23 A man taketh up his sword, and goes out into the roads, and plunders and steals, and is ready to sail on the sea and the rivers,

24 He meets a lion, and wanders in darkness; but as soon as he steals, kidnaps and robs, he takes it to his beloved.

25 And a man loves his wife more than his father and mother.

26 Many have gone mad because of women, and have become slaves through them.

27 Many perished, and went astray, and sinned through women.

28 Will you not believe me now? Is not the king great in his power? Aren't all countries afraid to touch it?

29 I saw him and Apamina, the daughter of the glorious Bartacus, the king's concubine, sitting on the right hand of the king;

30 And she took the crown from the king's head, and put it upon herself, and with her left hand she smote the king on the cheek.

31 And while all this the king looked at her with his mouth open: if she smiled at him, he smiled also; if she is angry with him, he caresses her so that she will be reconciled with him.

E-32 O men! How can women not be strong when they do this?

33 Then the king and the nobles looked at each other, and he began to speak of the truth.

34 O men! Aren't women strong? The earth is great, and the heavens are high, and the sun is swift in its course, for in one day it circles the circle of heaven and returns again to its place.

35 Is not He great that doeth these things? And the truth is great and strongest of all.

36 The whole earth cries out for the truth, and heaven blesses it, and all works tremble and tremble before it. And there is no untruth in it.

37 Wine is unrighteous, the king is unrighteous, the women are unrighteous, all the sons of men are unjust, and all their deeds are such, and there is no truth in them, and they will perish in their iniquity.

38 But truth abides and remains strong for ever, and lives and reigns for ever and ever.

39 And she has no respect of persons, nor discernment, but she does what is just, shunning all that is unjust and evil, and all approve of her works.

40 And there is nothing unjust in her judgment; it is the power and the kingdom and the authority and the majesty of all ages: blessed be the God of truth!

41 And he ceased to speak. And they all cried out and said, "Great is the truth, and mightier than all things."

42 Then the king said to him, 'Ask what you will, more than what is written, and we will give you, since you have proved to be the wisest, and you will sit by my side, and you will be called my kinsman.'

43 Then he said to the king, 'Remember the promise you made in the day that you received your kingdom, that you will build Jerusalem