Proverbs 31:7 — Word Study
WLCיִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכָּר־ עֽוֹד׃
BSALet him drinkshâthâh▸ [to feast, indulge] and forgetshâkach▸ [mislay, be oblivious to] his povertyrêysh [lacking material possessions, being poor] and rememberzâkar▸ [recall, mark] his miseryʻâmâl [trouble, hard work] nolôʼ moreʻôwd [not, never again]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִ֭שְׁתֶּה | he will drink | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח | and he may forget | Conjunction, verb qal third person masculine singular |
| רִישׁ֑וֹ | poverty his | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ | and trouble his | Conjunction, noun common both singular construct, suffix |
| לֹ֣א | not | Particle |
| יִזְכָּר־ | he will remember | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| עֽוֹד׃ | again | Adv |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. |
| KJV | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. |
| ASV | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more. |
| YLT | He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. |
| WEB | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. |
| BBE | Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone. |
Where they part company is עֽוֹד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by two phrases that elaborate on the actions of drinking and forgetting.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁתָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Proverbs 31:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Advice on Strong Drinkgenerated
Proverbs 31:7 advises that strong drink should be given to those who are suffering, suggesting that it can provide a temporary relief from their troubles. The surrounding verses emphasize the importance of speaking up for the voiceless and defending the cause of the needy, contrasting the use of drink with social responsibility.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ephesians 5:18 | Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִ֭שְׁתֶּה, Yish.tehgenerated
The verb שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and encompasses various contexts, from literal drinking to figurative uses like feasting. The parsing indicates it is a Qal imperfect verb in the third person masculine singular, suggesting an ongoing or habitual action.
This word can be used in contexts of celebration or indulgence, and here it implies drinking as a means to forget one's hardships. The connection to feasting highlights the cultural significance of drink in providing comfort.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In the Berean Standard Bible, the phrase is rendered as 'Let him drink,' which is consistent across several translations, including the KJV and ASV.
However, where translations differ is in the rendering of עֽוֹד. The BSB and others translate it as 'again,' while some versions like the FBV and ULB render it as 'not.'
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of multiple clauses, with the main action being governed by the verb יִ֭שְׁתֶּה, he will drink. This verb initiates the action, followed by a clause indicating the outcome of forgetting and another that describes what will not be remembered.
The structure emphasizes the sequential actions of drinking, forgetting, and not remembering, creating a flow that highlights the intended relief from distress.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word ἐπιλάθωνται for וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח, which carries a similar meaning of forgetting. This choice indicates a direct correspondence in the concept of oblivion related to one's troubles.
The use of πενίας for רִישׁ֑וֹ also aligns with the notion of poverty, further emphasizing the theme of alleviating distress through forgetfulness.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Proverbs 31:7 suggests that drinking can help someone forget their poverty and troubles. It highlights the idea that strong drink may provide temporary relief from life's difficulties.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Forgetting one's poverty implies a temporary escape from the awareness of financial struggles, often through indulgence.
Drinking is suggested as a means to dull the pain of hardship, allowing a person to momentarily forget their troubles.
While the advice reflects cultural practices of the time, it raises questions about how people cope with distress in modern contexts.
The phrase 'remember his misery no more' suggests a desire for relief and the hope for a future without suffering.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I seek temporary relief from my struggles?
- How can I support those who are suffering in my community?
- What role does indulgence play in my life when I face difficulties?
- How do I balance the need for comfort with responsibility towards others?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Proverbs 31:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet him drink, and forget his poverty,.... Which has been very pressing upon him, and afflicting to him; let him drink till he is cheerful, and forgets that he is a poor man; however, so far forgets
Read John Gill on Proverbs 31 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Let him drink, and forget his poverty.
Read Robert Jamieson on Proverbs 31 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleFor wine, moderately used, allayeth men’ s cares and fears, and cheereth their spirits, .
