Proverbs 31:6

Modern

Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.

Traditional

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Literal

Give strong drink to the one perishing, and wine to those bitter of soul.

Latin

Date siceram mœrentibus, et vinum his qui amaro sunt animo.

Hebrew

English

Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.

Drinking too much wine dulls the senses. A king needs to stay alert and should not drink too much alcohol.

Lemuel, like Agur, might have been from Massa (see study note on Proverbs 30:1). Lemuel’s mother teaches him to control his desires, especially for women and alcohol, so he can rule fairly.
Besides this passage, we know nothing about Lemuel.

1 Timothy 5:23
Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
Psalm 104:15
…wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.
1 Samuel 1:10
In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.
1 Samuel 30:6
And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
Job 29:13
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
2 Kings 4:27
When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
Job 3:20
Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,