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Proverbs 31:1-9
New International Version
Proverbs 31:1-9
New International Version
Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings(A) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!(B)
3 Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.(C)
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,(D)
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink(E) and forget what has been decreed,(F)
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine(G) for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink(H) and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
Proverbs 31:1-9
New King James Version
Proverbs 31:1-9
New King James Version
The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, (A)son of my vows?
3 (B)Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways (C)to that which destroys kings.
4 (D)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 (E)Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all [a]the afflicted.
6 (F)Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8 (G)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [b]appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, (H)judge righteously,
And (I)plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
Proverbs 31:1-9
English Standard Version
Proverbs 31:1-9
English Standard Version
The Words of King Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son?[a] What are you doing, (A)son of my womb?
What are you doing, (B)son of my vows?
3 Do (C)not give your strength to women,
your ways to those (D)who destroy kings.
4 (E)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings (F)to drink wine,
or for rulers to take (G)strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and (H)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to the one who (I)is perishing,
and wine to (J)those in bitter distress;[b]
7 (K)let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 (L)Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.[c]
9 Open your mouth, (M)judge righteously,
(N)defend the rights of (O)the poor and needy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?
- Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
- Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.