21 His servants asked him, “Why have you done this? While the baby was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate food.”

22 He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let him live.’* 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me.”a