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Monday, April 28th, 2025
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Read the Bible
JPS Old Testament
Proverbs 31:3
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Don’t spend your energy on womenor your efforts on those who destroy kings.
Don’t spend your energy on womenor your efforts on those who destroy kings.
Hebrew Names Version
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
King James Version
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
English Standard Version
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
New American Standard Bible
Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
New Century Version
Don't waste your strength on women or your time on those who ruin kings.
Don't waste your strength on women or your time on those who ruin kings.
Amplified Bible
Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines], Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor concubines], Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
World English Bible
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
Legacy Standard Bible
Do not give your excellence to women,Or your ways to that which blots out kings.
Do not give your excellence to women,Or your ways to that which blots out kings.
Berean Standard Bible
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
Contemporary English Version
Don't waste your life chasing after women! This has ruined many kings.
Don't waste your life chasing after women! This has ruined many kings.
Complete Jewish Bible
Don't give your strength to women or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Don't give your strength to women or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Darby Translation
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.
Easy-to-Read Version
Don't waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don't waste yourself on them.
Don't waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don't waste yourself on them.
George Lamsa Translation
Give not your strength to women, nor your ways to the extravagance of kings.
Give not your strength to women, nor your ways to the extravagance of kings.
Good News Translation
Don't spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings.
Don't spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings.
Lexham English Bible
Do not give your strength to the women, and your ways to destroy kings.
Do not give your strength to the women, and your ways to destroy kings.
Literal Translation
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which wipes out kings.
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which wipes out kings.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
geue not ouer thy substaunce & mynde vnto women, which are the destruccio eue of kynges.
geue not ouer thy substaunce & mynde vnto women, which are the destruccio eue of kynges.
American Standard Version
Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Bible in Basic English
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.
King James Version (1611)
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth kings.
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth kings.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Geue not ouer thy strength & wayes vnto women, which are the destruction euen of kynges.
Geue not ouer thy strength & wayes vnto women, which are the destruction euen of kynges.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
When a man loves wisdom, his father rejoices: but he that keeps harlots will waste wealth.
When a man loves wisdom, his father rejoices: but he that keeps harlots will waste wealth.
English Revised Version
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
Update Bible Version
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to [those women who] destroy kings.
Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to [those women who] destroy kings.
Webster's Bible Translation
Give not thy strength to women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Give not thy strength to women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
New English Translation
Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.
Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.
New King James Version
Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
New Living Translation
do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.
do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.
New Life Bible
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which destroys kings.
New Revised Standard
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Do not give, to women, thy strength, nor thy ways, to them who ruin kings.
Do not give, to women, thy strength, nor thy ways, to them who ruin kings.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
Revised Standard Version
Give not your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
Give not your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.
Young's Literal Translation
Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
Contextual Overview
1 The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him. 2 What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?' 5 Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter in soul; 7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
strength: Proverbs 5:9-11, Proverbs 7:26, Proverbs 7:27, Hosea 4:11
to that: Deuteronomy 17:17, Nehemiah 13:26
Reciprocal: Proverbs 5:10 - wealth Acts 24:25 - temperance
Cross-References
Genesis 13:15
for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
Genesis 21:22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spoke unto Abraham, saying: 'God is with thee in all that thou doest.
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spoke unto Abraham, saying: 'God is with thee in all that thou doest.
Genesis 26:24
And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said: 'I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham's sake.'
And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said: 'I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham's sake.'
Genesis 28:4
and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham.'
and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham.'
Genesis 28:13
And, behold, the LORD stood beside him, and said: 'I am the LORD, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.
And, behold, the LORD stood beside him, and said: 'I am the LORD, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.
Genesis 30:25
And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban: 'Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban: 'Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
Genesis 31:2
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as beforetime.
And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as beforetime.
Genesis 31:3
And the LORD said unto Jacob: 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.'
And the LORD said unto Jacob: 'Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.'
Genesis 31:5
and said unto them: 'I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with me.
and said unto them: 'I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with me.
Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow unto Me. Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy nativity.'
I am the God of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow unto Me. Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy nativity.'
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Give not thy strength unto women,.... Strength of body, which is weakened by an excessive use of venery b with a multiplicity of women; see, Proverbs 5:9; and strength of mind, reason, and wisdom, which is impaired by conversation with such persons; whereby time is consumed and lost, which should be spent in the improvement of knowledge: or "thy riches", as the Septuagint and Arabic versions, thy substance, which harlots devour, and who bring a man to a piece of bread, as the prodigal was, Proverbs 6:26; and even drain the coffers of kings and princes;
nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings; do not give thy mind to take such courses, and pursue such ways and methods, as bring ruin on kings and kingdoms, as conversation with harlots does; see Proverbs 7:26. Some think the design of this advice is to warn against any ambitious views of enlarging his dominions by invading neighbouring countries, and making war with neighbouring kings, to the ruin of them; but the former sense seems best. The Targum is,
"nor thy ways to the daughters of kings.''
Solomon was given to women, who proved very pernicious to him,
1 Kings 11:1. Some render it, "which destroyeth counsel" c; for whoredom weakens the mind as well as the body.
b "Venus enervat vireis", Avienus. c Don Joseph apud Schindler. col. 990.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
To that which destroyeth - The temptations of the harem were then, as now, the curse of all Eastern kingdoms.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Proverbs 31:3. Give not thy strength — Do not waste thy substance on women. In such intercourse the strength of body, soul and substance is destroyed. Such connections are those which destroy kings, ××××× melachin, the Chaldee termination instead of the Hebrew.
