^{1 Ref} Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:

^{2 Ref} `What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

^{3 Ref} Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.

^{4 Ref} Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.

^{5 Ref} Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

^{6 Ref} Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,

^{7 Ref} He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.

^{8 Ref} Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.

^{9 Ref} Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'