by Septuagint
[8] And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it under king Darius his pillow; And said that,
[9] ὅταν ἐγερθῇ ὁ βασιλεύς, δώσουσιν αὐτῷ τὸ γράμμα, καὶ ὃν ἂν κρίνῃ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ τρεῖς μεγιστᾶνες τῆς Περσίδος ὅτι οὗ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ σοφώτερος, αὐτῷ δοθήσεται τὸ νῖκος καθὼς γέγραπται.
[9] 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.
[10] ὁ εἷς ἔγραψεν, ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος.
[10] The first wrote, Wine is the strongest.
[11] ὁ ἕτερος ἔγραψεν, ὑπερισχύει ὁ βασιλεύς.
[11] The second wrote, The king is strongest.
[12] ὁ τρίτος ἔγραψεν, ὑπερισχύουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες, ὑπὲρ δὲ πάντα νικᾷ ἡ ἀλήθεια.
[12] The third wrote, Women are strongest: but above all things Truth beareth away the victory.
[13] καὶ ὅτε ἐξηγέρθη ὁ βασιλεύς, λαβόντες τὸ γράμμα ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνέγνω.
[13] Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings, and delivered them unto him, and so he read them:
[14] καὶ ἐξαποστείλας ἐκάλεσε πάντας τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας τῆς Περσίδος καὶ τῆς Μηδείας καὶ τοὺς σατράπας καὶ στρατηγοὺς καὶ τοπάρχας καὶ ὑπάτους καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν τῷ χρηματιστηρίῳ, καὶ ἀνεγνώσθη τὸ γράμμα ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν.
[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; And sat him down in the royal seat of judgment; and the writings were read before them.
[15] καὶ εἶπε· καλέσατε τοὺς νεανίσκους, καὶ αὐτοὶ δηλώσουσι τοὺς λόγους ἑαυτῶν· καὶ ἐκλήθησαν καὶ εἰσήλθοσαν.
[15] And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.
[16] καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς· ἀπαγγείλατε ἡμῖν περὶ τῶν γεγραμμένων.
[16] And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind concerning the writings.
[17] Καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ πρῶτος ὁ εἴπας περὶ τῆς ἰσχύος τοῦ οἴνου καὶ ἔφη οὕτως· ἄνδρες, πῶς ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος; πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς πιόντας αὐτὸν πλανᾷ τὴν διάνοιαν·
[17] Then began the first, who had spoken of the strength of wine; And he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! it causeth all men to err that drink it:
[18] τοῦ τε βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ ὀρφανοῦ ποιεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν μίαν, τήν τε τοῦ οἰκέτου καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἐλευθέρου, τήν τε τοῦ πένητος καὶ τὴν τοῦ πλουσίου.
[18] 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:
[19] καὶ πᾶσαν διάνοιαν μεταστρέφει εἰς εὐωχίαν καὶ εὐφροσύνην καὶ οὐ μέμνηται πᾶσαν λύπην καὶ πᾶν ὀφείλημα.
[19] It turneth also every thought into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt:
[20] καὶ πάσας καρδίας ποιεῖ πλουσίας καὶ οὐ μέμνηται βασιλέα οὐδὲ σατράπην καὶ πάντα διὰ ταλάντων ποιεῖ λαλεῖν.
[20] And it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth neither king nor governor; and it maketh to speak all things by talents:
[21] καὶ οὐ μέμνηται, ὅταν πίνωσι, φιλιάζειν φίλοις καὶ ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ σπῶνται τὰς μαχαίρας·
[21] And when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords:
[22] καὶ ὅταν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴνου ἐγερθῶσιν, οὐ μέμνηνται ἃ ἔπραξαν.
[22] But when they are from the wine, they remember not what they have done.
[23] ὦ ἄνδρες, οὐχ ὑπερισχύει ὁ οἶνος, ὅτι οὕτως ἀναγκάζει ποιεῖν; καὶ ἐσίγησεν οὕτως εἴπας.
[23] O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.
CHAPTER 4
[1] Καὶ ἤρξατο ὁ δεύτερος λαλεῖν ὁ εἴπας περὶ τῆς ἰσχύος τοῦ βασιλέως
[1] Then the second, that had spoken of the strength of the king, began to say,
[2] Ὦ ἄνδρες, οὐχ ὑπερισχύουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν κατακρατοῦντες καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς;
[2] O ye men, do not men excel in strength that bear rule over sea and land and all things in them?
[3] ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὑπερισχύει καὶ κυριεύει αὐτῶν καὶ δεσπόζει αὐτῶν, καὶ πᾶν, ὃ ἐὰν εἴπῃ αὐτοῖς, ἐνακούουσιν.
[3] But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do.
[4] ἐὰν εἴπῃ αὐτοῖς ποιῆσαι πόλεμον ἕτερος πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον, ποιοῦσιν· ἐὰν δὲ ἐξαποστείλῃ αὐτοὺς πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους, βαδίζουσιν καὶ κατεργάζονται τὰ ὄρη καὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τοὺς πύργους.
