27
Others have been put to death, have ruined their lives, or have committed crimes because of a woman.
28
So now do you believe me? "The emperor's power is certainly great - no nation has the courage to attack him.
29
But once I saw him with Apame, his concubine, the daughter of the famous Bartacus. While sitting at the emperor's right,
30
she took his crown off his head, put it on her own, and then slapped his face with her left hand.
31
All the emperor did was look at her with his mouth open. Whenever she smiles at him, he smiles back; and when she gets angry with him, he flatters her and teases her until she is in a good mood again.
32
Gentlemen, if women can do all that, surely there can be nothing stronger in the world."
33
The emperor and his officials just looked at one another. Then Zerubbabel began to speak about truth.
34
"Yes, gentlemen," he said, "women are very strong. But think of how big the earth is, how high the sky is; think how fast the sun moves, as it rapidly circles the whole sky in a single day.
35
If the sun can do this, it is certainly great. But truth is greater and stronger than all of these things.
36
Everyone on earth honors truth; heaven praises it; all creation trembles in awe before it. "There is not the slightest injustice in truth.
37
You will find injustice in wine, the emperor, women, all human beings, in all they do, and in everything else. There is no truth in them; they are unjust and they will perish.