1 And the next began to speak, he that spake of the strength of a king.
1 And the next began to speake, he that spake of the strength of a king.
2 O ye men do not the men excel, which obtain land, & sea, and all things that are in them?
2 O ye men doe not the men excel, which obteyne land and sea, and al thinges that are in them?
3 But a king excelleth above all things, and hath dominion over them: and every thing whatsoever he shall say to them, they do.
3 But a king excelleth aboue al thinges, and hath dominion ouer them: and euerie thing whatsoeuer he shal say to them, they doe.
4 And if he send them to warriors, they go, and throw down mountains, and the walls, and towers.
4 And if he send them to warryers, they goe, and throw downe mountaines, and the walles, and towers.
5 They kill, and are killed: and the king's word they transgress not. For if they shall overcome, they bring to the king all things whatsoever they have taken for a prey.
5 They kil, and are killed: and the kinges word they transgresse not. For if they shal ouercome, they bring to the king al thinges whatsoeuer they haue taken for a praye.
6 In like manner also all others, for so many as are not soldiers, nor fight, but till the ground: when they shall reap, again they bring tributes to the king.
6 In like maner also al others, for so many as are not souldiars, nor fight, but til the ground: when they shal reape, againe they bring tributes to the king.
7 And he being one only, if he say: Kill ye, they kill; say he: forgive, they forgive; say he: strike, they strike; say he, destroy, they destroy;
7 And he being one onlie if he say: Kil ye, they kil: say he: forgeue, the forgeue.
8 say he build, they build;
8 say he: strike: they strike: say he, destroy, they destroy: say he build, they build.
9 say he, cut down, they cut down; say he plant, they plant:
9 say he, cut downe, they cut downe, say he plant, they plant:
10 and all the people, & potestates hear him, and beside this he sitteth down, and drinketh, and sleepeth.
10 and al the people, & potestates here him, and beside this he sitteth downe, and drinketh, and sleepeth.
11 And others guard him round about, and cannot go every one, and do their own works, but at a word are obedient to him.
11 And others gard him round about, and can not goe euerie one, and doe their owne workes, but at a word are obedient to him.
12 O ye men, how doth not a king excel that is so renowned? And he held his peace.
12 O ye men, how doth not a king excel that is so renowmed? And he held his peace.
13 The third that spake of women and truth, this is Zorobabel, began to speak.
13 The third that spake of wemen and truth, this is Zorobabel, began to speake.
14 O ye men, not the great king, & many men, neither is it wine that doth excel. Who is it then that hath the dominion of them?
14 O ye men, not the great king, & many men, neither is it wine that dothe excel. Who is it then that hath the dominion of them?
15 Have not women brought forth the king, & all the people, that ruleth over land & sea:
15 Haue not wemen brought forth the king, and al the people, that ruleth ouer land & sea:
16 and were they not born of them, and did not they bring up them which planted the vineyards, whereof wine is made?
16 and were they not borne of them, and did not they bring vp them which planted the vineyardes, whereof wine is made?
17 And they make the garments of all men, & they do honour to all men, and men cannot be separated from women.
17 And they make the garmentes of al men, & they doe honor to al men, and men can not be separed from wemen.
18 If they have gathered gold and silver, and
18 If they haue gathered gold and siluer, and euerie beutiful thing, & see a woman comelie and fayre,
19 leaving all these things they fix their look upon her, & with open mouth behold her, and allure her more than gold & silver, and every precious thing.
19 leauing al these thinges they fixe their looke vpon her, & with open mouth beholde her, and allure her more then gold and siluer, and euerie precious thing.
20 Man forsaketh his father that brought him up, and his country, and joineth himself to a woman.
20 Man forsaketh his father that brought him vp, and his countrie, and ioyneth himself to a woman.
21 And with a woman he refresheth his soul: and neither doth he remember father, nor mother, nor country.
21 And with a woman he refresheth his soul: and neither doth he remember father, nor mother, nor countrie.
22 And hereby you must know that women rule over you. Are you not sorry?
22 And hereby you must know that wemen rule ouer you. Are you not sorie?
23 And a man taketh his sword, & goeth into the way to commit thefts and murders, & to sail seas & rivers,
23 And a man taketh his sword, & goeth into the way to commit theftes and murders, & to sayle seas & riuers,
24 and seeth a lion; and goeth in darkness: and when he hath committed theft, and fraud, and spoils, he bringeth it to his beloved.
24 and seeth a lyon, and goeth in darkenes: and when he hath committed theft, and fraude, and spoyles, he bringeth it to his beloued.
