Chapter 1: The Magic Jade
第一章：不思議な宝玉
Long ago, in the great city of Jinling, there lived a wealthy family called the Jia. Their mansion was one of the largest in the city, with many courtyards, gardens, and rooms. The Jia family had served the emperor for generations and enjoyed great honor and wealth.
昔々、金陵という大きな都に、賈という裕福な家族が住んでいました。彼らの屋敷は都で最も大きく、多くの庭園や部屋がありました。賈家は代々皇帝に仕え、大きな名誉と富を得ていました。
In this family, a boy was born with a strange stone in his mouth. The stone was smooth and warm, with words written on it in ancient characters. The family called it the "Magic Jade," and they believed it was a gift from heaven. The boy's name was Jia Baoyu, and he was loved by everyone in the house.
この家族に、口に不思議な石を持って生まれた男の子がいました。その石は滑らかで温かく、古代の文字が刻まれていました。家族はそれを「不思議な宝玉」と呼び、天からの贈り物だと信じました。男の子は賈宝玉と名付けられ、家中の皆に愛されました。
Baoyu grew up as a gentle and sensitive child. Unlike other boys his age, he had no interest in studying for the government exams. He preferred to spend his time with the girls in the household, reading poetry and enjoying the beauty of the garden. His father was often angry with him, but his grandmother always protected him.
宝玉は優しく感受性の強い子供に育ちました。同じ年の他の男の子たちと違い、彼は科挙の試験に興味がありませんでした。彼は屋敷の娘たちと詩を読んだり、庭園の美しさを楽しんだりして過ごすのが好きでした。父はよく彼に怒りましたが、祖母はいつも彼を守りました。
The old lady, known as Grandmother Jia, was the head of the family. She had many grandchildren, but Baoyu was her favorite. She gave him a beautiful room in her own courtyard and let him do as he pleased. "He is different from other children," she would say. "We must let him grow in his own way."
賈母として知られる老女は、家族の長でした。彼女には多くの孫がいましたが、宝玉が一番のお気に入りでした。彼女は彼に自分の庭園にある美しい部屋を与え、彼がやりたいことをさせていました。「彼は他の子供たちとは違うの」と彼女は言いました。「彼を自分の方法で成長させなければなりません。」
But the Magic Jade was more than just a strange object. It held a deep secret about Baoyu's past life and his future destiny. Few people in the mansion knew the truth, but the stone would guide Baoyu through joy and sorrow, love and loss, in the years to come.
しかし、不思議な宝玉は単なる奇妙な物ではありませんでした。それは宝玉の前世と未来の運命についての深い秘密を秘めていました。屋敷で真実を知る者はほとんどいませんでしたが、石は喜びと悲しみ、愛と喪失を通して宝玉を導いていくのでした。