A Contrast with the King:
Proverbs 31:6-7 follows straight on from the warning that kings must not drink wine, in case they forget the law and fail the afflicted (verses 4-5). Many readers see the two sayings as a pointed contrast: strong drink belongs, if anywhere, with the one "who is ready to perish" and "the bitter in soul," who have nothing left but to forget, while the king must stay sober to remember the law and defend the weak.
Others take the verses as a real instruction to ease the suffering of the dying and the deeply afflicted, an act of mercy in extreme circumstances. Even on that reading, strong drink is not presented as a universal solution or a remedy for everyday troubles, but as something limited to those at the very end of their strength.
- The Role of Forgetfulness:
The latter part of verse 7 speaks of forgetting: "Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." Drink can dull the memory of poverty and misery for a while, but it does not remove them.
Forgetting is the very thing the king must not do. His task is to remember the law and to "Open your mouth for the mute" (verse 8). The forgetting that drink brings is set against the clear-headed justice that actually helps the poor.
Cross References:
Psalm 104:14-15: "He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may produce food out of the earth: wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart." This psalm recognizes the role of wine in bringing joy to the heart, which is one reason some readers take Proverbs 31:6 as a real instruction.
Ecclesiastes 3:4: "a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Ecclesiastes acknowledges the diverse seasons of human experience, including times of grief that call for comfort.
The Human Experience and Compassionate Responses:
Proverbs 31:6-7 delves into the complexities of the human experience and underscores the importance of compassionate responses to those facing adversity. Whichever reading is followed, it calls those in authority to care for the perishing and the bitter in soul rather than ignore them.
These verses do not advocate dependency on alcohol or offer it as a solution to life's challenges, and for anyone who struggles with drink, Scripture's many warnings about wine are the safer guide. Instead, they highlight the nuanced nature of human suffering and the call to extend empathy and understanding to those in need.
These verses are part of the advice King Lemuel's mother gave him, and the verses just before set the frame: "It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine... lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted" (Proverbs 31:4-5). Readers understand verses 6-7 in different ways. Some take them as a real instruction to ease the suffering of the dying and the deeply afflicted; at the cross Jesus was offered "wine mixed with myrrh to drink, but he didn’t take it" (Mark 15:23). Others read them as a pointed contrast: strong drink may dull the pain of the perishing, but the king must keep a clear head to "Open your mouth for the mute" and judge righteously (Proverbs 31:8-9). Either way, Proverbs warns, "Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler" (Proverbs 20:1), and Paul writes, "Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).
As we contemplate these verses, may we cultivate a heart of compassion, recognizing the diverse ways individuals navigate the trials of life. May our responses be guided by a deep understanding of the human experience and a willingness to bring real help and justice to those who are suffering.
Proverbs 31:6-7. Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul: Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.