Chapter 3

Chapter 3

3:1 Now when Darius reigned, he made a great feast unto all his
subjects, and unto all his household, and unto all the princes of Media and Persia,
2 And to all the governors and captains and lieutenants that were under him,
from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred twenty and seven provinces. 3 And when
they had eaten and drunken, and being satisfied were gone home, then Darius the
king went into his bedchamber, and slept, and soon after awaked.

4 Then three young men, that were of the guard that kept the
king’s body, spake one to another; 5 Let every one of us speak a sentence: he
that shall overcome, and whose sentence shall seem wiser than the others, unto
him shall the king Darius give great gifts, and great things in token of
victory: 6 As, to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold, and to sleep upon
gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and an headtire of fine linen, and a
chain about his neck: 7 And he shall sit next to Darius because of his wisdom,
and shall be called Darius his cousin.

8 And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it
under king Darius his pillow; 9 And said that, when the king is risen, some
will give him the writings; and of whose side the king and the three princes of
Persia shall judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him shall the victory be
given, as was appointed. 10 The first wrote, Wine is the strongest. 11 The
second wrote, The king is strongest. 12 The third wrote, Women are strongest:
but above all things Truth beareth away the victory.

13 Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings, and
delivered them unto him, and so he read them: 14 And sending forth he called
all the princes of Persia and Media, and the governors, and the captains, and
the lieutenants, and the chief officers; 15 And sat him down in the royal seat
of judgment; and the writings were read before them. 16 And he said, Call the
young men, and they shall declare their own sentences. So they were called, and
came in. 17 And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind concerning the
writings.

Then began the first, who had
spoken of the strength of wine; 18 And he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding
strong is wine! it causeth all men to err that drink it: 19 It maketh the mind
of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of
the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich: 20 It turneth also every thought
into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt: 21
And it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth neither king nor
governor; and it maketh to speak all things by talents: 22 And when they are in
their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little
after draw out swords: 23 But when they are from the wine, they remember not
what they have done. 24 O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to
do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.