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Then the king and the princes looked one upon another. So he began to speak of the truth:
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"O ye men, are not women strong? Great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day.
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Is He not great that maketh these things? Therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things.
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All the earth calleth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it. All works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing.
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Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works, and there is no truth in them. In their unrighteousness also they shall perish.
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As for the truth, it endureth and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore.
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With her there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things; and all men do well like her works.
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Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the strength, kingdom, power, and majesty of all ages. Blessed be the God of truth."
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And with that he held his peace. And all the people then shouted and said, "Great is truth, and mighty above all things!"
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Then said the king unto him, "Ask what thou wilt, more than is appointed in the writing, and we will give it to thee, because thou art found wisest; and thou shalt sit next to me and shalt be called my kinsman."
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Then said he unto the king, "Remember thy vow which thou hast vowed: to build Jerusalem in the day when thou camest to thy kingdom,