日本語訳を! 1-(3)

質問

お願いします。

　Life in Egypt revolved around the Great River. Our seasons come and go, marked by weather changes, but not so in Egypt, where the sun always shines. In Egypt the seasoms were marked by changes in the Nile. The first of the three seasons began in July. Egyptians called it akhet. During akhet, heavy rain in Ethiopia poured down from the highlands, swelling streams that fed the Nile. The banks of the Nile overflowed. Flooding may not sound like a good thing, but to the Egyptians it was a very good thing. Those floods left behind that black earth for planting. During the floods, farmlands were covered with water. Everyone uneasily watched the water rise. Would there be enough water? Would the Nile bring enough of that rich, black earth for farmers to plant their seeds? Or would there be too much water? Would whole villages be washed away? It was a delicate balance. If you were the supreme ruler, it would be your job to work it out with the gods so that things went well. You worked with Hapi, the god of the Great River, and more importantly, with the god in charge of the floods, the one with the ram's head―Khnemu. It was your job to be sure there was ma'at, or balance―not too much, not too little.
　The Egyptians watched the flood levels obsessively. They measured the water and recorded it. They compared their measurements to the good years. They compared their measurements to the bad years. Everywhere you went, people would have had an opinion on this year's flood level. People talked in the market place. People talked along the roads, over dinner, while washing clothes at the riverbank. Would this be a good year? Would the granaries be full? Or would this be a bad year? Would they suffer the anguish they sang about in The Hymn to the Nile?

回答No.1

go_urn · ベストアンサー

Life in Egypt revolved around the Great River. 古代エジプトの生活は、大いなる河を中心に展開しました。

Our seasons come and go, marked by weather changes, but not so in Egypt, where the sun always shines. わたしたち（温帯で）の季節は、天候の変化によってめぐりますが、エジプトではそうではありません。そこでは太陽はいつも輝いて照りつけるのです。

In Egypt the seasoms were marked by changes in the Nile. エジプトでは季節は、ナイルの変化によって区切られます。

The first of the three seasons began in July. ３つの季節があり、最初の季節は７月に始まります。

Egyptians called it akhet. During akhet, heavy rain in Ethiopia poured down from the highlands, swelling streams that fed the Nile. この季節をエジプト人はアケットと呼びました。アケットには、エチオピアで大きな降雨があり、その水が（エチオピア）高地を流れ落ち、ナイルに注ぐ支流の水かさを増します。

The banks of the Nile overflowed. そしてナイルのありとあらゆる堤から水があふれます。

Flooding may not sound like a good thing, but to the Egyptians it was a very good thing. 川の氾濫などというと良いことには聞えないかもしれませんが、古代エジプト人たちにとっては氾濫はとてもいいことだったのです。

Those floods left behind that black earth for planting. そうした氾濫によって、耕作に適した黒い土が後に残ったからです。

During the floods, farmlands were covered with water. 氾濫が続いている間、耕作地は水で覆われました。

Everyone uneasily watched the water rise. 誰もが水が（土地の上に）あふれていくのを不安そうに見守りました。

Would there be enough water? その不安とは、水かさは十分だろうかという不安でした。

Would the Nile bring enough of that rich, black earth for farmers to plant their seeds? 農夫が種を蒔くための、あの豊かな黒い土を、（今年の）ナイルは十分に運んでくれるのだろうか？

Or would there be too much water? Would whole villages be washed away? また逆にあまりにあふれる水が多すぎるのではないかという不安もありました。水が多すぎて村全体がながされてしまわないか？

It was a delicate balance. そこは微妙なバランスでした。

If you were the supreme ruler, it would be your job to work it out with the gods so that things went well. もしあなたがエジプトの至高の支配者であれば、事態がうまく運ぶように神々と折衝して何とかするのがあなたの責務になります。

You worked with Hapi, the god of the Great River, and more importantly, with the god in charge of the floods, the one with the ram's head―Khnemu. あなたは、ナイルを司る神のハピと折衝し、そしてさらに重要な、洪水を司る、牡羊の角を生やしたクネムという神と折衝します。

It was your job to be sure there was ma'at, or balance―not too much, not too little. マアト、すなわちバランス——多すぎず少なすぎず——を確保することがあなたの仕事です。

The Egyptians watched the flood levels obsessively. 古代エジプト人たちの氾濫の程度を見つめる目には執念がこもります。

They measured the water and recorded it. 彼らは今年はどれだけの氾濫であったかを測定しそれを記録しました。

They compared their measurements to the good years. そして良かった年の記録とつきあわせます。

They compared their measurements to the bad years. 悪かった年の記録ともつきあわせます。

Everywhere you went, people would have had an opinion on this year's flood level. どこへ行っても、人々は今年の氾濫はこうこうであったと自分の意見を持っていました。

People talked in the market place. 人々はその意見を市場で出し合いました。

People talked along the roads, over dinner, while washing clothes at the riverbank. 道端でも、食事の時も、河で洗濯しながらでも話し合いました。

Would this be a good year? 今年はいい年になるのだろうか？

Would the granaries be full? Or would this be a bad year? 倉庫は穀物であふれるのだろうか？　それとも今年は凶年なのだろうか？

Would they suffer the anguish they sang about in The Hymn to the Nile? ナイル讃歌で歌ったような苦しみを味わうことになるのだろうか？

お礼

ありがとうございます。