Proverbs 31:2
1 These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
- KJV
- What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
- WEB
- “Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
- ASV
- What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?
- DARBY
- What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
- BLB
- What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?
- ÅB
- Hva skal jeg si til deg, min sønn, du mitt livs sønn, du mine løfters sønn?
- OTB
- Hvordan skal jeg tale til deg, min sønn? Hvordan skal jeg tale til deg, barn av mitt liv? Hvordan skal jeg tale til deg, barn av mine løfter?
- B1930
- Hvad skal jeg si til dig, min sønn, du mitt livs sønn, du mine løfters sønn?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!
Read in context1 Samuel 1:11
And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”
Read in context1 Samuel 1:28
I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.
Read in context