Proverbs 31:4

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 10:17 : 17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time– with self-control and not in drunkenness.
  • Prov 20:1 : 1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.
  • Isa 5:22 : 22 Beware, those who are champions at drinking, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.
  • Isa 28:7-8 : 7 Even these men stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer– priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions. 8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit, with filth, leaving no clean place.
  • Lev 10:9-9 : 9 “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you and your sons with you, when you enter into the Meeting Tent, so that you do not die, which is a perpetual statute throughout your generations, 10 as well as to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean,
  • Hos 4:11-12 : 11 Judgment of Pagan Idolatry and Cultic Prostitution Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people. 12 They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God.
  • Hab 2:5 : 5 Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol’s; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples.
  • Mark 6:21-28 : 21 But a suitable day came, when Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his court officials, military commanders, and leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl,“Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23 He swore to her,“Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 So she went out and said to her mother,“What should I ask for?” Her mother said,“The head of John the baptizer.” 25 Immediately she hurried back to the king and made her request:“I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 Although it grieved the king deeply, he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests. 27 So the king sent an executioner at once to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded John in prison. 28 He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
  • Hos 7:3-5 : 3 Political Intrigue and Conspiracy in the Palace The royal advisers delight the king with their evil schemes, the princes make him glad with their lies. 4 They are all like bakers, they are like a smoldering oven; they are like a baker who does not stoke the fire until the kneaded dough is ready for baking. 5 At the celebration of their king, his princes become inflamed with wine; they conspire with evildoers.
  • 1 Kgs 20:12 : 12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants,“Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
  • 1 Kgs 20:16-20 : 16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters. 17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him,“Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18 He ordered,“Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.” 19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen.
  • Esth 3:15 : 15 The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order. The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar!
  • Dan 5:2-4 : 2 While under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels– the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father had confiscated from the temple in Jerusalem– so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them. 3 So they brought the gold and silver vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. 4 As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Prov 31:5-7
    3 verses
    84%

    5lest they drink and forget what is decreed, and remove from all the poor their legal rights.

    6Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;

    7let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.

  • Prov 31:1-3
    3 verses
    81%

    1The Words of Lemuel The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him:

    2O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

    3Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.

  • Prov 20:1
    77%

    1Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.

  • Eccl 10:16-17
    2 verses
    76%

    16The Problem with Foolish Rulers Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!

    17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time– with self-control and not in drunkenness.

  • Isa 24:9
    74%

    9They no longer sing and drink wine; the beer tastes bitter to those who drink it.

  • Isa 5:22
    74%

    22Beware, those who are champions at drinking, who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

  • Prov 23:30-31
    2 verses
    74%

    30Those who linger over wine, those who go looking for mixed wine.

    31Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.

  • Prov 23:20-21
    2 verses
    72%

    20Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat,

    21because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.

  • Hos 4:11
    71%

    11Judgment of Pagan Idolatry and Cultic Prostitution Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people.

  • Lev 10:9
    71%

    9“Do not drink wine or strong drink, you and your sons with you, when you enter into the Meeting Tent, so that you do not die, which is a perpetual statute throughout your generations,

  • Isa 5:11
    70%

    11Beware, those who get up early to drink beer, those who keep drinking long after dark until they are intoxicated with wine.

  • Joel 1:5
    70%

    5Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you wine drinkers, because the sweet wine has been taken away from you.

  • Prov 4:17
    70%

    17Indeed they have eaten bread gained from wickedness and drink wine obtained from violence.

  • Isa 28:7
    69%

    7Even these men stagger because of wine, they stumble around because of beer– priests and prophets stagger because of beer, they are confused because of wine, they stumble around because of beer; they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, they totter while making legal decisions.

  • Hab 2:15
    69%

    15“Woe to you who force your neighbor to drink wine– you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their naked bodies.

  • Hos 7:5
    69%

    5At the celebration of their king, his princes become inflamed with wine; they conspire with evildoers.

  • Ezek 44:21
    69%

    21No priest may drink wine when he enters the inner court.

  • Prov 19:10
    69%

    10Luxury is not appropriate for a fool; how much less for a servant to rule over princes!

  • Prov 17:7
    68%

    7Excessive speech is not becoming for a fool; how much less are lies for a ruler!

  • Prov 25:6
    68%

    6Do not honor yourself before the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

  • Prov 17:26
    68%

    26It is terrible to punish a righteous person, and to flog honorable men is wrong.

  • Isa 29:9
    68%

    9God’s People Are Spiritually Insensitive You will be shocked and amazed! You are totally blind! They are drunk, but not because of wine; they stagger, but not because of beer.

  • 1 Tim 5:23
    68%

    23(Stop drinking just water, but use a little wine for your digestion and your frequent illnesses.)

  • Num 6:3
    68%

    3he must separate himself from wine and strong drink, he must drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from strong drink, nor may he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.

  • Isa 51:21
    68%

    21So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!

  • Esth 1:7-8
    2 verses
    68%

    7Drinks were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense.

    8There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired.

  • Jer 16:8
    67%

    8“‘Do not go to a house where people are feasting and sit down to eat and drink with them either.

  • Prov 16:12
    67%

    12Doing wickedness is an abomination to kings, because a throne is established in righteousness.

  • Hab 2:5
    67%

    5Indeed, wine will betray the proud, restless man! His appetite is as big as Sheol’s; like death, he is never satisfied. He gathers all the nations; he seizes all peoples.

  • Jer 35:6
    67%

    6But they answered,“We do not drink wine because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us,‘You and your children must never drink wine.

  • Jer 13:13
    67%

    13Then tell them,‘The LORD says,“I will soon fill all the people who live in this land with stupor. I will also fill the kings from David’s dynasty, the priests, the prophets, and the citizens of Jerusalem with stupor.

  • Dan 5:4
    67%

    4As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

  • 1 Sam 1:14
    67%

    14Then he said to her,“How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”

  • Luke 5:39
    67%

    39No one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says,‘The old is good enough.’”

  • Amos 2:12
    66%

    12“But you made the Nazirites drink wine; you commanded the prophets,‘Do not prophesy!’

  • Dan 5:1
    66%

    1Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall King Belshazzar prepared a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of them all.

  • Isa 28:1
    66%

    1The Lord Will Judge Samaria The splendid crown of Ephraim’s drunkards is doomed, the withering flower, its beautiful splendor, situated at the head of a rich valley, the crown of those overcome with wine.

  • Eccl 8:4
    66%

    4Surely the king’s authority is absolute; no one can say to him,“What are you doing?”

  • Prov 21:17
    66%

    17The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person; whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.

  • Job 34:18
    66%

    18who says to a king,‘Worthless man’ and to nobles,‘Wicked men,’