25 And again, man loveth his wife more than father or mother.
25 And againe, man loueth his wife more then father or mother.
26 And many have become mad for their wives: & have been made bondmen for them:
26 And many haue become madde for their wiues: and haue been made bondmen for them:
27 and many have perished and been slain, and have sinned for women.
27 and many haue perished and bene slayne, and haue sinned for wemen.
28 And now believe me, that the king is great in his power: because all countries are afraid to touch him.
28 And now beleue me, that the king is great in his powre: because al countries are afrayd to touch him.
29 Nevertheless I saw Apemes the daughter of Bezaces the concubine of a marvelous king, sitting by the king at his right hand,
29 Neuertheles I saw Apemes the daughter of Bezaces the concubine of a meruelous king, sitting by the king at his right hand.
30 and taking off the crown from his head, and putting it upon herself, and with the palm of her left hand she struck the king.
30 and taking of the crowne from his head, and putting it vpon her self, and with the palme of her left hand she stroke the king.
31 And beside these things he with open mouth beheld her: and if she smile he laugheth, and if she be angry with him, he flattereth, till he be reconciled to her favour.
31 And beside these thinges he with open mouth beheld her: and if she smiled he laugheth, and if she be angrie with him, he flattereth, til he be reconciled to her fauour.
32 O ye men, why are not women stronger? Great is the earth, and high is the heaven: who doeth these things?
32 O ye men, why are not wemen stronger? Great is the earth, and high is the heauen: who doeth these thinges?
33 And then the king and they that wear purple looked one upon another. And he began to speak of truth.
33 And then the king and they that weare purple looked one vpon an other. And he began to speake of truth.
34 O ye men, are not women strong? The earth is great and heaven is high: & the swift course of the sun turneth the heaven round into his place in one day.
34 O ye men, are not wemen strong? The earth is great and heauen is high: & the swift course of the sunne turneth the heauen round into his place in one day.
35 Is not he magnifical that doth these things, and the truth great, and stronger above all things?
35 Is not he magnifical that doth these thinges, and the truth great, and stronger aboue al thinges?
36 All the earth calleth upon the truth, heaven also blesseth it, and all works are moved, and tremble at it, and there is not any thing with it unjust.
36 Al the earth calleth vpon the truth, heauen also blesseth it, and al workes are moued, and tremble at it, and there is not any thing with it vniust.
37 Wine is unjust, the king is unjust, women are unjust, all the sons of men are unjust, and all their works are unjust, and in them is not truth, and they shall perish in their iniquity,
37 Wine is vniust, the king is vniust, wemen are vniust, al the sonnes of men are vniust, and al their workes are vniust, and in them is not truth, and they shal perish in their iniquitie:
38 and truth abideth, and groweth strong for ever, and liveth, and prevaileth for ever and ever.
38 and truth abydeth, and groweth strong for euer, and liueth, and preuayleth for euer and euer.
39 Neither is there with it acception of persons, nor differences: but the things that are just it doth to all men, to the unjust and malignant, and all men are well pleased in the works thereof.
39 Neither is there with it acception of persons, nor differences: but the thinges that are iust it doth to al men, to the vniust and malignant, and al men are wel pleased in the workes thereof.
40 And there is no unjust thing in the judgement thereof, but strength, and reign, and power, and majesty of worlds. Blessed be the God of truth.
40 And there is no vniust thing in the iudgement therof, but strength, and reigne, and power, and maiestie of worldes. Blessed be the God of truth.
41 And he left speaking. And all the people cried, and said: Great is truth and it prevaileth.
41 And he left speaking. And al the people cryed, and sayd: Great is truth and it preuaileth.
42 Then the king said to him: Ask, if thou wilt any more, than the things that are written, and I will give it thee, according as thou art found wiser than thy neighbours, and thou shalt sit next to me, and shalt be called my cousin.
42 Then the king sayd to him: Aske, if thou wilt any more, then the thinges that are writen, and I wil geue it thee, according as thou art found wiser then thy neighbours, & thou shalt sitte next to me, and shalt be called my cosin.
43 Then said he to the king: Be mindful of thy vow, which thou hast vowed, to build Jerusalem in the day that thou didst receive the kingdom:
43 Then sayd he to the king: Be midful of thy vow, which thou hast vowed, to build Ierusalem in the day that thou didst receiue the kingdom:
44 and to send back all the vessels that were taken out of Jerusalem, which Cyrus separated, when he sacked Babylon, and would have sent them back thither.
44 and to send backe al the vessels that were taken out of Ierusalem, which Cyrus separated, when he sacked Babylon, and would haue sent them backe thither.