Read Matthew Poole on Proverbs 31 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsProverbs 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.Ver. 7. Let him drink and forget his poverty.] And yet let him drink moderately too, lest he increase his sorrows, as Lot did, and not diminish them, for drunkenness leaves a sting behind it worse than that of a serpent or of a cockatrice. Wine is a prohibited ware among the Turks, which makes some drink with scruple - others with danger. The baser sort, when taken drunk, are often bastinadoed upon the bare feet. And I have seen some, saith mine author, after a fit of drunkenness, lie a whole night crying, and praying to Mohammed for intercession, that I could not sleep near them, so strong is conscience…
Read John Trapp on Proverbs 31 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesVII. The Words of King Lemuel. Chap. Proverbs 31:1-9 We have here another short Appendix. King Lemuel records, as his oracle, or wise teaching, the counsel given him by his mother (Proverbs 31:1). With terms of ardent affection (Proverbs 31:2) she bids him beware of lust (Proverbs 31:3), and excess of wine (Proverbs 31:4-7), and urges him to befriend the helpless (Proverbs 31:8), and to judge righteously (Proverbs 31:9).
Read Cambridge on Proverbs 31 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6, 7. Give strong drink — That is, rather give it in suitable quantities to those who really need it, to support their fainting spirits under the influence of any trouble or calamity. The use prescribed here is a medicinal one.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Proverbs 31 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.
Tyndale line
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
Strictly literal
let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
He drinks, and forgets his poverty, || And he does not remember his misery again.
Let such a one drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble no more.
He will drink and he will forget his poverty and he will not remember his trouble.
From the Latin
Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
Simplified
Let them drink so they can forget their poverty, and not remember their troubles any longer.
Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This consistency suggests a shared understanding of the verse's meaning across these texts.
יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכָּר־ עֽוֹד׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Proverbs 31:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שָׁתָה (shathah) means 'to drink' and can refer to both literal drinking and figurative uses, such as feasting or experiencing God's wrath. It is a primitive root that appears in various forms, including Qal and Niphal, indicating actions like drinking and being drunk. The lexicons note its connection to the Aramaic equivalent שְׁתָה (she.tah), but do not present significant disagreements.
שָׁתָה 217 vb. drink
Qal 216
Niph. all which is (may be) drunk
base
H8354 שָׁתָה drink
8354 shathah shaw-thaw'
a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively):--X
assuredly, banquet, X certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk
(X -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of 8248.)
see HEBREW for 08248
שָׁתָה (sha.tah) — to drink.
1) to drink
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to drink
1a1a) of drinking cup of God's wrath, of slaughter, of wicked deeds (fig)
1a2) to feast
1b) (Niphal) to be drunk
Aramaic equivalent: she.tah (שְׁתָה "to drink" H8355)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
See FOOD; DRINK, STRONG.
Drink
The drinks of the Hebrews were water, wine, “strong drink,” and vinegar. Their drinking vessels were the cup, goblet or “basin,” the “cruse” or pitcher, and the saucer.
To drink water by measure (Ezek. 4:11), and to buy water to drink (Lam. 5:4), denote great scarcity. To drink blood means to be satiated with slaughter.
The Jews carefully strained their drinks through a sieve, through fear of violating the law of Lev. 11:20, 23, 41, 42. (See Matt. 23:24. “Strain at” should be “strain out.”)
→ INTOXICATING
See ABSTINENCE, TOTAL
→ See DRUNKARD
→ See DRUNKENNESS
→ See WINE
The Hebrew word שָׁכַח (shakach) means 'to forget' and encompasses various nuances such as ignoring or ceasing to care. It can appear in different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), and Hiphil (to cause to forget). The entries highlight its primitive root nature and its usage in contexts where memory or attention is lacking.
שָׁכַח 102 vb. forget
Qal 86 forget
Niph. be forgotten
Pi. י׳ hath caused to forget
Hiph. to make my people forget my name
Hithp. they were forgotten in the city.
base
H7911 שָׁכַח forget
7911 shakach shaw-kakh'
or shakeach {shaw-kay'-akh}; a primitive root; to mislay,
i.e. to be oblivious of, from want of memory or attention:--X
at all, (cause to) forget.
שָׁכַח (sha.khach) — to forget.
