PROV 31:3 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Do not give to women your strength
⇔ or your ways to cause kings to be wiped out.

UST Do not exhaust yourself by having sex with women;
⇔ they can destroy kings.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Don’t give your strength to women,
⇔ nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Do not give your strength to women,
⇔ nor your ways to that which ruins kings.

LSV Do not give your strength to women,
And your ways to wiping away of kings.

FBV Don't waste your strength sleeping[fn] with women, those that bring down kings.

31:3 “Sleeping” implied.

T4T Do not exhaust your energy having sex [EUP] with women to whom you are not married,
⇔ with women who ruin kings by having sex with them.

LEB • Do not give your strength to the women, and your ways to destroy kings.

BBE Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.

Moff Waste not your strength on women,
⇔ your love on these destroyers of a king.
¶ 

JPS Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

ASV Give not thy strength unto women,
⇔ Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

DRA Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.

YLT Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.

Drby Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.

RV Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
(Give not thy/your strength unto women, nor thy/your ways to that which destroyeth kings. )

SLT Thou shalt not give thy strength to women, and thy ways to the destroying of kings.

Wbstr Give not thy strength to women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

KJB-1769 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
(Give not thy/your strength unto women, nor thy/your ways to that which destroyeth kings. )

KJB-1611 Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes to that which destroyeth kings.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Geue not ouer thy strength & wayes vnto women, which are the destruction euen of kynges.
(Give not over thy/your strength and ways unto women, which are the destruction even of kings.)

Gnva Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
(Give not thy/your strength unto women, nor thy/your ways, which is to destroy Kings. )

Cvdl geue not ouer thy substaunce & mynde vnto women, which are the destruccio eue of kynges.
(give not over thy/your substance and mind unto women, which are the destruction eve/even of kings.)

Wycl Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
(Give thou/you not thy/your cattle to women, and thy/your riches to do away kings.)

Luth laß nicht den Weibern dein Vermögen und gehe die Wege nicht, darin sich die Könige verderben!
(let not the women your(s) assets/fortune and go the ways not, in_it itself/yourself/themselves the king(s) spoil/corrupt!)

ClVg Ne dederis mulieribus substantiam tuam, et divitias tuas ad delendos reges.[fn]
(Don't you_give women substance your(sg), and riches yours to delendos kings. )

31.3 Et divitias tuas. Hoc est, noli terrenis deliciis hominum corda corrumpere, etc., usque ad per illecebras sæculi merentur eradicari de terra viventium.

31.3 And riches yours. This it_is, don't earthly delights of_men hearts corrumpere, etc., until to through he/that_onecebras of_the_world/of_the_ages they_deserve eradicari from/about earth/land of_the_living.

SOTN 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)

¶ Do not waste your^(sing) life sleeping with many women. Your kingdom will be ruined.

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:

The financial resources of a kingdom are wasted on a king’s desire for sexual pleasure.McKane (page 409), Waltke (page 507).
The king uses his power to satisfy his sexual desires rather than to strengthen his kingdom.Garrett (page 246).
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

¶ You^(sing) should not use up your strength sleeping with many women.
¶ Do not exhaust yourself by having sex with 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.

You^(sing) should not spend your money and time on them. Women like that have destroyed the strong rule of kings.
Do not devote your love and wealth to them. If you do not heed this advice, the result will be your destruction.

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)

UTN 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,your(pl)_of,ways

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”