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If the sun can do this, it is certainly great. But truth is greater and stronger than all of these things.
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Everyone on earth honors truth; heaven praises it; all creation trembles in awe before it. "There is not the slightest injustice in truth.
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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.
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But truth endures and is always strong; it will continue to live and reign forever.
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Truth shows no partiality or favoritism; it does what is right, rather than what is unjust or evil. Everyone approves what truth does;
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its decisions are always fair. Truth is strong, royal, powerful, and majestic forever. Let all things praise the God of truth!"
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When Zerubbabel had finished speaking, all the people shouted, "Truth is great - there is nothing stronger!"
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Then the emperor said to him, "You may ask anything you want, even more than what was agreed, and I will give it to you. You will be my adviser, and you will be granted the title "Relative of the Emperor.' "
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Zerubbabel replied, "Your Majesty, permit me to remind you of the solemn vow you took on the day you became emperor. You promised to rebuild Jerusalem
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and to send back all the treasures that had been taken from the city. Remember that when Cyrus made a vow to destroy Babylon, he set these things aside and solemnly promised to send them back to Jerusalem.
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You also promised to rebuild the Temple, which the Edomites burned down when the Babylonians devastated the land of Judah.
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