The Words of King Lemuel
1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son?31:2 Hebrew What, my son? What are you doing, Isa. 49:15son of my womb?
What are you doing, [1 Sam. 1:27]son of my vows?
3 Do [ch. 5:9] not give your strength to women,
your ways to those [ch. 7:26;Deut. 17:17;1 Kgs. 11:1;Neh. 13:26]who destroy kings.
4 Eccles. 10:17;[1 Kgs. 16:9;20:16] It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings [Hos. 4:11] to drink wine,
or for rulers to take ch. 20:1strong drink,
8 Job 29:12,15,16;[Isa. 1:17]Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
9 Open your mouth, Lev. 19:15;Deut. 1:16judge righteously,
Jer. 22:16;[Isa. 1:17] defend the rights of ver. 20;Ps. 40:17;86:1the poor and needy.