45 And thou hast vowed to build the temple, which the Idumeians burnt, when Jury was destroyed of the Chaldees.
45 And thou hast vowed to build the temple, which the Idumeians burnt, when Iurie was destroyed of the Chaldees.
46 And now this is that which I ask lord, & which I desire, this is the majesty which I desire of thee, that thou perform the vow which thou hast vowed to the king of heaven by thy mouth.
46 And now this is that which I aske Lord, & which I desire, this is the maiestie which I desire of thee, that thou performe the vowe which thou hast vowed to the king of heauen by thy mouth.
47 Then Darius the king rising up, kissed him: and wrote letters to all the officers, and overseers, and them that wear purple, that they should conduct him, and them that were with him, all going up to build Jerusalem.
47 Then Darius the king rising vp, kissed him: and wrote letters to al the officers, and ouerseers, and them that weare purple, that they should conduct him, and them that were with him, al going vp to build Ierusalem.
48 And to all the overseers that were in Syria, and Phoenice, and Libanus he wrote letters, that they should draw Cedar trees from Libanus into Jerusalem, to build the city with them.
48 And to al the ouerseers that were in Syria, and Phoenice, and Libanus he wrote letters, that they should draw Ceder trees from Libanus into Ierusalem, to build the citie with them.
49 And he wrote to all the Jews which went up from the Kingdom into Jury for liberty, every mighty man, & magistrate, & overseer not to come upon them to their gates,
49 And he wrote to al the Iewes which went vp from the kingdome into Iurie for libertie, euerie mightie man, & magistrate, & ouerseer not to come vpon them to their gates,
50 and all the country which they had obtained to be free unto them, & that the Idumeians leave the castles which they possess of the Jews,
50 and al the countrie which they had obtayned to be free vnto them, & that the Idumeians leaue the castels which they possesse of the Iewes,
51 and to the building of the temple to give every year twenty talents until it were throughly built:
51 and to the building of the temple to geue euerie yeare twentie talentes vntil it were throughly built:
52 & upon the altars to burn holocausts daily, as they have commandment: to offer
52 & vpon the altars to burne holocausts dayly, as they haue commandment: to offer other ten talentes euery yeare,
53 & to all that go forth from Babylon to build the city, that there should be liberty as well to them as to their children, and to all the Priests that go before.
53 & to al that go forth from Babylon to build the citie, that there should be libertie as wel to them as to their children, and to al the priestes that goe before.
54 And he wrote a quantity also, and commanded the sacred stole to be given, wherein they should serve;
54 And he wrote a quantitie also, and commanded the sacred stole to be geuen, wherein they should serue;
55 and to the Levites he wrote to give precepts, until the day wherein the house shall be finished, and Jerusalem builded.
55 and to the Leuites he wrote to geue preceptes, vntil the day wherein the house shal be finished, and Ierusalem builded.
56 And to all that keep the city, he wrote portions and wages to be given to them.
56 And to al that kepe the citie, he wrote portions and wages to be geuen to them.
57 And he sent away all the vessels whatsoever Cyrus had separated from Babylon, and all things whatsoever Cyrus said, he also commanded to be done, & to be sent to Jerusalem.
57 And he sent away al the vessels whatsoeuer Cyrus had separated from Babylon, and al thinges whatsoeuer Cyrus sayd, he also commanded to be donne, and to be sent to Ierusalem.
58 And when that young man was gone forth, lifting up his face toward Jerusalem, he blessed the King of heaven,
58 And when that yong man was gone forth, lyfting vp his face toward Ierusalem, he blessed the king of heauen,
59 and said: Of thee is victory, and of thee is wisdom, and glory. And I am thy servant.
59 & sayd: Of thee is victorie, and of thee is wisdome, and glorie. And I am thy seruant.
60 Blessed art thou which hast given me wisdom, and I will confess to thee Lord God of our fathers.
60 Blessed art thou which hast geuen me wisedom, and I wil confesse to thee Lord God of our fathers.
61 And he took the letters, and went into Babylon. And he came, and told all his brethren that were in Babylon:
61 And he toke the letters, and went into Babylon. And he came, and told al his brethren that were in Babylon:
62 and they blessed the God of their fathers, because he gave them remission and refreshing,
62 and they blessed the God of their fathers, because he gaue them remission and refreshing,
63 that they should go up and build Jerusalem, and the temple wherein his name was renowned, and they rejoiced with music & joy seven days.
63 that they should goe vp and build Ierusalem, and the temple wherein his name was renowmed, and they reioyced with musike and ioy seuen dayes.