4 Then the second, who’d spoken of the king’s strength, began to say, 2 “Oh sirs, don’t men excel in strength who rule over the sea and land, and all things in them? 3 But yet the king is stronger. He’s their lord and has dominion over them. In whatever he commands them, they obey him. 4 If he tells them to make war the one against the other, they do it. If he sends them out against the enemies, they go, and conquer mountains, walls, and towers. 5 They kill and are killed, and don’t disobey the king’s commandment. If they win the victory, they bring everything to the king—all the plunder and everything else. 6 Likewise for those who aren’t soldiers, and don’t have anything to do with wars, but farm, when they’ve again harvested what they’d sown, they bring some to the king and compel one another to pay tribute to the king. 7 He’s just one man! If he commands people to kill, they kill. If he commands them to spare, they spare. 8 If he commands them to strike, they strike. If he commands them to make desolate, they make desolate. If he commands to build, they build. 9 If he commands them to cut down, they cut down. If he commands them to plant, they plant. 10 So all his people and his armies obey him. Furthermore, he lies down, he eats and drinks, and takes his rest; 11 and these keep watch around him. None of them may depart and do his own business. They don’t disobey him in anything. 12 Oh sirs, how could the king not be the strongest, seeing that he’s obeyed like this?” Then he stopped talking.