¹In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

¹ユダの王エホヤキムの治世の第三年にバビロンの王ネブカデネザルはエルサレムにきて、これを攻め囲んだ。

²And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

²主はユダの王エホヤキムと、神の宮の器具の一部とを、彼の手にわたされたので、彼はこれをシナルの地の自分の神の宮に携えゆき、その器具を自分の神の蔵に納めた。

³And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;

³時に王は宦官の長アシペナズに、イスラエルの人々の中から、王の血統の者と、貴族たる者数人とを、連れて来るように命じた。

⁴Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

⁴すなわち身に傷がなく、容姿が美しく、すべての知恵にさとく、知識があって、思慮深く、王の宮に仕えるに足る若者を連れてこさせ、これにカルデヤびとの文学と言語とを学ばせようとした。

⁵And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

⁵そして王は王の食べる食物と、王の飲む酒の中から、日々の分を彼らに与えて、三年のあいだ彼らを養い育て、その後、彼らをして王の前に、はべらせようとした。

⁶Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:

⁶彼らのうちに、ユダの部族のダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシャエル、アザリヤがあった。

⁷Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

⁷宦官の長は彼らに名を与えて、ダニエルをベルテシャザルと名づけ、ハナニヤをシャデラクと名づけ、ミシャエルをメシャクと名づけ、アザリヤをアベデネゴと名づけた。

⁸But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

⁸ダニエルは王の食物と、王の飲む酒とをもって、自分を汚すまいと、心に思い定めたので、自分を汚させることのないように、宦官の長に求めた。

⁹Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

⁹神はダニエルをして、宦官の長の前に、恵みとあわれみとを得させられたので、

¹⁰And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

¹⁰宦官の長はダニエルに言った、「わが主なる王は、あなたがたの食べ物と、飲み物とを定められたので、わたしはあなたがたの健康の状態が、同年輩の若者たちよりも悪いと、王が見られることを恐れるのです。そうすればあなたがたのために、わたしのこうべが、王の前に危くなるでしょう」。

¹¹Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

¹¹そこでダニエルは宦官の長がダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシャエルおよびアザリヤの上に立てた家令に言った、

¹²Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

¹²「どうぞ、しもべらを十日の間ためしてください。わたしたちにただ野菜を与えて食べさせ、水を飲ませ、

¹³Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

¹³そしてわたしたちの顔色と、王の食物を食べる若者の顔色とをくらべて見て、あなたの見るところにしたがって、しもべらを扱ってください」。

¹⁴So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

¹⁴家令はこの事について彼らの言うところを聞きいれ、十日の間、彼らをためした。

¹⁵And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.

¹⁵十日の終りになってみると、彼らの顔色は王の食物を食べたすべての若者よりも美しく、また肉も肥え太っていた。

¹⁶Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

¹⁶それで家令は彼らの食物と、彼らの飲むべき酒とを除いて、彼らに野菜を与えた。

¹⁷As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

¹⁷この四人の者には、神は知識を与え、すべての文学と知恵にさとい者とされた。ダニエルはまたすべての幻と夢とを理解した。

¹⁸Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁸さて、王が命じたところの若者を召し入れるまでの日数が過ぎたので、宦官の町は彼らをネブカデネザルの前に連れていった。

¹⁹And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.

¹⁹王が彼らと語ってみると、彼らすべての中にはダニエル、ハナニヤ、ミシャエル、アザリヤにならぶ者がなかったので、彼らは王の前にはべることとなった。

²⁰And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

²⁰王が彼らにさまざまの事を尋ねてみると、彼らは知恵と理解において、全国の博士、法術士にまさること十倍であった。ダニエルはクロス王の元年まで仕えていた。

²¹And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

²¹ダニエルはクロス王の元年まで仕えていた。