Proverbs 31:3
1 These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
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,
5 lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
- KJV
- Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
- WEB
- Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
- ASV
- Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
- DARBY
- Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.
- BLB
- Do not give your strength to the women, and your ways to wiping away kings.
- ÅB
- Gi ikke kvinner din kraft, og gå ikke på veier som fører til ødeleggelse for konger!
- OTB
- Gi ikke din styrke til kvinner, heller ikke dine veier til dem som ødelegger konger.
- B1930
- Gi ikke kvinner din kraft, og gå ikke på veier som fører til ødeleggelse for konger!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 17:17
He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
Read in contextNehemiah 13:26
Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
Read in contextProverbs 7:26–27
For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Read in contextProverbs 5:9–11
lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel;
Read in context1 Kings 11:1
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.
Read in contextHosea 4:11
Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
Read in context