1) to forget, ignore, wither
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to forget
1a2) to cease to care
1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
1c) (Piel) to cause to forget
1d) (Hiphil) to make or cause to forget
1e) (Hithpael) to be forgotten
Aramaic equivalent: she.khach (שְׁכַח "to find" H7912)
Conj | V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal third person masculine singularHC/Vqu3ms
רֵישׁ (reysh) and רִישׁ (rish) both mean 'poverty' and are considered variants of the same term. The entries indicate that this word is used in the context of poverty, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
רִישׁ, רֵישׁ, רֵאשׁ n.m. poverty, only Pr
base
H7389a רֵישׁ, רֵאשׁ poverty H7389b רִישׁ poverty
7389 reysh raysh
or resh {raysh}; or riysh {reesh}; from 7326;
poverty:--poverty.
see HEBREW for 07326
רֵישׁ (resh) — poverty.
poverty
Also means: rish (רִישׁ "poverty" H7389B)
רִישׁ (rish) — poverty.
poverty
Another spelling of resh (רֵישׁ "poverty" H7389A)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp3ms
עָמָל (amal) refers to trouble, labor, or toil. It encompasses a range of meanings including physical and mental effort, as well as sorrow and mischief. The word is built from a root that conveys the idea of wearing effort and can imply grievance or wickedness. It appears in contexts related to suffering and toil.
עָמָל n.m. f. trouble, labor, toil
trouble (∥ sorrow): one’s own suffering
trouble, mischief, as done to others
toil, labour (late in Heb.)
base
H5999 עָמָל trouble, labor, toil
5999 `amal aw-mawl'
from 5998; toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of
body or mind:--grievance(-vousness), iniquity, labour,
mischief, miserable(-sery), pain(-ful), perverseness, sorrow,
toil, travail, trouble, wearisome, wickedness.
see HEBREW for 05998
עָמָל (a.mal) — trouble.
1) toil, trouble, labour
1a) trouble
1b) trouble, mischief
1c) toil, labour
Conj | N-cs | Suff — Conjunction · noun common both singular construct · suffixHC/Ncbsc/Sp3ms
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) means 'to remember' and is built from a primitive root implying recognition. It covers a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts, commemorating days, and causing others to remember. The entries also note its use in various grammatical forms, such as being remembered or making a memorial.
זָכַר vb. remember
Qal
Human subj.
remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
remember persons (human subj.)
remember י׳
remember
think of or on, call to mind something present or future
remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
remember, with implied mention of, obj.
Subj. י׳ (אלהִם)
remember persons
remember the distress of his servants
their devotion
remember his own covenant (with them)
his mercy
extenuating circumstances
remember sins, idolatries
Niph.
be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
Hiph.
cause to remember, remind
cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
mention
record, only pt.
of sacrifice, make a memorial
base
H2142 זָכַר remember .. Human subj. . remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
. remember persons (human subj.)
. remember י׳
. remember
. think of or on, call to mind something present or future
. remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
. remember, with implied mention of, obj.
. Subj. י׳ (אלהִם) . remember persons
. . remember the distress of his servants
. their devotion
. . remember his own covenant (with them)
. his mercy
. extenuating circumstances
. remember sins, idolatries
. . be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
. neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
. be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
. . cause to remember, remind
. cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
. mention
. record, only pt.
. of sacrifice, make a memorial
2142 zakar zaw-kar'
a primitive root; properly, to mark (so as to be recognized),
i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; also (as
denominative from 2145) to be male:--X burn (incense), X
earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount,
record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call,
come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X
well.
see HEBREW for 02145
זָכַר (za.khar) — to remember.
1) to remember, recall, call to mind
1a) (Qal) to remember, recall
1b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to remember, remind
1c2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
1c3) to mention
1c4) to record
1c5) to make a memorial, make remembrance
V-Qal-Juss-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Adv — AdvHAcmsa
a-gen': Advb. denoting repetition; in New Testament, generally for palin, "back," "once more." Occasionally, it has the force of a connective, synonymous with "moreover," as in Ro 15:10 ff; 1Co 3:20, etc. The expression "born again" of the King James Version, Joh 3:3,7; 1Pe 1:23, translating the Greek "anothen" and "ana" in composition, becomes in the Revised Version (British and American) "anew," i.e. "over again." As these particles mean "from above" and "up," their use as indicating repetition is sometimes disputed, but without further foundation than that "again" does not exhaust the meaning.