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31The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
²No, my son! No, son of my womb!
No, son of my vows!
³Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to desire strong drink;
⁵or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed,
and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
⁶Give strong drink to one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
⁷let them drink and forget their poverty,
and remember their misery no more.
⁸Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.
⁹Speak out, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.