日本語訳を! 1-(4)

質問

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　At first the Egyptians simply marked the riverbank to measure the height of the Nile. But it wasn't long before the Egyptians invented measuring devices. We call them nilometers. Some looked like a giant yardstick made from marble. Other nilometers were even more elaborate. Workers dug staircases into wells and erected engraved pillars marked to gauge how high the water rose.
　After the flood months, when the water finally receded and left behind rich, black earth, farmers scattered their seeds, the first of several plantings. The second season―peret―had begun. Farmers lifted water from the steady flowing river with shadufs, devices that looked like catapults. With a bucket for dipping on one end of a pole, and a counterweight to make lifting easy on the other, the shadufs creaked and groaned while farmers raised and pivoted the buckets to fill channels that snaked through their gardens.
　Farmers tended their fields with care into the third season―shemu. During shemu the level of the Nile dropped, and many side channels dried up. The land parched and the desert seemed to close in. The red sands inched toward the villages. Near the end of shemu, Egyptians began to fret and worry. Would the Nile ever rise again? Had the gods forgotten to release the waters? They sang, "they dread him who creates the heat," and they sacrificed birds and gazelles for the return of the Nile's floodwaters. And then the cycle repeated. "Hail to thee, O Nile! Who...comes to give life to Egypt!"

回答No.1

go_urn · ベストアンサー

At first the Egyptians simply marked the riverbank to measure the height of the Nile. 最初エジプト人たちは、（氾濫後に）ナイルの堤に、水の高さを示すために、記しをつけておくだけでした。

But it wasn't long before the Egyptians invented measuring devices. しかしやがて彼らは測定装置を考案しました。

We call them nilometers. わたしたちはそれをナイロメーター（ナイル河水位計）と呼んでいます。

Some looked like a giant yardstick made from marble. あるナイロメーターは、大理石から作られた巨大なものさしに見えました。

Other nilometers were even more elaborate. もっと手の込んだナイロメーターもありました。

Workers dug staircases into wells and erected engraved pillars marked to gauge how high the water rose. 作業員たちは井戸の中に階段を掘っていき、目盛りの刻んである柱をそこに建てました。それによって水位を測ろうというわけです。

After the flood months, when the water finally receded and left behind rich, black earth, farmers scattered their seeds, the first of several plantings. 洪水の数カ月が過ぎ、水がようやく退いて、後に豊かな黒い土が残されると、農夫たちは、種まきを始めます。それが１年に何回か行なう種まきの最初のものになります。

The second season―peret―had begun. 第２の季節ペレトが始まったのです。

Farmers lifted water from the steady flowing river with shadufs, devices that looked like catapults. 農夫たちは、流れの落ち着いたナイルから、シャドゥフと呼ばれる、石弓に似た装置を使って水を汲み上げます。

With a bucket for dipping on one end of a pole, and a counterweight to make lifting easy on the other, the shadufs creaked and groaned while farmers raised and pivoted the buckets to fill channels that snaked through their gardens. シャドゥフは棒の一端に採水用のバケツをくくりつけ、他方の端に持ち上げるのを楽にするための重しをくくりつけたもので、農夫たちが、自分の耕作地にうねうねと巡らされている用水路に給水するために、バケツを持ち上げ回転させると、キーキー、ギーギーと音を立てます。

Farmers tended their fields with care into the third season―shemu. 農夫たちは畑の手入れを注意深く行い、そうして第３の季節シェムを迎えることになります。

During shemu the level of the Nile dropped, and many side channels dried up. シェムの季節、ナイルの水位は下がり、多くの用水路は干上がります。

The land parched and the desert seemed to close in. 土地はカラカラとなり、砂漠が押し寄せてきそうな気配となります。

The red sands inched toward the villages. 赤い砂地が、じりじりと村に忍び寄ってきます。

Near the end of shemu, Egyptians began to fret and worry. シェムの季節の終わり頃になると、エジプト人たちは不安になり、ひどく気を揉むようになります。

Would the Nile ever rise again? ナイルはまた水かさを増すことがあるのだろうか？

Had the gods forgotten to release the waters? 神々は楽園の水を放出することを忘れてしまったのだろうか？

They sang, "they dread him who creates the heat," and they sacrificed birds and gazelles for the return of the Nile's floodwaters. そして彼らは「暑熱を創られたかたを畏れ」と歌い、鳥やガゼルを生贄に捧げて、ナイルの氾濫の水の再来を請います。

And then the cycle repeated. "Hail to thee, O Nile! Who...comes to give life to Egypt!" そして、再び（氾濫が訪れ）１年のサイクルが繰り返されるのです。「ナイルよ、汝われらに生を恵むものよ」（と歌声が再び響くのです。）

お礼

優しい解答ありがとうございます。