Proverbs 31:4

Proverbs 31:4

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

a. NLT: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave alcohol.

b. NIV: It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,

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

d. Amplified Bible Classic:  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink,

e. Septuagint [The Septuagint relocates Proverbs 30:15-31:9 to the end of Proverbs 24:] Princes are prone to anger: let them not drink wine.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: It is not proper for kings who belong to God, it is not proper for kings to drink [much] wine, and for princes to imbibe strong drink.

1. “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine…”

a. [It is] not [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

b. [for] kings [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

c. [O] Lemuel [Strong: 3927 Lmuw'el lem-oo-ale' or Lmow el {lem-o-ale'}; from 3926 and 410; (belonging) to God; Lemuel or Lemoel, a symbolic name of Solomon: -Lemuel.]

d. [it is] not [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

e. [for] kings [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

f. to drink [Strong: 8354 shathah shaw-thaw' a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk (X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)

g. wine [Strong: 3196 yayin yah'-yin from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).]

2. “…nor for princes strong drink.”

a. nor for [Strong: 335 'ay ah'ee perhaps from 370; where? hence how?:--how, what, whence, where, whether, which (way).]

b. nor for [Strong: 176 'ow o presumed to be the "constructive" or genitival form of -av {av}; short for 185; desire (and so probably in Prov. 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if:--also, and, either, if, at the least, X nor, or, otherwise, then, whether.]

c. princes [Strong: 7336 razan raw-zan' a primitive root; probably to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) honorable:--prince, ruler.]

d. strong drink [Strong: 7941 shekar shay-kawr' from 7937; an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor:--strong drink, + drunkard, strong wine.]

1). The reason for such a prohibition is given in the next verse.

a). Proverbs 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

2). This matches what Isaiah condemned, that the spiritual leaders err ored.

a). Isaiah 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.