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Friday, May 23rd, 2025
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Read the Bible
New Revised Standard
Proverbs 31:3
Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy 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.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
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.
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. An oracle that his mother taught him: 2 No, my son! No, son of my womb! No, son of my vows! 3 Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink; 5 or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed, and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; 7 let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more. 8 Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. 9 Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights 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 that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.
for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.
Genesis 21:22
At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do;
At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do;
Genesis 26:24
And that very night the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham's sake."
And that very night the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham's sake."
Genesis 28:4
May he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien—land that God gave to Abraham."
May he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien—land that God gave to Abraham."
Genesis 28:13
And the Lord stood beside him and said, "I am the Lord , the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;
And the Lord stood beside him and said, "I am the Lord , the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;
Genesis 30:25
When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.
When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country.
Genesis 31:2
And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before.
And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favorably as he did before.
Genesis 31:3
Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you."
Then the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you."
Genesis 31:5
and said to them, "I see that your father does not regard me as favorably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.
and said to them, "I see that your father does not regard me as favorably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me.
Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.'"
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.'"
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.
