Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Parallel translations
- WEB Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
- BSB Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
- NKJV Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
- NASB Do not give your strength to women, Or your ways to that which destroys kings.
- NLT do not waste your strength on women, on those who ruin kings.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
She warns her son not to squander his strength on women or on what destroys kings.
Overview
The mother cautions against sexual indulgence and entanglements that have ruined many rulers. Misdirected passion drains strength and clouds judgment, undoing leaders. Her counsel calls for self-control and disciplined devotion to one's calling, virtues that honor God and find their perfect model in the singular faithfulness of Christ the King.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Deut 17:17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
- Neh 13:26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
- Prov 7:26–27For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
- Prov 5:9–11Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
- 1 Kgs 11:1But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
- Hos 4:11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 31:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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