Proverbs

Proverbs 31:4–7

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

or for rulers to crave strong drink,

⁵lest they drink and forget what is decreed,

depriving all the oppressed of justice.

⁶Give strong drink to one who is perishing,

and wine to the bitter in soul.

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty,

and remember his misery no more.

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.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
It is not	אַ֤ל	’al	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
for kings	לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀	lam·lā·ḵîm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4428 king
O Lemuel	לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל	lə·mō·w·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3927 Lemuel, Lemoel
it is not	אַ֣ל	’al	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
for kings	לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים	lam·lā·ḵîm	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4428 king
to drink	שְׁתוֹ־	šə·ṯōw-	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8354 drink
wine	יָ֑יִן	yā·yin	Noun - masculine singular	H3196 wine
or for rulers	וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים	ū·lə·rō·wz·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H7336 be weighty, judicious, commanding
strong drink	שֵׁכָֽר׃	šê·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H7941 intoxioating drink, strong drink

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
lest	פֶּן־	pen-	Conjunction	H6435 lest
they drink	יִ֭שְׁתֶּה	yiš·teh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8354 drink
and forget	וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח	wə·yiš·kaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7911 forget
what is decreed	מְחֻקָּ֑ק	mə·ḥuq·qāq	Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular	H2710 cut in, inscribe, decree
depriving	וִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּה	wî·šan·neh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8138 change
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the oppressed	בְּנֵי־	bə·nê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
of justice	דִּ֣ין	dîn	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1779 judgment

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Give	תְּנוּ־	tə·nū-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H5414 give, put, set
strong drink	שֵׁכָ֣ר	šê·ḵār	Noun - masculine singular	H7941 intoxioating drink, strong drink
to one who is perishing	לְאוֹבֵ֑ד	lə·’ō·w·ḇêḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6 perish
and wine	וְ֝יַיִן	wə·ya·yin	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3196 wine
to the bitter	לְמָ֣רֵי	lə·mā·rê	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural construct	H4751 bitter, bitterness
in soul	נָֽפֶשׁ׃	nā·p̄eš	Noun - feminine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Let him drink	יִ֭שְׁתֶּה	yiš·teh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8354 drink
and forget	וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח	wə·yiš·kaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7911 forget
his poverty	רִישׁ֑וֹ	rî·šōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7389 poverty
and remember	יִזְכָּר־	yiz·kār-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2142 remember
his misery	וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ	wa·‘ă·mā·lōw	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5999 trouble, labour, toil
no	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
more	עֽוֹד׃	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance

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

Proverbs 31:4 Proverbs 20:1 · Ecclesiastes 10:17 · Isaiah 5:22 · Hosea 4:11–12 · Habakkuk 2:5 · 1 Kings 20:16–20 · Esther 3:15 · Mark 6:21–28 · Daniel 5:2–4 · Leviticus 10:9–10 · Isaiah 28:7–8 · Hosea 7:3–5

Proverbs 31:5 Habakkuk 2:5

Proverbs 31:6 1 Timothy 5:23 · Psalm 104:15 · 1 Samuel 1:10 · 2 Kings 4:27 · Job 29:13 · Job 3:20 · 1 Samuel 30:6

Proverbs 31:7 Ephesians 5:18

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.