9
and said, "When the king wakes, they will give him the writing; and to the one whose statement the king and the three nobles of Persia judge to be wisest the victory shall be given according to what is written."
10
The first wrote, "Wine is strongest."
11
The second wrote, "The king is strongest."
12
The third wrote, "Women are strongest, but truth is victor over all things."
13
When the king awoke, they took the writing and gave it to him, and he read it.
14
Then he sent and summoned all the nobles of Persia and Media and the satraps and generals and governors and prefects,
15
and he took his seat in the council chamber, and the writing was read in their presence.
16
And he said, "Call the young men, and they shall explain their statements." So they were summoned, and came in.
17
And they said to them, "Explain to us what you have written." Then the first, who had spoken of the strength of wine, began and said:
18
"Gentlemen, how is wine the strongest? It leads astray the minds of all who drink it.
19
It makes equal the mind of the king and the orphan, of the slave and the free, of the poor and the rich.