Proverbs 31:1
Common English Bible
Words of King Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel of Massa, which his mother taught him:
Proverbs 31:1
Contemporary English Version
What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
31 These are the sayings
that King Lemuel of Massa
was taught by his mother.
Proverbs 31:1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
VIII. Sayings of King Lemuel[a]
Chapter 31
1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa,[b] the instruction his mother taught him:
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 31:1–9
Though mothers are sources of wisdom in Proverbs (1:8; 6:20), the mother of Lemuel is special in being queen mother, which was an important position in the palace. Queen mothers played an important role in ancient palace life because of their longevity, knowledge of palace politics, and loyalty to their sons; they were in a good position to offer him sound counsel. The language of the poem contains Aramaisms, a sign of its non-Israelite origin.
The first section, vv. 3–5, warns against abuse of sex and alcohol (wine, strong drink) lest the king forget the poor. The second section, vv. 6–9, urges the use of alcohol (strong drink, wine) so that the downtrodden poor can forget their poverty. The real subject of the poem is justice for the poor.
- 31:1 Massa: see note on 30:1–6.
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