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

И҆ воцари́всѧ да́рїй сотворѝ ве́черю вели́кꙋ всѣ̑мъ, и҆̀же под̾ ни́мъ, и҆ всѣ̑мъ, и҆̀же ѿ до́мꙋ ро́да є҆гѡ̀, и҆ всѣ̑мъ вельмо́жамъ ми̑дскимъ и҆ пє́рсскимъ,

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

и҆ всѣ̑мъ сатра́пѡмъ, и҆ намѣ́стникѡмъ, и҆ воево́дамъ, и҆̀же под̾ ни́мъ ѿ і҆нді́и да́же до є҆ѳїо́пїи на сто̀ два́десѧть се́дмь воево́дствъ.

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

И҆ є҆гда̀ ꙗ҆до́ша и҆ пи́ша, и҆ насы́тившесѧ возврати́шасѧ, тогда̀ да́рїй ца́рь вни́де въ ло́жницꙋ свою̀, и҆ поспа̀ и҆ возбꙋди́сѧ.

⁴

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

⁴

Тогда̀ трїѐ ю҆́нѡши тѣле́снїи стра́жы, и҆̀же стрежа́хꙋ тѣ́ло царе́во, реко́ша дрꙋ́гъ ко дрꙋ́гꙋ:

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

рце́мъ кі́йждо ѿ на́съ є҆ди́но сло́во: и҆ и҆́же превозмо́жетъ, и҆ є҆гѡ́же ꙗ҆ви́тсѧ сло́во мꙋдрѣ́йше дрꙋга́гѡ, да́стъ є҆мꙋ̀ ца́рь да́рїй да́ры вели̑кїѧ и҆ по́чєсти вели̑кїѧ,

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

и҆ порфѵ́рою ѡ҆дѣ́ѧнъ бꙋ́детъ, и҆ во зла́тѣ пи́ти и҆ на зла́тѣ спа́ти, и҆ колесни́цꙋ златоꙋ́зднꙋ, и҆ кїда́ръ вѷссо́нный, и҆ гри́внꙋ ѡ҆́крестъ вы́и,

⁷

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

⁷

и҆ вторы́й сѧ́детъ по да́рїи ра́ди премꙋ́дрости своеѧ̀, и҆ сро́дникъ да́рїевъ нарече́тсѧ.

⁸

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

⁸

И҆ тогда̀ написа́вше кі́йждо своѐ сло́во запеча́таша и҆ подложи́ша под̾ возгла́вїе да́рїа царѧ̀,

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

и҆ реко́ша: є҆гда̀ воста́нетъ ца́рь, дадꙋ́тъ є҆мꙋ̀ писа́нїе, и҆ є҆го́же разсꙋ́дитъ ца́рь и҆ трѝ вельмѡ́жи пе́рсстїи, ꙗ҆́кѡ сло́во є҆гѡ̀ мꙋдрѣ́йше є҆́сть, томꙋ̀ да да́стсѧ побѣ́да, ꙗ҆́коже пи́сано є҆́сть,

¹⁰

The first wrote, Wine is the strongest.

¹⁰

Є҆ди́нъ написа̀: сильнѣ́е є҆́сть вїно̀,

¹¹

The second wrote, The king is strongest.

¹¹

Дрꙋгі́й написа̀: сильнѣ́е є҆́сть ца́рь.

¹²

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

¹²

Тре́тїй написа̀: сильнѣ́е сꙋ́ть жєны̀, па́че же всѣ́хъ побѣжда́етъ и҆́стина.

¹³

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

¹³

Є҆гда́ же воста̀ ца́рь, взе́мше писа̑нїѧ да́ша є҆мꙋ̀, и҆ прочтѐ.

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

И҆ посла́въ созва̀ всѣ́хъ вельмо́жей пе́рсскихъ и҆ ми́дскихъ и҆ сатра́пѡвъ, и҆ воево́дъ и҆ намѣ́стникѡвъ и҆ ѵ҆па́тѡвъ,

¹⁵

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

¹⁵

и҆ сѣ́де въ совѣ́тнѣй пала́тѣ, и҆ прочте́но бы́сть писа́нїе пред̾ ни́ми.

¹⁶

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

¹⁶

И҆ речѐ: призови́те ю҆́ношъ, и҆ ті́и и҆звѣстѧ́тъ словеса̀ своѧ̑. И҆ при́звани бы́ша и҆ внидо́ша.

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

И҆ речѐ и҆̀мъ: возвѣсти́те на́мъ ѡ҆ тѣ́хъ, ꙗ҆̀же пи̑сана сꙋ́ть. И҆ нача̀ пе́рвый, и҆́же глаго́ла ѡ҆ крѣ́пости вїна̀,

¹⁸

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

¹⁸

и҆ речѐ си́це: ѽⷩ҇̑, мꙋ́жїе, ко́ль премога́етъ вїно̀! всѣ́хъ человѣ̑къ пїю́щихъ є҆го̀ прельща́етъ:

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

оу҆́мъ царе́въ и҆ си́рагѡ твори́тъ оу҆́мъ є҆ди́нъ, и҆ раба̀ и҆ свобо́днагѡ, и҆ оу҆бо́гагѡ и҆ бога́тагѡ,

²⁰

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

²⁰

и҆ всѧ́къ оу҆́мъ превраща́етъ въ безстра́шїе и҆ весе́лїе, и҆ не па́мѧтꙋетъ всѧ́кїѧ печа́ли и҆ всѧ́кагѡ до́лга:

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

и҆ всѧ̑ сердца̀ сотворѧ́етъ бога̑та, и҆ не па́мѧтꙋетъ царѧ̀, нижѐ вельмо́жи, и҆ всѧ̑ по тала́нтѡмъ глаго́лати твори́тъ:

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

и҆ не па́мѧтꙋютъ, є҆гда̀ пїю́тъ, оу҆гожда́ти дрꙋгѡ́мъ и҆ бра́тїи, и҆ не мно́гѡ пото́мъ и҆звлача́тъ мечы̀:

²³

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

²³

и҆ є҆гда̀ ѿ вїна̀ воста́нꙋтъ, не по́мнѧтъ, ꙗ҆̀же сотвори́ша:

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

ѽⷩ҇̑, мꙋ́жїе не премога́етъ ли вїно̀, є҆́же та́кѡ понꙋжда́етъ твори́ти; И҆ оу҆молча̀ глаго́лавый си́це.