1Esdr 4:1 Then the second, that had spoken of the strength of the king,
began to say,
1Esdr 4:2 O ye men, do not men excel in strength that bear rule over sea and
land and all things in them?
1Esdr 4:3 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.
1Esdr 4:4 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.
1Esdr 4:5 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.
1Esdr 4:6 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.
1Esdr 4:7 And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he
command to spare, they spare;
1Esdr 4:8 If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make
desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build;
1Esdr 4:9 If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant,
they plant.
1Esdr 4:10 So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth
down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest:
1Esdr 4:11 And these keep watch round about him, neither may any one depart,
and do his own business, neither disobey they him in any thing.
1Esdr 4:12 O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort
he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.
1Esdr 4:13 Then the third, who had spoken of women, and of the truth, (this
was Zorobabel) began to speak.
1Esdr 4:14 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?
1Esdr 4:15 Women have borne the king and all the people that bear rule by
sea and land.
1Esdr 4:16 Even of them came they: and they nourished them up that planted
the vineyards, from whence the wine cometh.
1Esdr 4:17 These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and
without women cannot men be.
1Esdr 4:18 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?
1Esdr 4:19 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?
1Esdr 4:20 A man leaveth his own father that brought him up, and his own
country, and cleaveth unto his wife.
1Esdr 4:21 He sticketh not to spend his life with his wife. and remembereth
neither father, nor mother, nor country.
1Esdr 4:22 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?
1Esdr 4:23 Yea, a man taketh his sword, and goeth his way to rob and to
steal, to sail upon the sea and upon rivers;
1Esdr 4:24 And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he
hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love.
1Esdr 4:25 Wherefore a man loveth his wife better than father or mother.
1Esdr 4:26 Yea, many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and
become servants for their sakes.
1Esdr 4:27 Many also have perished, have erred, and sinned, for women.
1Esdr 4:28 And now do ye not believe me? is not the king great in his power?
do not all regions fear to touch him?
1Esdr 4:29 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,
1Esdr 4:30 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.
1Esdr 4:31 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.
1Esdr 4:32 O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they
do thus?
1Esdr 4:33 Then the king and the princes looked one upon another: so he
began to speak of the truth.
1Esdr 4:34 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.
1Esdr 4:35 Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the
truth, and stronger than all things.
1Esdr 4:36 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.
1Esdr 4:37 Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the
children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there
is no truth in them; in their unrighteousness also they shall perish.
1Esdr 4:38 As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth
and conquereth for evermore.
1Esdr 4:39 With her there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she
doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked
things; and all men do well like of her works.
1Esdr 4:40 Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the
strength, kingdom, power, and majesty, of all ages. Blessed be the God of
truth.
1Esdr 4:41 And with that he held his peace. And all the people then shouted,
and said, Great is Truth, and mighty above all things.
1Esdr 4:42 Then said the king unto him, Ask what thou wilt more than is
appointed in the writing, and we will give it thee, because thou art found
wisest; and thou shalt sit next me, and shalt be called my cousin.
1Esdr 4:43 Then said he unto the king, Remember thy vow, which thou hast
vowed to build Jerusalem, in the day when thou camest to thy kingdom,
1Esdr 4:44 And to send away all the vessels that were taken away out of
Jerusalem, which Cyrus set apart, when he vowed to destroy Babylon, and to
send them again thither.
1Esdr 4:45 Thou also hast vowed to build up the temple, which the Edomites
burned when Judea was made desolate by the Chaldees.
1Esdr 4:46 And now, O lord the king, this is that which I require, and which
I desire of thee, and this is the princely liberality proceeding from
thyself: I desire therefore that thou make good the vow, the performance
whereof with thine own mouth thou hast vowed to the King of heaven.
1Esdr 4:47 Then Darius the king stood up, and kissed him, and wrote letters
for him unto all the treasurers and lieutenants and captains and governors,
that they should safely convey on their way both him, and all those that go
up with him to build Jerusalem.
1Esdr 4:48 He wrote letters also unto the lieutenants that were in Celosyria
and Phenice, and unto them in Libanus, that they should bring cedar wood
from Libanus unto Jerusalem, and that they should build the city with him.
1Esdr 4:49 Moreover he wrote for all the Jews that went out of his realm up
into Jewry, concerning their freedom, that no officer, no ruler, no
lieutenant, nor treasurer, should forcibly enter into their doors;
1Esdr 4:50 And that all the country which they hold should be free without
tribute; and that the Edomites should give over the villages of the Jews
which then they held:
1Esdr 4:51 Yea, that there should be yearly given twenty talents to the
building of the temple, until the time that it were built;
1Esdr 4:52 And other ten talents yearly, to maintain the burnt offerings
upon the altar every day, as they had a commandment to offer seventeen:
1Esdr 4:53 And that all they that went from Babylon to build the city should
have free liberty, as well they as their posterity, and all the priests that
went away.
1Esdr 4:54 He wrote also concerning. the charges, and the priests' vestments
wherein they minister;
1Esdr 4:55 And likewise for the charges of the Levites, to be given them
until the day that the house were finished, and Jerusalem builded up.
1Esdr 4:56 And he commanded to give to all that kept the city pensions and
wages.
1Esdr 4:57 He sent away also all the vessels from Babylon, that Cyrus had
set apart; and all that Cyrus had given in commandment, the same charged he
also to be done, and sent unto Jerusalem.
1Esdr 4:58 Now when this young man was gone forth, he lifted up his face to
heaven toward Jerusalem, and praised the King of heaven,
1Esdr 4:59 And said, From thee cometh victory, from thee cometh wisdom, and
thine is the glory, and I am thy servant.
1Esdr 4:60 Blessed art thou, who hast given me wisdom: for to thee I give
thanks, O Lord of our fathers.
1Esdr 4:61 And so he took the letters, and went out, and came unto Babylon,
and told it all his brethren.
1Esdr 4:62 And they praised the God of their fathers, because he had given
them freedom and liberty
1Esdr 4:63 To go up, and to build Jerusalem, and the temple which is called
by his name: and they feasted with instruments of musick and gladness seven
days.