Proverbs 31:4
2 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.
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.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
- KJV
- It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
- WEB
- It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
- ASV
- It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes [to say], Where is strong drink?
- DARBY
- It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [to say], Where is the strong drink?
- BLB
- Not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers strong drink,
- ÅB
- Det sømmer seg ikke for konger, Lemuel, det sømmer seg ikke for konger å drikke vin, heller ikke for fyrster å drikke sterk drikk,
- OTB
- Det er ikke for konger, Lemuel, det er ikke for konger å drikke vin, heller ikke for fyrster å lengte etter sterk drikk,
- B1930
- Det sømmer sig ikke for konger, Lemuel, det sømmer sig ikke for konger å drikke vin, heller ikke for fyrster å drikke sterk drikk,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 20:1
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 10:17
Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.
Read in contextIsaiah 5:22
Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing beer,
Read in contextHosea 4:11–12
Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
Read in contextHabakkuk 2:5
and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his own.
Read in context1 Kings 20:16–20
They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
Read in contextLeviticus 10:9–10
“You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink when you enter the Tent of Meeting, or else you will die; this is a permanent statute for the generations to come.
Read in contextMark 6:21–28
On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
Read in context