エステル 記 8

1 その日アハシユエロス王ユダヤ人の敵ハマンの家を后エステルに賜ふ モダカイもまた王の前に來れり 是はエステル彼が己と何なる係りなるかを告たればなり

On that day king Assuerus gave the house of Aman, the Jews’ enemy, to queen Esther, and Mardochai came in before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her uncle.

2 王ハマンより取かへせし己の指環をはづしてモルデカイに與ふ 而してエステル、モルデカイをしてハマンの家をつかさどらしむ

And the king took the ring which he had commanded to be taken again from Aman, and gave it to Mardochai. And Esther set Mardochai over her house.

3 エステルふたたび王の前に奏してその足下にひれふしアガグ人ハマンがユダヤ人を害せんと謀りしその謀計を除かんことを涙ながらに乞求めたり

And not content with these things, she fell down at the king’s feet and wept, and speaking to him besought him, that he would give orders that the malice of Aman the Agagite, and his most wicked devices which he had invented against the Jews, should be of no effect.

4 王エステルにむかひて金圭を伸ければエステル起て王の前に立ち

But he, as the manner was, held out the golden sceptre with his hand, which was the sign of clemency: and she arose up and stood before him,

5 言けるは王もし之を善としたまひ我もし王の前に恩を得この事もし王に正と見え我もし御目にかなひたらば アガグ人ハンメダタの子ハマンが王の諸州にあるユダヤ人をほろぼさんと謀りて書おくりたる書をとりけすべき旨を書くだしたまへ

And said: If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and my request be not disagreeable to him, I beseech thee, that the former letters of Aman the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he commanded that they should be destroyed in all the king’s provinces, may be reversed by new letters.

6 われ豈わが民に臨まんとする禍害を見るに忍びんや 豈わが宗族のほろぶるを見るにしのびんや

For how call I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?

7 アハシユエロス王后エステルとユダヤ人モルデカイにいひけるはハマン、ユダヤ人を殺さんとしたれば我すでにハマンの家をエステルに與へまたハマンを木にかけたり

And king Assuerus answered Esther the queen, and Mardochai the Jew: I have given Aman’s house to Esther, and I have commanded him to be hanged on a gibbet, because he durst lay hands on the Jews.

8 なんぢらも亦おのれの好むごとく王の名をもて書をつくり王の指環をもてこれに印してユダヤ人につたへよ王の名をもて書き王の指環をもて印したる書は誰もとりけすこと能はざればなり

Write ye therefore to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king’s name, and seal the letters with my ring. For this was the custom, that no man durst gainsay the letters which were sent in the king’s name, and were sealed with his ring.

9 ここをもてその時また王の書記官を召あつむ是三月すなはちシワンの月の二十三日なりきしかして印度よりエテオピアまでの百二十七州のユダヤ人州牧諸州の方伯牧伯等にモルデカイが命ぜんとするところを盡く書しるさしむ 即ちもろもろの州におくるものはその文字をもちひ諸の民におくるものはその言語をもちひて書おくりユダヤ人におくるものはその文字と言語をもちふ

Then the king’s scribes and secretaries were called for (now it was the time of the third month which is called Siban) the three and twentieth day of the month, and letters were written, as Mardochai had a mind, to the Jews, and to the governors, and to the deputies, and to the judges, who were rulers over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia: to province and province, to people and people, according to their languages and characters, and to the Jews, according as they could read and hear.

10 かれアハシユエロス王の名をもてこれをかき王の指環をもてこれに印し驛卒をして御厩にてそだてたる逸足の御用馬にのりてその書をおくりつたへしむ

And these letters which were sent in the king’s name, were sealed with his ring, and sent by posts: who were to run through all the provinces, to prevent the former letters with new messages.

11 その中に云ふ王すべての邑にあるユダヤ人に許す彼らあひ集まり立ておのれの生命を保護しおのれを襲ふ諸國諸州の一切の兵民をその妻子もろともにほろぼし殺し絶し且その所有物を奪ふべし

And the king gave orders to them, to speak to the Jews in every city, and to command them to gather themselves together, and to stand for their lives, and to kill and destroy all their enemies with their wives and children and all their houses, and to take their spoil.

12 アハシユエロス王の諸州において十二月すなはちアダルの月の十三日一日の内かくのごとくするを許さる

And one day of revenge was appointed through all the provinces, to wit, the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar.

13 この詔旨を諸州につたへんがためまたユダヤ人をしてかの日のために準備してその敵に仇をかへさしめんがためにその書る物の寫本を一切の民に開きて示せり

And this was the content of the letter, that it should be notified in all lands and peoples that were subject to the empire of king Assuerus, that the Jews were ready to be revenged of their enemies.

14 驛卒逸足の御用馬にのり王の命によりて急がせられせきたてられて出ゆけりこの詔書はシユシヤンの城において出されたり

So the swift posts went out carrying the messages, and the king’s edict was hung up in Susan.

15 かくてモルデカイは藍と白の朝服を着大なる金の冠を戴き紫色の細布の外衣をまとひて王の前よりいできたれり シユシヤンの邑中聲をあげて喜びぬ

And Mardochai going forth out of the palace, and from the king’s presence, shone in royal apparel, to wit, of violet and sky colour, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was glad.

16 ユダヤ人には光輝あり喜悦あり快樂あり尊榮ありき

But to the Jews a new light seemed to rise, joy, honour, and dancing.

17 いづれの州にても何の邑にても凡て王の命令と詔書のいたるところにてはユダヤ人よろこぴ樂しみ酒宴をひらきて此日を吉日となせりしかして國の民おほくユダヤ人となれり是はユダヤ人を畏るる心おこりたればなり

And in all peoples, cities, and provinces, whithersoever the king’s commandments came, there was wonderful rejoicing, feasts and banquets, and keeping holy day: insomuch that many of other nations and religion, joined themselves to their worship and ceremonies. For a great dread of the name of the Jews had fallen upon all.