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Don’t waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don’t waste yourself on them. Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer. They may drink too much and forget what the law says. Then they might take away the rights of the poor.

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Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
    your vigor on those who ruin kings.(A)

It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,(B)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink(C) and forget what has been decreed,(D)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth