Proverbs 31:1-9 ▼

1 Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:

2 'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

3 Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.

4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.

5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

6 Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,

7 He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.

8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.

9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'