Proverbs 31:2-9
Proverbs 31:2-9 New Century Version (NCV)
“My son, I gave birth to you. You are the son I prayed for. Don’t waste your strength on women or your time on those who ruin kings. “Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel, and rulers should not desire beer. If they drink, they might forget the law and keep the needy from getting their rights. Give beer to people who are dying and wine to those who are sad. Let them drink and forget their need and remember their misery no more. “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of all those who have nothing. Speak up and judge fairly, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31:2-9 American Standard Version (ASV)
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? 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 to say, Where is strong drink? Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul: Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. Open thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of all such as are left desolate. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And minister justice to the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:2-9 The Message (MSG)
“Oh, son of mine, what can you be thinking of! Child whom I bore! The son I dedicated to God! Don’t dilute your strength on fortune-hunting women, promiscuous women who shipwreck leaders. “Leaders can’t afford to make fools of themselves, gulping wine and swilling beer, Lest, hung over, they don’t know right from wrong, and the people who depend on them are hurt. Use wine and beer only as sedatives, to kill the pain and dull the ache Of the terminally ill, for whom life is a living death. “Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the misfits. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!”
Proverbs 31:2-9 King James Version (KJV)
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? And what, the son of my vows? 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: Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. Open thy mouth for the dumb In the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:2-9 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more. Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
Proverbs 31:2-9 New International Version (NIV)
Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers! Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings. It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:2-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31:2-9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
¶What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows? Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines], Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, [Eccl 10:17; Hos 4:11] Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees, And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted. Give strong drink [as medicine] to him who is ready to pass away, And wine to him whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty And no longer remember his trouble. Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless; [1 Sam 19:4; Esth 4:16; Job 29:15, 16] Open your mouth, judge righteously, And administer justice for the afflicted and needy. [Lev 19:15; Deut 1:16; Job 29:12; Is 1:17; Jer 22:16]
Proverbs 31:2-9 New Living Translation (NLT)
O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows, do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol. For if they drink, they may forget the law and not give justice to the oppressed. Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress. Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.
Proverbs 31:2-9 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Listen, my dear son, son of my womb. You are the answer to my prayers, my son. So keep yourself sexually pure from the promiscuous, wayward woman. Don’t waste the strength of your anointing on those who ruin kings— you’ll live to regret it! For you are a king, Lemuel, and it’s never fitting for a king to be drunk on wine or for rulers to crave alcohol. For when they drink they forget justice and ignore the rights of those in need, those who depend on them for leadership. Strong drink is given to the terminally ill, who are suffering at the brink of death. Wine is for those in depression in order to drown their sorrows. Let them drink and forget their poverty and misery. But you are to be a king who speaks up on behalf of the disenfranchised and pleads for the legal rights of the defenseless and those who are dying. Be a righteous king, judging on behalf of the poor and interceding for those most in need.
Proverbs 31:2-9 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.