1Esdr 3:1 

Now when Darius reigned, he made a great feast unto all his 

subjects, and unto all his household, and unto all the princes 

of Media and Persia, 

1Esdr 3:2 

And to all the governors and captains and lieutenants that 

were under him, from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred twenty 

and seven provinces. 

1Esdr 3:3 

And when they had eaten and drunken, and being satisfied were 

gone home, then Darius the king went into his bedchamber, and 

slept, and soon after awaked. 

1Esdr 3:4 

Then three young men, that were of the guard that kept the 

king's body, spake one to another; 

1Esdr 3:5 

Let every one of us speak a sentence: he that shall overcome, 

and whose sentence shall seem wiser than the others, unto him 

shall the king Darius give great gifts, and great things in 

token of victory: 

1Esdr 3:6 

As, to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold, and to sleep 

upon gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and an headtire 

of fine linen, and a chain about his neck: 

1Esdr 3:7 

And he shall sit next to Darius because of his wisdom, and 

shall be called Darius his cousin. 

1Esdr 3:8 

And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it 

under king Darius his pillow; 

1Esdr 3:9 

And said that, when the king is risen, some will give him the 

writings; and of whose side the king and the three princes of 

Persia shall judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him shall 

the victory be given, as was appointed. 

1Esdr 3:10 

The first wrote, Wine is the strongest. 

1Esdr 3:11 

The second wrote, The king is strongest. 

1Esdr 3:12 

The third wrote, Women are strongest: but above all things 

Truth beareth away the victory. 

1Esdr 3:13 

Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings, and 

delivered them unto him, and so he read them: 

1Esdr 3:14 

And sending forth he called all the princes of Persia and 

Media, and the governors, and the captains, and the lieutenants, 

and the chief officers; 

1Esdr 3:15 

And sat him down in the royal seat of judgment; and the 

writings were read before them. 

1Esdr 3:16 

And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare their 

own sentences. So they were called, and came in. 

1Esdr 3:17 

And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind concerning 

the writings. Then began the first, who had spoken of the 

strength of wine; 

1Esdr 3:18 

And he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! it 

causeth all men to err that drink it: 

1Esdr 3:19 

It maketh the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to 

be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man 

and of the rich: 

1Esdr 3:20 

It turneth also every thought into jollity and mirth, so that 

a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt: 

1Esdr 3:21 

And it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth 

neither king nor governor; and it maketh to speak all things by 

talents: 

1Esdr 3:22 

And when they are in their cups, they forget their love both 

to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords: 

1Esdr 3:23 

But when they are from the wine, they remember not what they 

have done. 

1Esdr 3:24 

O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do 

thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.