Proverbs

¹These are the wise sayings that King Lemuel’s mother taught him: ²I prayed for a son, and you are the son I gave birth to. ³Don’t waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don’t waste yourself on them. ⁴Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer. ⁵They may drink too much and forget what the law says. Then they might take away the rights of the poor. ⁶Give beer to people without hope. Give wine to those who are in trouble. ⁷Let them drink to forget their troubles. Let them forget they are poor.