King Darius made a great feast for his subjects and household, and for all the nobles of Media and Persia, and for all the satraps and military leaders, and the leaders of the countries subject to him from India to Ethiopia in one hundred and twenty-seven satrapies. And they ate and drank, and when they were satisfied, they dispersed; King Darius went to his bedroom and slept, and then woke up.
Meanwhile, the three young bodyguards guarding the king’s body said to each other:
- Let each of us say one word about what is strongest? And whose word turns out to be more reasonable than another, King Darius will give him great gifts and a great reward. And he will dress in scarlet and drink from golden vessels, and sleep on gold, and ride in a chariot with horses with golden bridles, wear a bandage of fine linen on his head and a necklace around his neck, and he will sit second after Darius for his wisdom, and will be called a relative of Darius.
And immediately, having each written his own word, they sealed it and placed it under the head of King Darius and said:
“When the king gets up, this scripture will be given to him, and whoever the king and the three nobles of Persia acknowledge that his word is wiser will be given the advantage, as it is written.”
One wrote: “Wine is the strongest.” Another wrote: “Stronger than the king.” A third wrote: “Stronger than women, truth triumphs over everything.”
And so, when the king stood up, they handed him this scripture, and he read it. And having sent, he called all the nobles of Persia and Media, and the satraps and military leaders, and the commanders of the regions and advisers, and sat down in the council chamber, and the scripture was read before them. And said:
- Call these young men, let them explain their words.
And they were called and entered. And he said to them:
- Explain to us what you wrote.
And the first one who spoke about the power of wine began and spoke like this:
- Oh, men! How strong the wine is! It darkens the minds of all people who drink it; it makes the mind of the king and the orphan, the slave and the free, the poor and the rich, one mind; and it turns every mind into joy and joy, so that a person does not remember any sadness and no duty, and it makes all hearts rich, so that no one thinks about either the king or the satrap, and it makes everyone talk about their talents. And when they become drunk, they do not remember their love for friends and brothers and soon draw their swords, and when they are sober from wine, they do not remember what they did. Oh, men! Isn't wine strongest when it makes you do this?
And having said this, he fell silent.
And the second one began to speak, speaking about the strength of the king.
- Oh, men! Are not the people who own the land and the sea and everything they contain strong? But the king prevails and dominates over them and commands them, and in everything that he tells them, they obey. If he tells them to take up arms against each other, they do it; if he sends them against the enemy, they go and destroy mountains and walls and towers, and kill and are killed, but do not transgress the king’s words; if they win, they bring everything to the king that they receive as booty, and everything else. And those who do not go to war and do not fight, but cultivate the land, after sowing, having gathered the harvest, also bring it to the king and, forcing one another, bring tribute to the king. And he alone, if he says to kill, they kill; if he says to let him go, he lets him go; said to beat - they beat; said to devastate - they devastate; said to build - they build; said to cut it down - they cut it down; said to plant - they plant; and all his people and his army obey him. Moreover, he reclines, eats and drinks and sleeps, and they guard around him and no one can go away and do their business, and they cannot disobey him. Oh, men! Isn't the king the strongest when people obey him like that? - and fell silent.
The third one who spoke about women and about the truth - it was Zerubbabel - began to say:
- Oh, men! Is not the king great, and many of the people, and is not the wine strong? But who rules over them and owns them? Aren't they women? The wives gave birth to a king and all the people who own the sea and the land; and from them were born and nourished those who planted grapes, from which wine is made; they make clothes for people and provide decoration for people, and people cannot be without wives. If they collect gold and silver and all kinds of jewelry, and then they see one woman, good-looking and beautiful, leaving everything, they rush to her and, opening their mouths, look at her, and everyone cleaves to her more than to gold and silver and to any expensive thing. A man leaves the father who raised him and his country and cleaves to his wife, and leaves his soul with his wife, and does not remember either his father, or his mother, or his country. And from this you should know that women dominate you. Do you not labor and exert yourself, and do you not give and bring everything to your wives? A man takes his sword and sets off to go out onto the roads and rob and steal, and is ready to swim on the sea and rivers; he meets a lion, and wanders in the darkness; but as soon as he steals, kidnaps and robs, he takes it to his beloved. And a man loves his wife more than his father and mother. Many have gone mad because of women and become slaves through them. Many perished and went astray and sinned through women. Won't you believe me now? Isn't the king great in his power? Aren't all countries afraid to touch it? I saw him and Apamina, the daughter of the glorious Vartak, the royal concubine, sitting on the right side of the king; she took the crown from the king's head and placed it on herself, and with her left hand she hit the king on the cheek. And with all this, the king looked at her with his mouth open: if she smiles at him, he smiles too; if she gets angry with him, he caresses her so that she will make peace with him. Oh, men! How are women not strong when they do this?
Then the king and the nobles looked at each other, and he began to talk about the truth.
- Oh, men! Aren't women strong? The earth is great, and the sky is high, and the sun is fast in its course, for in one day it goes around the circle of the sky and again returns to its place. Isn't he great who does this? And the truth is great and stronger than anything. The whole earth cries out for the truth, and heaven blesses it, and all things shake and tremble before it. And there is no untruth in it. The wine is unrighteous, the king is unrighteous, the women are unrighteous, all the sons of men are unjust and all their deeds are unjust, and there is no truth in them, and they will perish in their unrighteousness; but the truth endures and remains strong forever, and lives and reigns forever. And she has no partiality or discrimination, but she does what is just, moving away from everything unjust and evil, and everyone approves of her deeds. And there is nothing wrong in her court; she is the power and the kingdom and the authority and majesty of all ages: blessed is the God of truth!
And he stopped talking. And everyone then shouted and said: Great is the truth and stronger than all. Then the king said to him:
“Ask for whatever you want, more than what is written, and we will give it to you, since you turned out to be the wisest, and you will sit next to me, and you will be called my relative.”
(2Ezd.3:1-4:42)
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru