Proverbs 31:4 “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or f…”

Proverbs 31:4

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

World English Bible

It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

American Standard Version

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?

Geneva Bible 1599

It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,

Darby Translation

It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [to say], Where is the strong drink?

Young's Literal Translation

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

Bible in Basic English

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink?

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Cross references

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:”

Ecclesiastes 10:17 1 Kings 20:16–20 Habakkuk 2:5 Esther 3:15 Daniel 5:2–4 Hosea 7:3–5

Ecclesiastes 10:17 · BSB

Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness.

1 Kings 20:16–20 · BSB

They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.

Habakkuk 2:5 · BSB

and wealth indeed betrays him. He is an arrogant man never at rest. He enlarges his appetite like Sheol, and like Death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations to himself and collects all the peoples as his ow…

Esther 3:15 · BSB

The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

Daniel 5:2–4 · BSB

Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king could drink from them, along with hi…

Hosea 7:3–5 · BSB

They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.

Also

Proverbs 20:1 Isaiah 5:22

Proverbs 20:1 · BSB

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Isaiah 5:22 · BSB

Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing strong drink,

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

3Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.

5lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.

Read Proverbs 31