Proverbs 31:2-9

English Standard Version

²What are you doing, my son?^[a] What are you doing, ^(A)son of my womb?
    What are you doing, ^(B)son of my vows?
³Do ^(C)not give your strength to women,
    your ways to those ^(D)who destroy kings.
⁴^(E)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings ^(F)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take ^(G)strong drink,
⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and ^(H)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
⁶Give strong drink to the one who ^(I)is perishing,
    and wine to ^(J)those in bitter distress;^[b]
⁷^(K)let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.
⁸^(L)Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.^[c]
⁹Open your mouth, ^(M)judge righteously,
    ^(N)defend the rights of ^(O)the poor and needy.

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Footnotes

Proverbs 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?
Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away

Proverbs 31:2-9

New International Version

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(A)
³Do not spend your strength^[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(B)

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(C)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵lest they drink^(D) and forget what has been decreed,^(E)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(F) for those who are in anguish!
⁷Let them drink^(G) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak^(H) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(I)