Proverbs 31:1-9
Legacy Standard Bible
A Mother’s Oracle
31 The words of King Lemuel, the [a]oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:
2 What, O my son?
And what, O (A)son of my womb?
And what, O son of my (B)vows?
3 (C)Do not give your excellence to women,
Or your ways to that which (D)blots out kings.
4 It is not for (E)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (F)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,
And (G)pervert the justice of all the [b]afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is (H)perishing,
And wine to those (I)whose soul is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty
And he will not remember his trouble any longer.
8 (J)Open your mouth for the mute,
For the justice of all those [c]passing away.
9 Open your mouth, (K)judge righteously,
And render (L)justice to the afflicted and needy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:1 Or burden
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit 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.
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
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.
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.