John Gill Commentary Proverbs 31:6

"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul:" — Proverbs 31:6 (ASV)

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish
You, O Lemuel, and other kings and judges, rather than drink strong drink yourselves, least to excess; give it out of your great abundance and liberality to poor persons in starving circumstances, who must perish, unless relieved; it will do them good, moderately used; and should they drink too freely, which they ought not, yet it would not be attended with such bad consequences as if kings and princes should;

and wine to those that are of heavy heart ;
of melancholy dispositions, under gloomy apprehensions of things; pressed with the weight of their affliction and poverty: or, "bitter in soul" ^F9 ; such as God has dealt bitterly with, as Naomi says was her case, and therefore called her own name Marah, which signifies bitter; of such a sorrowful spirit, and one thus bitter in soul, was Hannah; and so Job, and others; persons in great affliction and distress, to whom life itself is bitter; see (Ruth 1:20) (1 Samuel 1:10) (Job 3:20) (10:1) ; now wine to such is very exhilarating and cheering; see (Judges 9:13) (Psalms 104:15) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F9: (vpn yrml) "his qui amaro sunt animo", V. L. Pagninus, Tigurine version: "amaris animo", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; "amaris animus", Vatablus, Piscator.