3 Now King Dareyavesh made a great feast for all his subjects, for all who were born in his house, for all the princes of Maday (Media) and of Paras (Persia), 2 and for all the local governors and captains and governors who were under him, from Hodu to Kush (Ethiopia), in the one hundred and twenty seven provinces. 3 They ate and drank, and when they were satisfied went home. Then King Dareyavesh went into his bedchamber slept, but awakened out of his sleep.

4 Then the three young men of the bodyguard, who guarded the king, spoke one to another: 5 “Let every one of us state what one thing is strongest. King Dareyavesh will give he whose statement seems wiser than the others great gifts and great honours in token of victory. 6 He’ll be clothed in purple, drink from gold cups, sleep on a gold bed, and have a chariot with bridles of gold, a fine linen turban, and a chain around his neck. 7 He’ll sit next to Dareyavesh because of his wisdom, and will be called cousin of Dareyavesh.”

8 Then they each wrote his sentence, sealed them, and laid them under King Dareyavesh’ pillow, 9 and said, “When the king wakes up, someone will give him the writing. The one who the king and the three princes of Paras (Persia) judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him will the victory be given, as it’s written.” 10 The first wrote, “Wine is the strongest.” 11 The second wrote, “The king is strongest.” 12 The third wrote, “Women are strongest, but above all things Truth is the victor.”

13 Now when the king woke up, they took the writing and gave it to him, so he read it. 14 Sending out, he called all the princes of Paras and of Maday (Media), the local governors, the captains, the governors, and the chief officers 15 and sat himself down in the royal seat of judgement; and the writing was read before them. 16 He said, “Call the young men, and they’ll explain their own sentences. So they were called and came in.