[4] If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it: if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains walls and towers.
[5] φονεύουσιν καὶ φονεύονται καὶ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐ παραβαίνουσιν· ἐὰν δὲ νικήσωσιν, τῷ βασιλεῖ κομίζουσιν πάντα, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν προνομεύσωσιν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα.
[5] They slay and are slain, and transgress not the king’s commandment: if they get the victory, they bring all to the king, as well the spoil, as all things else.
[6] καὶ ὅσοι οὐ στρατεύονται οὐδὲ πολεμοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ γεωργοῦσιν τὴν γῆν, πάλιν ὅταν σπείρωσι, θερίσαντες ἀναφέρουσιν τῷ βασιλεῖ· καὶ ἕτερος τὸν ἕτερον ἀναγκάζοντες ἀναφέρουσι τοὺς φόρους τῷ βασιλεῖ.
[6] Likewise for those that are no soldiers, and have not to do with wars, but use husbandry, when they have reaped again that which they had sown, they bring it to the king, and compel one another to pay tribute unto the king.
[7] καὶ αὐτὸς εἷς μόνος ἐστίν· ἐὰν εἴπῃ ἀποκτεῖναι, ἀποκτέννουσιν· εἶπεν ἀφεῖναι, ἀφίουσιν·
[7] And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare;
[8] εἶπε πατάξαι, τύπτουσιν· εἶπεν ἐρημῶσαι, ἐρημοῦσιν· εἶπεν οἰκοδομῆσαι, οἰκοδομοῦσιν·
[8] If he command
to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;
[9] εἶπεν ἐκκόψαι, ἐκκόπτουσιν· εἶπεν φυτεῦσαι, φυτεύουσιν.
[9] If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant.
[10] καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ ἐνακούουσιν.
[10] So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest:
[11] πρὸς δὲ τούτοις αὐτὸς ἀνάκειται, ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει καὶ καθεύδει, αὐτοὶ δὲ τηροῦσιν κύκλῳ περὶ αὐτὸν καὶ οὐ δύνανται ἕκαστος ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ποιεῖν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ παρακούουσιν αὐτοῦ.
[11] And these keep watch round about him, neither may any one depart, and do his own business, neither disobey they him in any thing.
[12] ὦ ἄνδρες, πῶς οὐχ ὑπερισχύει ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι οὕτως ἐπακουστός ἐστιν; καὶ ἐσίγησεν.
[12] O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.
[13] Ὁ δὲ τρίτος ὁ εἴπας περὶ τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας – οὗτός ἐστιν Ζοροβαβελ – ἤρξατο λαλεῖν
[13] Then the third, who had spoken of women, and of the truth, (this was Zorobabel) began to speak.
[14] Ἄνδρες, οὐ μέγας ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πολλοὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἰσχύει; τίς οὖν ὁ δεσπόζων αὐτῶν ἢ τίς ὁ κυριεύων αὐτῶν; οὐχ αἱ γυναῖκες;
[14] O ye men, it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine, that excelleth; who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? are they not women?
[15] αἱ γυναῖκες ἐγέννησαν τὸν βασιλέα καὶ πάντα τὸν λαόν, ὃς κυριεύει τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῆς γῆς·
[15] Women have borne the king and all the people that bear rule by sea and land.
[16] καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐγένοντο, καὶ αὗται ἐξέθρεψαν αὐτοὺς τοὺς φυτεύοντας τοὺς ἀμπελῶνας, ἐξ ὧν ὁ οἶνος γίνεται.
[16] Even of them came they: and they nourished them up that planted the vineyards, from whence the wine cometh.
[17] καὶ αὗται ποιοῦσιν τὰς στολὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ αὗται ποιοῦσιν δόξαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, καὶ οὐ δύνανται οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι χωρὶς τῶν γυναικῶν.
[17] These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and without women cannot men be.
[18] ἐὰν δὲ συναγάγωσιν χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ πᾶν πρᾶγμα ὡραῖον καὶ ἴδωσιν γυναῖκα μίαν καλὴν τῷ εἴδει καὶ τῷ κάλλει,
[18] Yea, and if men have gathered together gold and silver, or any other goodly thing, do they not love a woman which is comely in favour and beauty?
[19] καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ἀφέντες εἰς αὐτὴν ἐγκέχηναν καὶ χάσκοντες τὸ στόμα θεωροῦσιν αὐτήν, καὶ πάντες αὐτὴν αἱρετίζουσιν μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ πᾶν πρᾶγμα ὡραῖον.
[19] And letting all those things go, do they not gape, and even with open mouth fix their eyes fast on her; and have not all men more desire unto her than unto silver or gold, or any goodly thing whatsoever?
[20] ἄνθρωπος τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα ἐγκαταλείπει, ὃς ἐξέθρεψεν αὐτόν, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν χώραν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν γυναῖκα κολλᾶται·
[20] A man leaveth his own father that brought him up, and his own country, and cleaveth unto his wife.
