This verse is the first part of the advice that King Lemuel’s mother gave to him.
31:3
The implied cultural background of this verse is the tendency of middle eastern kings to devote too much energy, time, and money to a large harem. In the culture of that time, a king’s sexual activities were one way to show his power as a ruler.
In this verse, King Lemuel’s mother warns him to avoid the harmful results of excessive sexual activity. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
3a Do not spend your strength on women
3b or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
There is an ellipsis in 31:3b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing phrase from 31:3a. For example:
3b
⌊and do not spend⌋ your vigor on those who ruin kings.
31:3a–b
on women…on those who ruin kings: These parallel phrases refer to the same group of people. Both refer to a large number of wives, women in a harem, or prostitutes. The second phrase clarifies the harmful effect that such women have on a king’s reputation and on the power of his kingdom. They ruin kings in more than one way:
(a) The financial resources of a kingdom are wasted on a king’s desire for sexual pleasure.
(b) The king uses his power to satisfy his sexual desires rather than to strengthen his kingdom.
(c) The king uses up his energy and ignores his responsibilities to the people of his kingdom. As a result, his reputation is ruined and the people may revolt.
Most English versions focus on one kind of harmful conduct. For example:
nor your wealth (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
or your time… (New Century Version)
You may also mention more than one kind. For example:
You should not devote your love and money to women. The result will be your destruction.
-or-
It is also wrong if you direct your time and energy to ⌊sexual intercourse with⌋ ⌊many⌋ women. They ruin ⌊the reputation and power of⌋ kings.
31:3a
Do not spend your strength on women: In Hebrew, this line is literally “do not give your strength to women.” In this context, strength refers mainly to a man’s sexual power or virility. Some other ways to translate this line are:
Don’t waste your strength on women (New Century Version)
-or-
Don’t spend all your energy on sex (Good News Translation)
31:3b
your vigor: In Hebrew, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as vigor is literally “ways.” Elsewhere in Proverbs, this word refers to a person’s conduct or behavior in general. Here it refers more specifically to wrong and harmful conduct in relation to women. It includes excessive affection for many women and the sexual intercourse that accompanies it. It also includes the money, time, and energy that is involved.
Most English versions focus on one kind of harmful conduct. For example:
nor your wealth… (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
or your time… (New Century Version)
You may also mention more than one kind. For example:
You should also not devote your time and energy…
-or-
It is also wrong if you direct your love and money…
General Comment on 31:3a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:
Don’t spend all your energy on sex and all your money on women; they have destroyed kings. (Good News Translation)
-or-
Don’t waste your life chasing after women! This has ruined many kings. (Contemporary English Version)
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