< エズラ記 4 >
1 ユダとベニヤミンの敵である者たちは捕囚から帰ってきた人々が、イスラエルの神、主のために神殿を建てていることを聞き、
And they heard [the] opponents of Judah and Benjamin that [the] children of the exile [were] building a temple for Yahweh [the] God of Israel.
2 ゼルバベルと氏族の長たちのもとに来て言った、「われわれも、あなたがたと一緒にこれを建てさせてください。われわれはあなたがたと同じく、あなたがたの神を礼拝します。アッスリヤの王エサル・ハドンがわれわれをここにつれて来た日からこのかた、われわれは彼に犠牲をささげてきました」。
And they approached Zerubbabel and [the] heads of the fathers and they said to them let us build with you for like you we seek God your (and to him *Q(K)*) we [have been] sacrificing since [the] days of Esar-haddon [the] king of Assyria who brought up us here.
3 しかしゼルバベル、エシュアおよびその他のイスラエルの氏族の長たちは、彼らに言った、「あなたがたは、われわれの神に宮を建てることにあずかってはなりません。ペルシャの王クロス王がわれわれに命じたように、われわれだけで、イスラエルの神、主のために建てるのです」。
And he said to them Zerubbabel and Jeshua and [the] rest of [the] heads of the fathers of Israel not for you and for us to build a house for God our for we together we will build [it] for Yahweh [the] God of Israel just as he commanded us the king Cyrus [the] king of Persia.
4 そこでその地の民はユダの民の手を弱らせて、その建築を妨げ、
And it was [the] people of the land [were] making slack [the] hands of [the] people of Judah (and [were] terrifying *Q(K)*) them to build.
5 その企てを破るために役人を買収して彼らに敵せしめ、ペルシャ王クロスの代からペルシャ王ダリヨスの治世にまで及んだ。
And [were] hiring on them counselors to frustrate purpose their all [the] days of Cyrus [the] king of Persia and until [the] reign of Darius [the] king of Persia.
6 アハスエロスの治世、すなわちその治世の初めに、彼らはユダとエルサレムの住民を訴える告訴状を書いた。
And in [the] reign of Ahasuerus at [the] beginning of reign his they wrote an accusation on [the] inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 またアルタシャスタの世にビシラム、ミテレダテ、タビエルおよびその他の同僚も、ペルシャ王アルタシャスタに手紙を書いた。その手紙の文はアラム語で書かれて訳されていた。
And in [the] days of Artaxerxes he wrote Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel and [the] rest of (colleagues his *Q(K)*) to (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) [the] king of Persia and [the] writing of the letter [was] written Aramaic and [was] translated Aramaic.
8 長官レホムと書記官シムシャイはアルタシャスタ王にエルサレムを訴えて次のような手紙をしたためた。
Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the they wrote a letter one concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes king the as follows.
9 すなわち長官レホムと書記官シムシャイおよびその他の同僚、すなわち裁判官、知事、役人、ペルシャ人、エレクの人々、バビロン人、スサの人々すなわちエラムびと、
Then Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the and [the] rest of associates their Dinay the and officials the Tarpelites the Sipparites the (Erechites the *Q(K)*) Babylonians the Susanchites the (Dehavites the *Q(K)*) Elamites the.
10 およびその他の民すなわち大いなる尊いオスナパルが、移してサマリヤの町々および川向こうのその他の地に住ませた者どもが、
And [the] rest of nations the which he took into exile Osnappar great and honorable and he caused to dwell them in [the] city of Samaria and [the] rest of [the] region beyond river the and now.
11 送った手紙の写しはこれである。「アルタシャスタ王へ、川向こうのあなたのしもべども、あいさつを申し上げます。
This [is] [the] copy of letter the which they sent to him to Artaxerxes king the (servant your *Q(K)*) [the] man of [the] region beyond river the and now.
