Proverbs 23:31-35
Proverbs 23:31-35 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”
Proverbs 23:29-35 The Message (MSG)
Who are the people who are always crying the blues? Who do you know who reeks of self-pity? Who keeps getting beaten up for no reason at all? Whose eyes are bleary and bloodshot? It’s those who spend the night with a bottle, for whom drinking is serious business. Don’t judge wine by its label, or its bouquet, or its full-bodied flavor. Judge it rather by the hangover it leaves you with— the splitting headache, the queasy stomach. Do you really prefer seeing double, with your speech all slurred, Reeling and seasick, drunk as a sailor? “They hit me,” you’ll say, “but it didn’t hurt; they beat on me, but I didn’t feel a thing. When I’m sober enough to manage it, bring me another drink!”
Proverbs 23:31-35 King James Version (KJV)
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it giveth his colour in the cup, When it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, And thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Proverbs 23:31-35 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. “They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”
Proverbs 23:31-35 New Century Version (NCV)
Don’t stare at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. Later it bites like a snake with poison in its fangs. Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will be confused. You will feel dizzy as if you’re in a storm on the ocean, as if you’re on top of a ship’s sails. You will think, “They hit me, but I’m not hurt. They beat me up, but I don’t remember it. I wish I could wake up. Then I would get another drink.”
Proverbs 23:31-35 American Standard Version (ASV)
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly: At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange things, And thy heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, Or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Proverbs 23:31-35 New International Version (NIV)
Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”
Proverbs 23:31-35 New King James Version (NKJV)
Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Proverbs 23:31-35 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Do not look at wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the glass, When it goes down smoothly. At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Your [drunken] eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things [untrue things, twisted things]. And you will be [as unsteady] as one who lies down in the middle of the sea, And [as vulnerable to disaster] as one who lies down on the top of a ship’s mast, saying, “They struck me, but I was not hurt! They beat me, but I did not feel it! When will I wake up? I will seek more wine.”
Proverbs 23:31-35 New Living Translation (NLT)
Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”
Proverbs 23:31-35 The Passion Translation (TPT)
And don’t be drunk with wine but be known as one who enjoys the company of the lovers of God, for drunkenness brings the sting of a serpent, like the fangs of a viper spreading poison into your soul. It will make you hallucinate, mumble, and speak words that are perverse. You’ll be like a seasick sailor being tossed to and fro, dizzy and out of your mind. You’ll awake only to say, “What hit me? I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck!” Yet off you’ll go, looking for another drink!
Proverbs 23:31-35 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. “They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”