知きたれと命ぜり

Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

6 ハタクいでて王の門の前なる邑の廣場にをるモルデカイにいたりしに

So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.

7 モルデカイおのれの遇たるところを具にこれに語りかつハマンがユダヤ人を滅ぼす事のために王の府庫に秤りいれんと約したる銀の額を告げ

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8 またその彼等をほろぼさしむるためにシユシヤンにおいて書て與へられし詔書の寫本を彼にわたし之をエステルに見せかつ解あかし また彼に王の許にゆきてその民のためにこれに矜恤を請ひその前に願ふことを爲べしと言つたへよと言り

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

9 ハタクかへり來りてモルデカイの言詞をエステルに告ければ

And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 エステル、ハタクに命じモルデカイに言をつたへしむ云く

Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

11 王の諸臣がよび王の諸州の民みな知る男にもあれ女にもあれ凡て召れずして内庭に入て王にいたる者は必ず殺さるべき一の法律あり されど王これに金圭を伸れば生るを得べし かくて我此三十日は王にいたるべき召をかうむらざるなり

All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 エステルの言をモルデカイに告げけるに

And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.

13 モルデカイ命じてエステルに答へしめて曰く 汝王の家にあれば一切のユダヤ人の如くならずして免かるべしと心に思ふなかれ

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

14 なんぢ若この時にあたりて默して言ずば他の處よりして助援と拯救ユダヤ人に興らんされど汝どなんぢの父の家は亡ぶべし 汝が后の位を得たるは此のごとき時のためなりしやも知るべからず

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 エステルまたモルデカイに答へしめて曰く

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

16 なんぢ往きシユシヤンにをるユダヤ人をことごとく集めてわがために斷食せよ 三日の間夜晝とも食ふことも飮むこともするなかれ 我とわが侍女等もおなじく斷食せん しかして我法律にそむく事なれども王にいたらん 我もし死べくば死べし

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 ここにおいてモルデカイ往てエステルが凡ておのれに命じたるごとく行なへり

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.