Proverbs 31:1-9

American Standard Version

31 ^[a]The words of king Lemuel; the ^[b]oracle which his mother taught him.

²What, my son? and what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?
³Give not thy strength unto women,
Nor thy ways to ^[c]that which destroyeth kings.
⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
Nor for princes ^[d]to say, Where is strong drink?
⁵Lest they drink, and forget ^[e]the law,
And pervert the justice due to ^[f]any that is afflicted.
⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
And wine unto the bitter in soul:
⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb,
In the cause of all such as are ^[g]left desolate.
⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
And minister justice to the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 31:1 Or, The words of Lemuel king of Massa, which etc. See 30:1 margin.
Proverbs 31:1 Or, burden
Proverbs 31:3 Or, as otherwise read, them that destroy
Proverbs 31:4 Another reading is, to desire strong drink.
Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew that which is decreed.
Proverbs 31:5 Hebrew all the sons of affliction.
Proverbs 31:8 Or, ready to pass away. Hebrew the sons of passing away.

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.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(B)
³Do not spend your strength^[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(C)

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(D)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵lest they drink^(E) and forget what has been decreed,^(F)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(G) for those who are in anguish!
⁷Let them drink^(H) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak^(I) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(J)