< 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一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
At that time King Ahasuerus gave the property of Haman the Jews’ enemy to Queen Esther. Mordecai was made one of the king’s personal advisers, for Esther had disclosed his relationship to her.
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
The king also drew off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman. He gave it to Mordecai, and Esther placed Mordecai in charge of Haman’s property.
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
Then Esther sought another audience with the king and fell at his feet and with tears begged him to avert the evil planned by Haman the Agagite and to frustrate his designs against the Jews.
4 王エステルにむかひて金圭を伸ければステル起て王の前に立ち
The king held out to her the golden sceptre, and she arose 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
“If it seems best to the king,” she said, “and if I have won his favor and he thinks it right, and if I please him, let written orders be given to revoke the dispatches devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote ordering the destruction of the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.
6 われ豈わが民に臨まんとず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 can I bear to look upon the evil that will come to my people? How can I bear to see their destruction?”
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
Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the property of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he laid hands upon 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答は誰もとりけすこと能はざればなり
Now you write on behalf of the Jews, as seems best to you, in the king’s name and seal it with the king’s signet ring. For a document that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.”
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ひ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
On the twenty-third day of the third month (that is the month of Sivan), the king’s secretaries were summoned and as Mordecai instructed an edict was issued to the Jews, to the satraps and provincial governors and the rulers of each of the one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia in their own script and their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
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
Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus. He sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Dispatches were sent by mounted couriers who rode the swift, noble steeds, bred of the royal studs.
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
In this way the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and make a stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and annihilate all the armed forces of any people or province that might be hostile to them, including their children and women, and to take their goods as plunder
12 アハシユエロス王の諸州にお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
throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus on that thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is called 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写本を一切の民に開きて示せり
A copy of the edict was to be published as a decree in every province – publicly displayed so that the Jews might be ready for that day and avenge themselves.
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 couriers who rode the swift, noble steeds went out, hastened and impelled by the king’s commands! Meantime the decree had been given out in the royal palace at Susa;
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 Mordecai had gone out from the presence of the king in royal garments of violet and white and with a great crown of gold and with a robe of fine linen and purple. The people of Susa shouted and were 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
To the Jews there came light and gladness and joy and honor.
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 every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews and a holiday. Many of the peoples of the earth professed to be Jews, for fear of the Jews took possession of them.