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Prov 31 V1 V2 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31

OET interlinear PROV 31:3

◄ ← PROV 31:3 ↓ → ║ ©

Hebrew word order

    1. Hebrew word
    2. Hebrew lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. אַל
    2. 398444
    3. Do not
    4. Don't
    5. 408
    6. S-Tn
    7. do_not
    8. S
    9. Y-700
    10. 278123
    2. 398445
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 278124
    1. תִּתֵּן
    2. 398446
    3. give
    4. give
    5. 5414
    6. V-Vqj2ms
    7. give
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278125
    1. לַ,נָּשִׁים
    2. 398447,398448
    3. to women
    4. women
    5. 802
    6. S-Rd,Ncfpa
    7. to,women
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278126
    1. חֵילֶ,ךָ
    2. 398449,398450
    3. strength of your
    4. strength
    5. 2428
    6. O-Ncmsc,Sp2ms
    7. strength_of,your
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278127
    1. וּ,דְרָכֶי,ךָ
    2. 398451,398452,398453
    3. and ways of your
    4. -
    5. 1870
    6. O-C,Ncbpc,Sp2ms
    7. and,ways_of,your
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278128
    1. לַֽ,מְחוֹת
    2. 398454,398455
    3. to wiping out
    4. destroy
    6. SV-R,Vhc
    7. to,wiping_out
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278129
    1. מְלָכִין
    2. 398456
    3. kings
    4. kings
    5. 4428
    6. O-Ncmpa
    7. kings
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278130
    2. 398457
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 278131

OET (OET-LV) Do_not give to_women strength_of_your and_ways_of_your to_wiping_out kings.

OET (OET-RV) Don’t give your strength to women,
 ⇔ or use your intelligence to destroy kings.

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 31:1–9: Here are the sayings of King Lemuel

The verses in this section were written or collected by King Lemuel. They contain advice that his mother gave him regarding the way that a good king should rule his people. Her advice focuses on a king’s relationships with women (v. 3), the use of intoxicating drink (vv. 4–7) and justice for the poor (vv. 8–9). English versions divide the paragraphs in this section in several ways. The paragraphs in the Notes will be divided according to these three topics. The title (v. 1) and introduction (v. 2) will each form a separate paragraph.

Some other headings for this section are:

What King Lemuel’s Mother Taught Him (CEV)

Advice to a King (GNT)

Wise Words of King Lemuel (NCV)

Paragraph 31:3

This verse is the first part of the advice that King Lemuel’s mother gave to him.

31:3

The implied cultural background of this verse is the tendency of middle eastern kings to devote too much energy, time, and money to a large harem. In the culture of that time, a king’s sexual activities were one way to show his power as a ruler.

In this verse, King Lemuel’s mother warns him to avoid the harmful results of excessive sexual activity. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3aDo not spend your strength on women

3bor your vigor on those who ruin kings.

There is an ellipsis in 31:3b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing phrase from 31:3a. For example:

3b and do not spend your vigor on those who ruin kings.

31:3a–b

(combined/reordered)

on women…on those who ruin kings: These parallel phrases refer to the same group of people. Both refer to a large number of wives, women in a harem, or prostitutes. The second phrase clarifies the harmful effect that such women have on a king’s reputation and on the power of his kingdom. They ruin kings in more than one way:

  1. The financial resources of a kingdom are wasted on a king’s desire for sexual pleasure.McKane (page 409), Waltke (page 507).

  2. The king uses his power to satisfy his sexual desires rather than to strengthen his kingdom.Garrett (page 246).

  3. The king uses up his energy and ignores his responsibilities to the people of his kingdom. As a result, his reputation is ruined and the people may revolt.McKane (page 409), Cohen (page 209)

Most English versions focus on one kind of harmful conduct. For example:

nor your wealth (NJB)

or your time… (NCV)

You may also mention more than one kind. For example:

You should not devote your love and money to women. The result will be your destruction.

It is also wrong if you direct your time and energy to sexual intercourse with many women. They ruin the reputation and power of kings.

31:3a

Do not spend your strength on women

Do not spend your strength on women: In Hebrew, this line is literally “do not give your strength to women.” In this context, strength refers mainly to a man’s sexual power or virility. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Don’t waste your strength on women (NCV)

Don’t spend all your energy on sex (GNT)

31:3b

or your vigor on those who ruin kings.

your vigor: In Hebrew, the word that the BSB translates as vigor is literally “ways.” Elsewhere in Proverbs, this word refers to a person’s conduct or behavior in general. Here it refers more specifically to wrong and harmful conduct in relation to women.Longman (page 539). It includes excessive affection for many women and the sexual intercourse that accompanies it.Ross (page 1127), NET footnote (b). It also includes the money, time, and energy that is involved.

Most English versions focus on one kind of harmful conduct. For example:

nor your wealth… (NJB)

or your time… (NCV)

You may also mention more than one kind. For example:

You should also not devote your time and energy…

It is also wrong if you direct your love and money…

General Comment on 31:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

Don’t spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings. (GNT)

Don’t waste your life chasing after women! This has ruined many kings. (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַ⁠נָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑⁠ךָ

not give to,women strength_of,your

Lemuel’s mother is referring to sex in a polite way by using the phrase give your strength to women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a polite way of referring to this in your language, or you could state this plainly. Alternate translation: “Do not tire yourself out with women” or “Do not waste your energy on having sex with women”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ֝⁠דְרָכֶ֗י⁠ךָ

and,ways_of,your

Here, your ways could mean: (1) the same as your strength in the previous clause, which is parallel to this clause. Alternate translation: “or your vigor” (2) a person’s regular behavior, which is what ways usually means in Proverbs. Alternate translation: “or what you do”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לַֽ⁠מְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין

to,wiping_out kings

The parallelism between this clause and the previous clause indicates that this phrase refers to women who cause kings to be wiped out. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “to those women who cause kings to be wiped out”

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

31:1-9 Lemuel, like Agur, might have been from Massa (see study note on 30:1). Lemuel’s mother’s teaching encourages him to control his lusts (particularly for women and alcohol) so that he might reign justly.
• Apart from this passage, Lemuel is unknown.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Hebrew word
    5. Hebrew lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. Do not
    2. Don't
    3. 515
    5. 398444
    6. S-Tn
    8. S
    9. Y-700
    10. 278123
    1. give
    2. give
    3. 5233
    5. 398446
    6. V-Vqj2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278125
    1. to women
    2. women
    3. 3705,290
    5. 398447,398448
    6. S-Rd,Ncfpa
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278126
    1. strength of your
    2. strength
    3. 2446,1978
    5. 398449,398450
    6. O-Ncmsc,Sp2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278127
    1. and ways of your
    2. -
    3. 1987,1685,1978
    5. 398451,398452,398453
    6. O-C,Ncbpc,Sp2ms
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278128
    1. to wiping out
    2. destroy
    3. 3705,4679
    5. 398454,398455
    6. SV-R,Vhc
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278129
    1. kings
    2. kings
    3. 4308
    5. 398456
    6. O-Ncmpa
    8. -
    9. Y-700
    10. 278130

OET (OET-LV) Do_not give to_women strength_of_your and_ways_of_your to_wiping_out kings.

OET (OET-RV) Don’t give your strength to women,
 ⇔ or use your intelligence to destroy kings.

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.OET logo mark

◄ ← PROV 31:3 ↑ → ║ ©