Proverbs 31:4
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.
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.
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 raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 10:17
Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Read in contextIsaiah 5:22
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Read in contextHosea 4:11–12
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Read in contextHabakkuk 2:5
Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
Read in context1 Kings 20:16–20
And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
Read in contextLeviticus 10:9–10
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Read in contextMark 6:21–28
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
Read in context