Proverbs 31:4

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?'

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,It is not for kings to drink wine,Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
O Lamuel, it is not for kynges, it is not [I say] for kynges to drynke wine, nor princes strong drynke.

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?

New King James Version
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink;

Literal Translation
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to lust for fermented drink,

Easy-to-Read Version
Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer.

King James Version (1611)
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drinke wine, nor for Princes, strong drinke:

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
O Lamuel, geue kinges no wyne, geue kynges & prynces no stronge drynke:

THE MESSAGE
"Leaders can't afford to make fools of themselves, gulping wine and swilling beer, Lest, hung over, they don't know right from wrong, and the people who depend on them are hurt. Use wine and beer only as sedatives, to kill the pain and dull the ache Of the terminally ill, for whom life is a living death.

Amplified Bible
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire 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?

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?

Update Bible Version
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to desire strong drink.

Webster's Bible Translation
[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

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

Contemporary English Version
Kings and leaders should not get drunk or even want to drink.

Complete Jewish Bible
It is not for kings, L'mu'el, not for kings to drink wine; it is not for rulers to ask, "Where can I find strong liquor?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,

George Lamsa Translation
Of kings, O Moael, be careful of kings who drink wine; and of princes who drink strong drink,

Hebrew Names Version
It is not for kings, Lemo'el; it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?'

JPS Old Testament (1917)
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?'

New Living Translation
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol.

New Life Bible
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A righteous king establishes a country: but a transgressor destroys it.

English Revised 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?

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

New Revised Standard
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor, for dignitaries, to desire strong drink,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:

Lexham English Bible
It is not for the kings, O Lemuel; drinking wine is not for the kings, nor is strong drink for rulers.

English Standard Version
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink,

New American Standard Bible
It is not for kings, Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,

New Century Version
"Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel, and rulers should not desire beer.

Good News Translation
Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol.

Christian Standard Bible®
It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to desire beer.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.

Revised Standard Version
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire 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.

Contextual Overview

¹ The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him. ² "Oh, my son!" Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows! ³ Don't give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. ⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?' ⁵ Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted. ⁶ Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; And wine to the bitter in soul: ⁷ Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. ⁸ Open your mouth for the mute, In the cause of all who are left desolate. ⁹ Open your mouth, judge righteously, And serve justice to the poor and needy."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

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

Reciprocal: Numbers 6:3 - General Proverbs 20:1 - General Ecclesiastes 2:3 - yet Isaiah 5:23 - justify Isaiah 56:12 - I will 1 Timothy 5:23 - General Titus 1:7 - not given to wine

Gill's Notes on the Bible

[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel,.... It is not fit for them, it is very unbecoming them; it is dishonourable to them, to such as Lemuel was, or was likely to be; or far be it from kings, let no such thing be do ne by them, nor by thee;

[it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink; it is lawful for kings to drink wine in a moderate manner, and for princes, counsellors, and judges, to drink strong drink; meaning not such as is made of malt, which in those times was not used; but of honey, dates, pomegranates, and such like things; but then it was very unbecoming for either of them to drink any of these to excess; it is very disgraceful to any man to drink immoderately, to make a beast of himself, and much more a king or judge, who, of all men, ought to be grave and sober; both that they may perform their office well, and maintain the grandeur and dignity of it, which otherwise would become useless and despicable, yea, pernicious, as follows. Solomon, notwithstanding this advice, gave himself unto wine as well as women, Ecclesiastes 2:3. The Targum is,

"take care of kings, O Lemuel, of kings who drink wine, and of princes that drink strong drink.''

So the Syriac version, keep no company with them, nor follow their example; see Ecclesiastes 10:17; The last clause may be rendered, "nor for princes [to say], where is strong drink" d? where is it to be had? where is the best? as drunkards do; which is according to the marginal reading; but the "Cetib", or writing, is או, "or" e; but some render it as a noun, "the desire of strong drink" f: it does not become princes to covet it.

d אי שכר "ubi sechar?" Montanus, Vatlablus; "ubi (est) sicera?", Cocceius, Michaelis; so Ben Melech. e או שכר "siceram", Cocceius, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gussetius. p. 20. Schultens. f "Nunc vino pellite curas", Horat. Carmin, l. 1. Ode 7. v. 31. "Tu spem reducis", &c. ib. l. 3. Ode 21. v. 17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Some read: “nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?” The “strong drink” Proverbs 20:1 was distilled from barley, or honey, or dates.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 31:4. It is not for kings - to drink wine — An intemperate man is ill fit to hold the reins of government.