12 王よ、ご承知ください。あなたのもとから、わたしたちの所に上って来たユダヤ人らはエルサレムに来て、かのそむいた悪い町を建て直し、その城壁を築きあげ、その基礎をつくろっています。
Known let it be to king the that Jews the who they came up from beside you to us they have come to Jerusalem city the rebellious (and evil *Q(k)*) [they are] building (and walls the they have finished *Q(K)*) and foundations the they are repairing.
13 王よ、いまご承知ください。もしこの町を建て、城壁を築きあげるならば、彼らはみつぎ、関税、税金を納めなくなります。そうすれば王の収入が減るでしょう。
Now known let it be to king the that if city the this it will be built and walls the they will be finished tribute tax and toll not they will give and certainly kings it will injure.
14 われわれは王宮の塩をはむ者ですから、王の不名誉を見るに忍びないので、人をつかわして王にお聞かせするのです。
Now as to because that [the] salt of palace the we eat salt and [the] dishonor of king the not ([is] proper *LB(ah)*) for us to see concerning this we have sent and we have made known to king the.
15 歴代の記録をお調べください。その記録の書において、この町はそむいた町で、諸王と諸州に害を及ぼしたものであることを見、その中に古来、むほんの行われたことを知られるでしょう。この町が滅ぼされたのはこれがためなのです。
That he will search in [the] book of records the of fathers your so you may find in [the] book of records the so you may know that city the this [is] a city rebellious and injuring kings and provinces and a revolt [it was] making in midst its from [the] days of antiquity on this city the this it was laid waste.
16 われわれは王にお知らせいたします。もしこの町が建てられ、城壁が築きあげられたなら、王は川向こうの領地を失うに至るでしょう」。
[are] making known We to king the that if city the this it will be built and walls the they will be finished before this possession in [the] region beyond river the not there [will be] to you.
17 王は返書を送って言った、「長官レホム、書記官シムシャイ、その他サマリヤおよび川向こうのほかの所に住んでいる同僚に、あいさつをする。いま、
Word the he sent king the to Rehum lord of command and Shimshai scribe the and [the] rest of associates their who [were] dwelling in Samaria and [the] rest of [the] region beyond river the peace and now.
18 あなたがたがわれわれに送った手紙を、わたしの前に明らかに読ませた。
Letter the which you sent to us made distinct it was read aloud before me.
19 わたしは命令を下して調査させたところ、この町は古来、諸王にそむいた事、その中に反乱、むほんのあったことを見いだした。
And from me it was made a decree and they searched and they found that city the this from [the] days of antiquity against kings [was] rising up and rebellion and revolt [have] been done by it.
20 またエルサレムには大いなる王たちがあって、川向こうの地をことごとく治め、みつぎ、関税、税金を納めさせたこともあった。
And kings strong they were over Jerusalem and having mastery over all [the] region beyond river the and tribute tax and toll [was] being paid to them.
21 それであなたがたは命令を伝えて、その人々をとどめ、わたしの命令の下るまで、この町を建てさせてはならない。
Now make a decree to make to cease men the these and city the this not it will be built until from me decree the it will be made.
22 あなたがたは慎んでこのことについて怠ることのないようにしなさい。どうして損害を増して、王に害を及ぼしてよかろうか」。
And cautious be negligence to do concerning this why? will it grow great damage the to injury kings.
23 アルタシャスタ王の手紙の写しがレホムおよび書記官シムシャイとその同僚の前に読み上げられたので、彼らは急いでエルサレムのユダヤ人のもとにおもむき、腕力と権力とをもって彼らをやめさせた。
Then from that [the] copy of letter the of (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king the it was read aloud before Rehum and Shimshai scribe the and associates their they went in haste to Jerusalem to Jews the and they made to cease them with force and power.
24 それでエルサレムにある神の宮の工事は中止された。すなわちペルシャ王ダリヨスの治世の二年まで中止された。
Then it ceased [the] work of [the] house of God which [is] in Jerusalem and it was ceasing until year two of [the] reign of Darius [the] king of Persia.