エステル 記 1
1 アハシユエロスすなはち印度よりエテオピヤまで百二十七州を治めたるアハシユエロスの世
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 アハシユエロス王シユシヤンの城にてその國の祚に坐しをりける当時
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 その治世の第三年にその牧伯等および臣僕等のために酒宴を設けたり ペルシヤとメデアの武士および貴族と讃州の牧伯等その前にありき
In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
4 時に王その盛なる國の富有とその大なる威の榮を示して衆多の日をわたり百八十日に及びぬ
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 これらの日のをはりし時 王また王の宮の園の庭にてシユシヤンに居る大小のすべての民のために七日の間酒宴を設けたり
At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
6 白緑青の帳幔ありて細布と紫色の紐にて銀の環および蝋石の柱に繋がるまた牀榻は金銀にして赤白黄黒の蝋石の上に居らる
Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7 金の酒盃にて酒を賜ふその酒盃は此と彼おのおの異なり王の用ゐる酒をたまふこと夥だし王の富有に適へり
Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
8 その飮むことは法にかなひて誰も強ることを爲ず 其は王人として各々おのれの好むごとく爲しむべしとその宮内のすべての有司に命じたればなり
By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
9 后ワシテもまたアハシユエロス王に属する王宮の内にて婦女のために酒宴をまうけたり
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 第七日にアハシユエロス王酒のために心樂み王の前に事ふる七人の侍從メホマン、ビスタ、ハルボナ、ビグタ、アバグタ、セタルおよびカルカスに命じ
On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
11 后ワシテをして后の冠冕をかぶりて王の前に來らしめよと言り 是は彼観に美しければその美麗を民等と牧伯等に見さんとてなりき
to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
12 しかるに后ワシテ侍從が傅へし王の命に從ひて來ることを肯はざりしかば王おほいに憤ほりて震怒その衷に燃ゆ
Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
13 是において王時を知る智者にむかひて言ふ(王はすべて法律と審理に明かなる者にむかひて是の如くするを常とせり
Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
14 時に彼の次になりし者はペルシヤおよびメデアの七人の牧伯カルシナ、セタル、アデマタ、タルシシ、メレス、マルセナ、メムカンなりき 是みな王の面を見る者にして國の第一に位せり)
His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
15 后ワシテ、アハシユエロス王が侍從をもて傅へし命を爲されば法律にしたがひて如何に彼になすべきや
“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
16 メムカン王と牧伯たちの前に答へて曰ふ 后ワシテは唯王にむかひて惡き事をなしたる而已ならず一切の牧伯たちおよびアハシユエロス王の各州のもろもろの民にむかひてもまた之を爲るなり
And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
17 后のこの事あまねく一切の婦女に聞えて彼らつひにその夫を藐め観て言ん アハシユエロス王后ワシテに已のまへに來れと命じたりしに來らざりしと
For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18 而して后の此所行を聞るペルシヤとメデアの諸夫人もまた今日王のすべての牧伯等に是のごとく言ん然すれば必らず藐視と忿怒多く起るべし
This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
19 王もし之を善としたまはばワシテは此後ふたたびアハシユエロス王の前に來るべからずといふ王命を下し之をペルシヤとメデアの律法の中に書いれて更ること無らしめ而してその后の位を彼に勝れる他の者に與へたまへ
So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
20 王の下したまはん御詔この大なる御國に徧ねく聞えわたる時は妻たる者ことごとくその夫を大小となく共に敬まふべしと
The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
21 王と牧伯等この言を善としければ王メムカンの言のごとく爲たり
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 かくて王の諸州に徧ねく書をおくりもろもろの州にその文字にしたがひて書おくりもろもろの民にその言語にしたがひて書おくり凡て男子たる者はその家の主となるべくまたおのれの民の言を用ひてものいふべしと諭しぬ
He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
