1 Now when Dareyawesh reigned, he made a great feast for all his subjects and for all his household and for all the princes of Maḏai and Paras,
2 and for all the governors and captains and viceroys that were under him, from Hodu to Kush, in a hundred and twenty-seven provinces.
3 And when they had eaten and drank, and being satisfied had gone home, then Dareyawesh the sovereign went into his bedroom and slept, and soon after awoke.
4 Then three young men who were of the guards that guarded the sovereign personally spoke one to another,
5 “Let each one of us speak a word of that which is strongest, and whose words shall seem wiser than the others, to him shall the Sovereign Dareyawesh give great gifts, and great esteem in overcoming;
6 to be clothed in purple, to drink from gold, and to sleep on gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and a turban of fine linen, and a chain about his neck.
7 “And he shall sit next to Dareyawesh because of his wisdom, and shall be called a relative of Dareyawesh.”
8 And then every one wrote his words, sealed it, and laid it under the pillow of Sovereign Dareyawesh;
9 and said, “When the sovereign has risen, someone shall give him the writings; and of whose side the sovereign and the three princes of Paras shall judge his words to be the wisest, he shall have overcome, as was agreed.”
10 The first wrote: Wine is the strongest.
11 The second wrote: The sovereign is strongest.
12 The third wrote: Women are strongest; but above all, truth shall overcome.
13 Now when the sovereign had risen, they took their writings, and delivered them to him, and so he read them.
14 And having sent, he called all the princes of Paras and Maḏai, and the governors, and the captains, and the viceroys, and the chief officers;
15 and he sat down on the royal seat of judgment; and the writings were read before them.
16 And he said, “Call the young men, and they shall declare their own words.” So they were called, and came in.
17 And he said to them, “Speak to us your thoughts concerning the writings.” Then the first, who had spoken of the strength of wine, began,
18 and he said, “O you men, how exceedingly strong is wine! It causes all men who drink it to stray.
19 “It makes the mind of the sovereign and of the fatherless child to all be equal; of the slave and the free, of the poor and the wealthy.
20 “It also turns every thought into joy and rejoicing, so that a man remembers neither sorrow nor debt,
21 and it brings wealth to every heart, so that a man remembers neither sovereign nor governor; and it causes to speak of all in coins.
22 “And when they are in their cups, they forget their love to both friends and brothers, and a little after draw out swords.
23 “But when they are from the wine, they do not remember what they have done.
24 “O you men, is not wine, that forces to do this, the strongest?” And when he had so spoken, he remained silent.