Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
Parallel translations
- WEB Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:
- KJV Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
- NKJV Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
- NASB Give intoxicating drink to one who is perishing, And wine to one whose life is bitter.
- NLT Alcohol is for the dying, and wine for those in bitter distress.
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
Strong drink may rightly be given to those perishing or bitter in soul to ease their suffering.
Overview
Having forbidden wine to rulers, the mother allows its compassionate use to comfort the dying and deeply distressed. The contrast shows wisdom in matching things to their proper purpose. The verse models mercy toward the suffering, though believers must apply it carefully, for true and lasting comfort for the perishing is found in Christ alone.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Tim 5:23Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
- Ps 104:15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.
- 1 Sam 1:10In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.
- 2 Kgs 4:27When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
- Job 3:20Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
- 1 Sam 30:6And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
- Job 29:13The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 31:6 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.