エステル記 2
Freedom Bible (フリーダム・バイブル)Translation
Freedom Bible (フリーダム・バイブル)
Douay-Rheims Bible, American Edition (1899)
1これらのことの後、アハシュエロス王の怒りが静まると、王はワシュティのこと、彼女がしたこと、そして彼女について定められたことを思い起こした。
1After this, when the wrath of king Assuerus was appeased, he remembered Vasthi, and what she had done and what she had suffered:
2そこで王に仕える侍臣たちは言った。「王のために、容姿の美しい若い処女たちを捜させましょう。
2And the king’s servants and his officers said: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
3王国の全州に役人を任命し、美しい若い処女たちをスサの宮殿の後宮に集め、女たちを預かる王の宦官ヘガイの管理下に置かせてください。また、彼女たちに身支度の品を与えさせてください。
3And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king’s women: and let them receive women’s ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.
4そして王の心にかなう娘を、ワシュティに代わる王妃としてください。」この提案は王の心にかない、王はそのようにした。
4And whosoever among them all shall please the king’s eyes, let her be queen instead of Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and he commanded it should be done as they had suggested.
5さて、スサの宮殿にモルデカイというユダヤ人がいた。彼はベニヤミン人キシュの子シムイの子ヤイルの子であった。
5There was a man in the city of Susan, a Jew, named Mardochai, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the race of Jemini,
6このキシュは、バビロンの王ネブカデネザルがユダの王エコニヤとともに捕らえ移した捕囚の民とともに、エルサレムから連れ去られた者であった。
6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away Jechonias king of Juda,
7モルデカイは、叔父の娘ハダサ、すなわちエステルを育てていた。彼女には父も母もなかった。この娘は姿も顔立ちも美しかった。父母の死後、モルデカイは彼女を自分の娘として引き取ったのである。
7And he had brought up his brother’s daughter Edissa, who by another name was called Esther: now she had lost both her parents: and was exceeding fair and beautiful. And her father and mother being dead, Mardochai adopted her for his daughter.
8王の命令と法令が布告され、多くの娘たちがスサの宮殿に集められてヘガイの管理下に置かれたとき、エステルも王宮に連れて来られ、女たちを預かるヘガイの管理下に置かれた。
8And when the king’s ordinance was noised abroad, and according to his commandment many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him to be kept in the number of the women.
9この娘はヘガイの心にかない、その好意を得た。彼はすぐに身支度の品と特別な食事を彼女に与え、王宮から選ばれた七人の侍女も付けた。そして彼女と侍女たちを後宮の最良の場所に移した。
9And she pleased him, and found favour in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch to hasten the women’s ornaments, and to deliver to her her part, and seven of the most beautiful maidens of the king’s house, and to adorn and deck out both her and her waiting maids.
10エステルは自分の民族も親族も明かさなかった。モルデカイが、明かしてはならないと命じていたからである。
10And she would not tell him her people nor her country. For Mardochai had charged her to say nothing at all of that:
11モルデカイは毎日、エステルが無事でいるか、これからどうなるかを知ろうとして、後宮の中庭の前を行き来した。
11And he walked every day before the court of the house, in which the chosen virgins were kept, having a care for Esther’s welfare, and desiring to know what would befall her.
12それぞれの娘がアハシュエロス王のもとへ行く番は、十二か月に及ぶ身を清める期間を終えた後に来た。その期間は、六か月を没薬の油で、さらに六か月を香料や女の身支度の品で整えるものだった。
12Now when every virgin’s turn came to go in to the king, after all had been done for setting them off to advantage, it was the twelfth month: so that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for other six months they used certain perfumes and sweet spices.
13娘が王のもとへ行くときには、後宮から王宮へ携えて行きたいものは何でも与えられた。
13And when they were going in to the king, whatsoever they asked to adorn themselves they received: and being decked out, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king’s chamber.
14夕方に王のもとへ入り、翌朝には、側女たちを預かる王の宦官シャアシュガズの管理する第二の後宮へ移された。王が彼女を気に入り、名を呼んで召さない限り、二度と王のもとへ行くことはなかった。
14And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was conducted to the second house, that was under the hand of Susagaz the eunuch, who had the charge over the king’s concubines: neither could she return any more to the king, unless the king desired it, and had ordered her by name to come.
15モルデカイが娘として引き取った、叔父アビハイルの娘エステルの番が来たとき、彼女は女たちを預かる王の宦官ヘガイが勧めたもの以外、何も求めなかった。エステルは見る者すべてから好意を受けた。
15And as the time came orderly about, the day was at hand, when Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardochai, whom he had adopted for his daughter, was to go in to the king. But she sought not women’s ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the virgins had a mind, he gave her to adorn her. For she was exceeding fair, and her incredible beauty made her appear agreeable and amiable in the eyes of all.
16エステルがアハシュエロス王の王宮へ迎え入れられたのは、王の治世第七年、第十の月、すなわちテベテの月であった。
16So she was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17王はどの女よりもエステルを愛した。彼女はほかのすべての処女にまさって王の好意と慈しみを受けたので、王はその頭に王冠を置き、ワシュティに代わる王妃とした。
17And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had favour and kindness before him above all the women, and he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vasthi.
18王はすべての高官と家臣のために、エステルの祝宴と呼ばれる盛大な宴を催した。また諸州に休日を布告し、王の気前のよさにふさわしく贈り物を配った。
18And he commanded a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the princes, and for his servants, for the marriage and wedding of Esther. And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.
19処女たちが二度目に集められたとき、モルデカイは王の門に座っていた。
19And when the virgins were sought the second time, and gathered together, Mardochai stayed at the king’s gate,
20エステルはモルデカイに命じられたとおり、まだ自分の親族も民族も明かしていなかった。彼女は養育されていたころと同じように、モルデカイの言いつけに従っていた。
20Neither had Esther as yet declared her country and people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: and she did all things in the same manner as she was wont at that time when he brought her up a little one.
21そのころ、モルデカイが王の門に座っていると、入口を守る王の宦官ビッグタンとテレシュの二人が怒りを抱き、アハシュエロス王に手を下そうと企てた。
21At that time, therefore, when Mardochai abode at the king’s gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were porters, and presided in the first entry of the palace, were angry: and they designed to rise up against the king, and to kill him.
22この企てを知ったモルデカイは王妃エステルに知らせ、エステルはモルデカイの名によって王に報告した。
22And Mardochai had notice of it, and immediately he told it to queen Esther: and she to the king in Mardochai’s name, who had reported the thing unto her.
23この件は調査され、事実であると判明したので、二人は木に掛けられた。このことは王の前で年代記に記された。
23It was inquired into, and found out: and they were both hanged on a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and recorded in the chronicles before the king.
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