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Do not give your strength to the women,
    and your ways to destroy kings.
It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;
    drinking wine is not for the kings,
    nor is strong drink for rulers.
Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and he will pervert the rights[a] of all the afflicted.[b]
Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
    and wine to those in bitter distress.[c]
He will drink and forget his poverty,
    and his misery he will not remember any more.
Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights[d] of all the needy.[e]
Open your mouth, judge righteousness,
    and defend the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew “right”
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Literally “sons of affliction”
  3. Proverbs 31:6 Literally “to bitterness of soul”
  4. Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew “right”
  5. Proverbs 31:8 Literally “the sons of the needy”

(A)Do not give your strength to women,
Or your ways to that which (B)destroys kings.
It is not for (C)kings, Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (D)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (E)pervert the [a]rights of all the [b]needy.
Give intoxicating drink to one who is (F)perishing,
And wine to one [c](G)whose life is bitter.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his trouble no more.
(H)Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak,
For the [d]rights of all the [e]unfortunate.
Open your mouth, (I)judge righteously,
And [f]defend the (J)rights of the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Lit judgment
  2. Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
  3. Proverbs 31:6 Lit bitter of soul
  4. Proverbs 31:8 Lit judgment
  5. Proverbs 31:8 Lit sons of passing away
  6. Proverbs 31:9 Lit judge the afflicted