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
In the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
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
When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
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
Now in the third year of his reign he made a great feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in his sight,
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
That he might shew the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit, for a hundred and fourscore days.
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
And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
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
And there were hung up on every side sky coloured, and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful variety.
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
And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king’s magnificence.
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
Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
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
Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
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
Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
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 in queen Vasthi before the king, with the crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.
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
But she refused, and would not come at the king’s commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king, being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
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
Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel, who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
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)
(Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him: )
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
What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen, who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to her 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 Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
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 this deed of the queen will go abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
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
And by this example all the wives of the princes of the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king’s indignation is just.
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
If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
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
And let this be published through all the provinces of thy empire, (which is very wide, ) and let all wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser, give honour to 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
His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
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
And he sent letters to all the provinces of his kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and that this should be published to every people.
