Proverbs 31:6Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. A wise mother teaches her royal son about compassionate leadership and when mercy overrides rules, Jerusalem, Israel
The emotion here: tender wisdom from seeing much suffering
The original word
yayin (יַיִן) — fermented wine, used here medicinally for those in extreme distress
Why it matters
Ancient wine was often the safest liquid to drink and was commonly used as medicine for severe pain
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 31:6
This immediately follows the warning about leaders drinking — context matters completely
Common misconceptionPeople use this to justify drinking problems, but it's specifically about medicinal use for those who are literally dying or in bitter anguish.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 31:6
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 31:6 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 31:6 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Lemuel's mother. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the teaching genre of biblical literature. Key themes include compassion, appropriate comfort. Notable phrases: ready to perish; wine to bitter in soul. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 31:6 mean to you, today?
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