20 And every understanding maketh into gladness and joy, so that a man remembers no sorrow, nor any duty,

21 And it makes all hearts rich, so that no one thinks of king or satrap, but makes every one speak of his talents.

22 And when they are drunk, they do not remember their affection for friends and brothers, and soon draw their swords,

23 And when they are sober from wine, they do not remember what they did.

E-24 O men! Is not wine the strongest when it compels you to do so? And having said this, he fell silent.

Chapter 4

1 And the second began to speak, speaking of the king's power.

2 O men! Are not men strong who possess the land and the sea, and all that is contained therein?

3 But the king prevaileth and doth dominion over them, and commandeth them, and in all that he saith unto them, they obey.

4 If he says that they should take up arms against one another, they do; If he sends them against the enemy, they go and destroy the mountains, and the walls, and the towers;

5 And they kill and are killed, but they do not transgress the king's word; but if they are victorious, they bring everything to the king, what they get for booty, and all the rest.

6 And those who do not go to war, nor fight, but till the land, after sowing, having gathered the harvest, bring also to the king

7 And forcing one another, they bring tribute to the king.

8 And he alone, if he says to kill, they kill; if he says to let go, they let go; he said to beat – they beat him;

9 He said to desolate, they devastate; he said to build – they build; if he says to cut it down, they cut it down; he said to plant — they plant;

10 And all his people and his army shall obey him. And he lies down, eats, and drinks, and sleeps;

11 but they keep watch around him, and no man can go away and do his work, neither can they disobey him.

E-12 O men! Is not the king the strongest of all, when they obey him in this way? And he fell silent.

13 And the third one who spoke of women and of the truth, this was Zerubbabel, began to say,

14 O men! Is not the king great, and many of the people, and is not the wine strong? But who dominates and possesses them? Aren't they women?

15 And the women bore the king, and all the people, who possess the sea and the earth;