Proverbs 31:6

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul:

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָֽר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ

Transliteration

tĕnû-šēkār lĕʾôbēd wĕyayin lĕmārê nāpeš

Grammar Details

*tĕnû*: verb, Qal imperative masculine plural - give
*šēkār*: noun, masculine singular - strong drink
*lĕʾôbēd*: preposition *lə* + Qal participle masculine singular - to one perishing
*wĕyayin*: conjunction *wə* + noun, masculine singular - and wine
*lĕmārê*: preposition *lə* + adjective masculine plural construct - to bitter of
*nāpeš*: noun, feminine singular - soul/life

Word Meanings

*tĕnû*: give/provide
*šēkār*: strong drink/intoxicating beverage/liquor
*ʾôbēd*: perishing one/one who is dying/the doomed
*mārê*: bitter ones/those in bitterness/those who are bitter
*nāpeš*: soul/life/inner being/spirit

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

1 Tim 5:23 : 23 Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
1 Sam 1:10 : 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore.
1 Sam 30:6 : 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
2 Kgs 4:27 : 27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is vexed within her; and Jehovah hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
Job 3:20 : 20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;
Job 29:13 : 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.
Ps 104:15 : 15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, [And] oil to make his face to shine, And bread that strengtheneth man's heart.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

Prov 31:7
87%
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
Prov 31:4-5
2 verses
83%
4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes [to say], Where is strong drink?
5Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the justice [due] to any that is afflicted.
Isa 24:9
78%
9They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
Isa 5:22
77%
22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink;
Hab 2:15
77%
15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, to thee that addest thy venom, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
Prov 20:1
76%
1Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.
Prov 23:30-31
2 verses
76%
30They that tarry long at the wine; They that go to seek out mixed wine.
31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:
Isa 24:7
76%
7The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh.
Isa 51:21
76%
21Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but now with wine:
Joel 1:5
76%
5Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and wail, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Isa 5:11
75%
11Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that tarry late into the night, till wine inflame them!
1 Tim 5:23
75%
23Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Hos 4:11
75%
11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.
Isa 28:7
73%
7And even these reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they stagger with strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Ps 107:27
73%
27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits' end.
Ps 104:15
73%
15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, [And] oil to make his face to shine, And bread that strengtheneth man's heart.
Isa 56:12
73%
12Come ye, [say they], I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, [a day] great beyond measure.
Isa 29:9
72%
9Tarry ye and wonder; take your pleasure and be blind: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Hab 2:5
72%
5Yea, moreover, wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home; who enlargeth his desire as Sheol, and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples.
Isa 24:11
72%
11There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
Luke 5:39
72%
39And no man having drunk old [wine] {G2112} desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.
Ps 60:3
72%
3Thou hast showed thy people hard things: Thou hast made us to drink the wine of staggering.
Prov 23:20-21
2 verses
72%
20Be not among winebibbers, Among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; And drowsiness will clothe [a man] with rags.
Prov 21:17
71%
17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Lam 3:15
71%
15He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath sated me with wormwood.
1 Thess 5:7
71%
7For they that sleep sleep in the night: and they that are drunken are drunken in the night.
Esth 1:7
71%
7And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
Eccl 2:3
71%
3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.
Ps 75:8
71%
8For in the hand of Jehovah there is a cup, and the wine foameth; It is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: Surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them.
Job 12:25
71%
25They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
Prov 4:17
70%
17For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.
Job 24:11
70%
11They make oil within the walls of these men; They tread [their] winepresses, and suffer thirst.
Eccl 9:7
70%
7Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.
Prov 25:20
70%
20[ As] one that taketh off a garment in cold weather, [and as] vinegar upon soda, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.
Prov 9:5
70%
5Come, eat ye of my bread, And drink of the wine which I have mingled.
Jer 13:13
70%
13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
Amos 6:6
70%
6that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
Isa 28:1
70%
1Woe to the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley of them that are overcome with wine!
Job 3:20
70%
20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;
Hos 7:5
70%
5On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers.
Isa 22:13
69%
13and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine: let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.
Jer 25:16
69%
16And they shall drink, and reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.