[21] καὶ μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀφίησι τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ οὔτε τὸν πατέρα μέμνηται οὔτε τὴν μητέρα οὔτε τὴν χώραν.
[21] He sticketh not to spend his life with his wife. and remembereth neither father, nor mother, nor country.
[22] καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δεῖ ὑμᾶς γνῶναι ὅτι αἱ γυναῖκες κυριεύουσιν ὑμῶν· οὐχὶ πονεῖτε καὶ μοχθεῖτε καὶ πάντα ταῖς γυναιξὶν δίδοτε καὶ φέρετε;
[22] By this also ye must know that women have dominion over you: do ye not labour and toil, and give and bring all to the woman?
[23] καὶ λαμβάνει ἄνθρωπος τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκπορεύεται ἐξοδεύειν καὶ λῃστεύειν καὶ κλέπτειν καὶ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν πλεῖν καὶ ποταμούς·
[23] Yea, a man taketh his sword, and goeth his way to rob and to steal, to sail upon the sea and upon rivers;
[24] καὶ τὸν λέοντα θεωρεῖ καὶ ἐν σκότει βαδίζει, καὶ ὅταν κλέψῃ καὶ ἁρπάσῃ καὶ λωποδυτήσῃ, τῇ ἐρωμένῃ ἀποφέρει.
[24] And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love.
[25] καὶ πλεῖον ἀγαπᾷ ἄνθρωπος τὴν ἰδίαν γυναῖκα μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα·
[25] Wherefore a man loveth his wife better than father or mother.
[26] καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπενοήθησαν ταῖς ἰδίαις διανοίαις διὰ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ δοῦλοι ἐγένοντο δι’ αὐτάς,
[26] Yea, many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and become servants for their sakes.
[27] καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπώλοντο καὶ ἐσφάλησαν καὶ ἡμάρτοσαν διὰ τὰς γυναῖκας.
[27] Many also have perished, have erred, and sinned, for women.
[28] καὶ νῦν οὐ πιστεύετέ μοι; οὐχὶ μέγας ὁ βασιλεὺς τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ; οὐχὶ πᾶσαι αἱ χῶραι εὐλαβοῦνται ἅψασθαι αὐτοῦ;
[28] And now do ye not believe me? is not the king great in his power? do not all regions fear to touch him?
[29] ἐθεώρουν αὐτὸν καὶ Ἀπάμην τὴν θυγατέρα Βαρτάκου τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ τὴν παλλακὴν τοῦ βασιλέως καθημένην ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ βασιλέως
[29] Yet did I see him and Apame the king’s concubine, the daughter of the admirable Bartacus, sitting at the right hand of the king,
[30] καὶ ἀφαιροῦσαν τὸ διάδημα ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἐπιτιθοῦσαν ἑαυτῇ καὶ ἐρράπιζεν τὸν βασιλέα τῇ ἀριστερᾷ.
[30] And taking the crown from the king’s head, and setting it upon her own head; she also struck the king with her left hand.
[31] καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ὁ βασιλεὺς χάσκων τὸ στόμα ἐθεώρει αὐτήν· καὶ ἐὰν προσγελάσῃ αὐτῷ, γελᾷ· ἐὰν δὲ πικρανθῇ ἐπ’ αὐτόν, κολακεύει αὐτήν, ὅπως διαλλαγῇ αὐτῷ.
[31] And yet for all this the king gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth: if she laughed upon him, he laughed also: but if she took any displeasure at him, the king was fain to flatter, that she might be reconciled to him again.
/> [32] ὦ ἄνδρες, πῶς οὐχὶ ἰσχυραὶ αἱ γυναῖκες, ὅτι οὕτως πράσσουσιν;
[32] O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they do thus?
[33] καὶ τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες ἐνέβλεπον ἕτερος πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον. –
[33] Then the king and the princes looked one upon another: so he began to speak of the truth.
[34] καὶ ἤρξατο λαλεῖν περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας Ἄνδρες, οὐχὶ ἰσχυραὶ αἱ γυναῖκες; μεγάλη ἡ γῆ, καὶ ὑψηλὸς ὁ οὐρανός, καὶ ταχὺς τῷ δρόμῳ ὁ ἥλιος, ὅτι στρέφεται ἐν τῷ κύκλῳ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάλιν ἀποτρέχει εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ τόπον ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ.
[34] 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.
[35] οὐχὶ μέγας ὃς ταῦτα ποιεῖ; καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια μεγάλη καὶ ἰσχυροτέρα παρὰ πάντα.
[35] Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things.
[36] πᾶσα ἡ γῆ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καλεῖ, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς αὐτὴν εὐλογεῖ, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα σείεται καὶ τρέμει, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἄδικον οὐθέν.
[36] All the earth crieth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing.
[37] ἄδικος ὁ οἶνος, ἄδικος ὁ βασιλεύς, ἄδικοι αἱ γυναῖκες, ἄδικοι πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἄδικα πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν, πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα· καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀλήθεια, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀδικίᾳ αὐτῶν ἀπολοῦνται.