Proverbs

Proverbs 31:1–3

1These are the words of King Lemuel — the burden that his mother taught him:

2What shall I say,a O my son?

What, O son of my womb?

What, O son of my vows?

3Do not spend your strength on women

or your vigor on those who ruin kings.

Footnotes

  • a 31:2 Or What or What are you doing

Read all of Proverbs 31

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Proverbs 31:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
the wordsדִּ֭בְרֵיdiḇ·rêNoun - masculine plural constructH1697 speech, word
of Kingמֶ֑לֶךְme·leḵNoun - masculine singular constructH4428 king
Lemuelלְמוּאֵ֣לlə·mū·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3927 Lemuel, Lemoel
the burdenמַ֝שָּׂ֗אmaś·śāNoun - masculine singularH4853 load, burden, lifting, bearing, tribute
thatאֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־’ăšer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
his motherאִמּֽוֹ׃’im·mōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH517 mother
taught himיִסְּרַ֥תּוּyis·sə·rat·tūVerb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singularH3256 discipline, chasten, admonish

Proverbs 31:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Whatמַה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
O my sonבְּ֭רִיbə·rîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1248 son
Whatוּמַֽה־ū·mah-Conjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
O sonבַּר־bar-Noun - masculine singular constructH1248 son
of my wombבִּטְנִ֑יbiṭ·nîNoun - feminine singular construct; first person common singularH990 belly, body, womb
Whatוּ֝מֶהū·mehConjunctive waw; InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
O sonבַּר־bar-Noun - masculine singular constructH1248 son
of my vowsנְדָרָֽי׃nə·ḏā·rāyNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH5088 vow

Proverbs 31:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
spendתִּתֵּ֣ןtit·tênVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularH5414 give, put, set
your strengthחֵילֶ֑ךָḥê·le·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
on womenלַנָּשִׁ֣יםlan·nā·šîmPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine pluralH802 woman, wife, female
or your vigorוּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָū·ḏə·rā·ḵe·ḵāConjunctive waw; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
on those who ruinלַֽמְח֥וֹתlam·ḥō·wṯPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH4229 wipe, wipe out
kingsמְלָכִֽין׃mə·lā·ḵînNoun - masculine pluralH4428 king

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Proverbs 31:1 Proverbs 6:20 · Proverbs 1:8 · 2 Timothy 1:5 · 2 Timothy 3:15

Proverbs 31:2 Isaiah 49:15 · 1 Samuel 1:11

Proverbs 31:3 Deuteronomy 17:17 · Nehemiah 13:26 · Proverbs 7:26–27 · Proverbs 5:9–11 · 1 Kings 11:1 · Hosea 4:11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.