rotten than the vessel that car- save from all danger : yea, rieth him.

though a man went to sea with30 For verily desire of gain out art. devised that, and the workman 33 Nevertheless thou wouldbuilt it by his skill.

est not that the works of thy 31 But thy providence, O wisdom should be idle, and Father, governeth it: for thou therefore do men commit their hast made a way in the sea, lives to a small piece of wood, and a safe path in the waves ; and passing the rough sea in a

32 Shewing that thou canst weak vessel, are saved.

Section XXIV.-The Supremacy of Truth.
LESSON LII.

sleep upon gold, and a chariot

with bridles of gold, and an Now when Darius reigned, he headtire of fine linen, and a made a great feast unto all his chain about his neck : subjects, and unto all his house- 7 And he shall sit next to hold, and unto all the princes Darius because of his wisdom, of Media and Persia ;

and shall be called Darius his 2 And to all the governors cousin. and captains and lieutenants 8 And then every one wrote that were under him, from In- his sentence, sealed it, and laid dia unto Ethiopia, of an hun- it under king Darius his pildred twenty and seven pro- low; vinces.

9 And said that, when the 3 And when they had eaten king is risen, some will give and drunken, and being satis- him the writings; and of whose fied were gone home, then side the king and the three Darius the king went into his princes of Persia shall judge bedchamber, and slept, and that his sentence is the wisest, soon after awaked.

to him shall the victory be giv4 Then three young men, en, as was appointed. that were of the guard that 10 The first wrote, Wine is kept the king's body, spake one the strongest. to another;

11 The second wrote, The 5 Let every one of us speak king is strongest. a sentence: he that shall over- 12 The third wrote, Women come, and whose sentence shall are strongest : but above all seem wiser than the others, un- things Truth beareth away the to him shall the king Darius victory. give great gifts, and great things 13 Now when the king in token of victory:

was risen up, they took their 6 As, to be clothed in pur- writings, and delivered them ple, to drink in gold, and to unto him, and so he read them:

14 And sending forth, he do thus ? And when he had so called all the princes of Persia spoken, he held his peace. and Media, and the governors, 25 Then the second, that and the captains, and the lieu- had spoken of the strength of tenants, and the chief officers; the king, began to say,

15 And sat him down in the 26 O ye men, do not men royal seat of judgement; and excel in strength, that bear rule the writings were read before over sea and land, and all things them.

in them? 16 And he said, Call the 27 But yet the king is more young men, and they shall de- mighty : for he is lord of all clare their own sentences. So these things, and hath dominion they were called, and came in. over them; and whatsoever he

17 And he said unto them, commandeth them, they do. Declare unto us your mind con

28 If he bid them make war cerning the writings. Then be- the one against the other, they gan the first, who had spoken of do it: if he send them out the strength of wine;

against the enemies, they go, T18 And he said thus, O ye and break down mountains, men, how exceeding strong is walls, and towers. wine! it causeth all men to err 29 They slay and are slain, that drink it:

and transgress not the king's 19 It maketh the mind of commandment; if they get the the king and of the fatherless victory, they bring all to the child to be all one; of the bond- king, as well the spoil, as all man and of the freeman, of the things else. poor man and of the rich :

30 Likewise for those that are 20 It turneth also

every no soldiers, and have not to do thought into jollity and mirth, with wars, but use husbandry, so that a man remembereth nei. when they have reaped again ther sorrow nor debt:

that which they had sown, they 21 And it maketh every heart bring it to the king, and comrich, so that a man remember- pel one another to pay tribute eth neither king nor governor;

unto the king, and it maketh to speak all 31 And yet he is but one man: things by talents:

if he command to kill, they kill ; 22 And when they are in

if he command to spare, they their cups, they forget their spare ; love both to friends and bre- 32 If he command to smite, thren, and a little after draw they smite ; if he command to out swords :

make desolate, they make de23 But when they are from solate; if he command to build, the wine, they remember not they build : what they have done.

33 If he command to cut 24 Oye men, is not wine down, they cut down; if he the strongest, that enforceth to command to plant, they plant.

34 So all his people and his membereth neither father, nor armies obey bim : furthermore, mother, nor country. he lieth down, he eateth and 45 By this also ye must know drinketh, and taketh his rest: that women have dominion over

35 And these keep watch you: do ye not labour and toil, round about him, neither may and give and bring all to the any one depart, and do his own woman? business, neither disobey they 46 Yea, a man taketh his him in any thing.

sword, and goeth his way to 36 O ye men, how should rob and to steal, to sail

upon not the king be mightiest, when the sea, and upon rivers ; in such sort he is obeyed ? And

47 And looketh upon a lion, he held his tongue.

and goeth in the darkness; and | 37 Then the third, who when he hath stolen, spoiled had spoken of women, and of and robbed, he bringeth it to the truth, (this was this Zoro- his love. babel,) began to speak.

48 Wherefore a man loveth 38 O ye men, it is not the his wife better than father or great king, nor the multitude mother. of men, neither is it wine, that 49 Yea, many there be that excelleth ; who is it then that have run out of their wits for ruleth them, or hath the lord- women, and become servants ship over them ? are they not for their sakes. women ?

50 Many also have perished, 39 Women have borne the have erred, and sinned for woking and all the people that bear rule by sea and land.

:51 O ye men, how can it be 40 Even of them came they: but women should be strong, and they nourished them up seeing they do thus ? that planted the vineyards, from 52 Then the king and the whence the wine cometh. princes looked one upon an41 These also make garments

other : so he began to speak of for men; these bring glory un

the truth. to men; and without women 153 Oye men,are not women cannot men be.

strong ? great is the earth, high 42 Yea, and if men have ga- is the heaven, swift is the sun thered together gold and silver, in his course, for he compasseth or any other goodly thing, do the heavens round about, and they not love a woman which fetcheth his course again to his is comely in favour and beauty? own place in one day.

43 A man leaveth his own 54 Is he not great that father that brought him up, and maketh these things ? therefore his own country, and cleaveth great is the truth, and stronger unto his wife.

than all things. 44 He sticketh not to spend 55 All the earth calleth

upon his life with his wife, and re- the truth, and the heaven bless

men.

eth it: all works shake and but she doeth the things that tremble at it, and with it is no are just, and refraineth from all unrighteous thing.

unjust and wicked things; and 56 Wine is wicked, the king all men do well like of her is wicked, women are wicked, works. all the children of men are wick- 59 Neither in her judgeed, and such are all their wick- ment is any unrighteousness; ed works; and there is no truth and she is the strength, kingin them ; in their unrighteous- dom, power, and majesty, of ness also they shall perish. all ages. Blessed be the God

57 As for the truth, it en- of truth. dureth, and is always strong ; 60 And with that he held it liveth and conquereth for ever- his peace. And all the people

then shouted, and said, Great 58 With her there is no ac- is truth and mighty above all cepting of persons or rewards; things.

more.

THE END.

Priated by Richard Taylor, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street.