Proverbs 31:1-9
Authorized (King James) Version
31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb?
and what, the son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women,
nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
nor for princes strong drink:
5 lest they drink, and forget the law,
and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb
in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:1-9
American Standard Version
31 [a]The words of king Lemuel; the [b]oracle which his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women,
Nor thy ways to [c]that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
Nor for princes [d]to say, Where is strong drink?
5 Lest they drink, and forget [e]the law,
And pervert the justice due to [f]any that is afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
And wine unto the bitter in soul:
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb,
In the cause of all such as are [g]left desolate.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
And minister justice to the poor and needy.
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.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.
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