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17 Happy (fortunate and to be envied) are you, O land, when your king is a free man and of noble birth and character and when your officials feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness!(A)

18 Through indolence the rafters [of state affairs] decay and the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

19 [Instead of repairing the breaches, the officials] make a feast for laughter, serve wine to cheer life, and [depend on tax] money to answer for all of it.

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