¹

Now when Darius reigned, he made a great feast unto all his subjects, and unto all his household, and unto all the princes of Media and Persia,

¹

И# воцари1всz дaрій сотвори2 вeчерю вели1ку всBмъ, и5же под8 ни1мъ, и3 всBмъ, и5же t д0му р0да є3гw2, и3 всBмъ вельм0жамъ ми6дскимъ и3 пє1рсскимъ,

²

and to all the governors and captains and lieutenants that were under him, from India unto Ethiopia, in the hundred twenty and seven provinces.

²

и3 всBмъ сатрaпwмъ, и3 намёстникwмъ, и3 воев0дамъ, и5же под8 ни1мъ t їндjи дaже до є3fі0піи на сто2 двaдесzть сeдмь воев0дствъ.

³

And when they had eaten and drunken, and being satisfied were gone home, then Darius the king went into his bedchamber, and slept, and soon after awaked.

³

И# є3гдA kд0ша и3 пи1ша, и3 насhтившесz возврати1шасz, тогдA дaрій цaрь вни1де въ л0жницу свою2, и3 поспA и3 возбуди1сz.

⁴

Then three young men, that were of the guard that kept the king's body, spake one to another;

⁴

ТогдA тріE ю4нwши тэлeсніи стрaжы, и5же стрежaху тёло царeво, рек0ша дрyгъ ко дрyгу:

⁵

Let every one of us speak a sentence: he that shall overcome, and whose sentence shall seem wiser than the others, unto him shall the king Darius give great gifts, and great things in token of victory:

⁵

рцeмъ кjйждо t нaсъ є3ди1но сл0во: и3 и4же превозм0жетъ, и3 є3гHже kви1тсz сл0во мудрёйше другaгw, дaстъ є3мY цaрь дaрій дaры вели6кіz и3 п0чєсти вели6кіz,

⁶

as to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold, and to sleep upon gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and an headtire of fine linen, and a chain about his neck:

⁶

и3 порфЂрою њдёzнъ бyдетъ, и3 во злaтэ пи1ти и3 на злaтэ спaти, и3 колесни1цу златоyздну, и3 кідaръ вmсс0нный, и3 гри1вну w4крестъ вhи,

⁷

and he shall sit next to Darius because of his wisdom, and shall be called Darius's cousin.

⁷

и3 вторhй сsдетъ по дaріи рaди премyдрости своеS, и3 ср0дникъ дaріевъ наречeтсz.

⁸

And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it under the pillow of king Darius;

⁸

И# тогдA написaвше кjйждо своE сл0во запечaташа и3 подложи1ша под8 возглaвіе дaріа царS,

⁹

and said that, when the king is risen, some will give him the writing; and of whose side the king and the three princes of Persia shall judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him shall the victory be given, as was appointed.

⁹

и3 рек0ша: є3гдA востaнетъ цaрь, дадyтъ є3мY писaніе, и3 є3г0же разсyдитъ цaрь и3 три2 вельмHжи пeрсстіи, ћкw сл0во є3гw2 мудрёйше є4сть, томY да дaстсz побёда, ћкоже пи1сано є4сть,

¹⁰

The first wrote, Wine is the strongest.

¹⁰

Е#ди1нъ написA: сильнёе є4сть віно2,

¹¹

The second wrote, The king is strongest.

¹¹

Другjй написA: сильнёе є4сть цaрь.

¹²

The third wrote, Women are strongest: but above all things Truth beareth away the victory.

¹²

Трeтій написA: сильнёе сyть жєны2, пaче же всёхъ побэждaетъ и4стина.

¹³

Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings, and delivered them unto him, and so he read them:

¹³

Е#гдa же востA цaрь, взeмше пис†ніz дaша є3мY, и3 прочтE.

¹⁴

and sending forth he called all the princes of Persia and Media, and the governors, and the captains, and the lieutenants, and the chief officers;

¹⁴

И# послaвъ созвA всёхъ вельм0жей пeрсскихъ и3 ми1дскихъ и3 сатрaпwвъ, и3 воев0дъ и3 намёстникwвъ и3 v3пaтwвъ,

¹⁵

and sat him down in the royal seat of judgment; and the writing was read before them.

¹⁵

и3 сёде въ совётнэй палaтэ, и3 прочтeно бhсть писaніе пред8 ни1ми.

¹⁶

And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.

¹⁶

И# речE: призови1те ю4ношъ, и3 тjи и3звэстsтъ словесA сво‰. И# при1звани бhша и3 внид0ша.

¹⁷

And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind concerning the writings. Then began the first, who had spoken of the strength of wine;

¹⁷

И# речE и5мъ: возвэсти1те нaмъ њ тёхъ, ±же пи6сана сyть. И# начA пeрвый, и4же глаг0ла њ крёпости вінA,

¹⁸

and he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine! it causeth all men to err that drink it:

¹⁸

и3 речE си1це: q=^, мyжіе, к0ль премогaетъ віно2! всёхъ человBкъ пію1щихъ є3го2 прельщaетъ:

¹⁹

it maketh the mind of the king and of the fatherless child to be all one; of the bondman and of the freeman, of the poor man and of the rich:

¹⁹

ќмъ царeвъ и3 си1рагw твори1тъ ќмъ є3ди1нъ, и3 рабA и3 своб0днагw, и3 ўб0гагw и3 богaтагw,

²⁰

it turneth also every thought into jollity and mirth, so that a man remembereth neither sorrow nor debt:

²⁰

и3 всsкъ ќмъ превращaетъ въ безстрaшіе и3 весeліе, и3 не пaмzтуетъ всsкіz печaли и3 всsкагw д0лга:

²¹

and it maketh every heart rich, so that a man remembereth neither king nor governor; and it maketh to speak all things by talents:

²¹

и3 вс‰ сердцA сотворsетъ бог†та, и3 не пaмzтуетъ царS, нижE вельм0жи, и3 вс‰ по талaнтwмъ глаг0лати твори1тъ:

²²

and when they are in their cups, they forget their love both to friends and brethren, and a little after draw out swords:

²²

и3 не пaмzтуютъ, є3гдA пію1тъ, ўгождaти другHмъ и3 брaтіи, и3 не мн0гw пот0мъ и3звлачaтъ мечы2:

²³

but when they are from the wine, they remember not what they have done.

²³

и3 є3гдA t вінA востaнутъ, не п0мнzтъ, ±же сотвори1ша:

²⁴

O ye men, is not wine the strongest, that enforceth to do thus? And when he had so spoken, he held his peace.

²⁴

q=^, мyжіе не премогaетъ ли віно2, є4же тaкw понуждaетъ твори1ти; И# ўмолчA глаг0лавый си1це.