Proverbs 23:31
in Proverbs 23Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:
KJV
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
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This verse in Proverbs 23
Commentary
11 notes on this verseLook not thou upon the wine - Let neither the color, the odour, the sparkling, etc., of the wine, when poured out, induce thee to drink of it. However good and pure it may be, it will to thee be a snare, because thou art addicted to it, and hast no self-command.
This site's exposition
Do not gaze at wine
on Proverbs 23:31-32
"Do not gaze at wine while it is red" turns the poem to direct address. "In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper." The serpent figure is the poem's turn, the pleasure and the poison packed into one image.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Understand this, brethren, that every drunkard who has made drinking a habit will have leprosy within, in his soul, because the soul of the drunkard is known to be such as the flesh of the leper is seen to be. Therefore one who wishes to …
People who want to be like this try miserably to excuse themselves. They say, My friend will be unpleasant if I do not give him as much as he wants to drink when I invite him to a banquet. [But I say to you,] Do …
Since you are the presbyters and deacons of Christ, you ought always to be sober, both among yourselves and among others, so that you may be able to warn the unruly. Now the Scripture says, "The men in power are passionate. But let them not …
By the mention of redness of eyes—a sign of death—it is made clear that the wine-bibber is already dead to the Word and to reason. It declares his death to the Lord. If one forgets the motives that prompt him to seek the true life, he is dragged down to corruption. With good reason, then, the Educator, in his concern for our salvation, sternly forbids us, "Do not drink wine to drunkenness."
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
The devil draws man to the concupiscence of the flesh, to the concupiscence of the eyes, and to the pride of life. The concupiscence of the eyes, which is the fuel of concupiscence and pride, makes men strong, because men endure many things in order …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Red wine was in Canaan looked upon as the best wine, it is therefore called the blood of the grape. Critics judge of wine, among other indications, by the colour of it; some wine, they say, looks charmingly, looks so well that it even says, "Come and drink me;" it moves itself aright, goes down very smoothly, or perhaps the roughness of it is grateful.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,.... Or, "because it is red" (r); or shows itself red.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
A solemn warning against whoredom and drunkenness (Ho 4:11). give me--This is the address of that divine wisdom so often presented (Pr 8:1; 9:3, &c.). heart--confidence. observe--keep. my ways--such as I teach you (Pr 3:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when . . . red--the color denoting greater strength (compare Ge 49:11; De 32:14). giveth . . . cup--literally, "gives its eye," that is, sparkles. moveth . . . aright--Perhaps its foaming is meant.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תֵּ֥רֶא | tere' | you see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| יַיִן֮ | yayin | wine | H3196 → | 141 times |
| כִּ֪י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם | yitadam | it will be red | H119 → | |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | if | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יִתֵּ֣ן | yiten | it will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בַּכּ֣וֹס | bakis | in the cup | H3563 → | |
| עֵינ֑וֹ | eino | eye its | H5869 → | 887 times |
| יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ | yithalekh | it will go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ | bemeisharim | with smoothness<es> | H4339 → | 19 times |
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תֵּ֥רֶאyou see
tere'H7200 →1300 times
יַיִן֮wine
yayinH3196 →141 times
כִּ֪יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥םit will be red
yitadamH119 →
כִּֽי־if
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יִתֵּ֣ןit will give
yitenH5414 →2011 times
בַּכּ֣וֹסin the cup
bakisH3563 →
עֵינ֑וֹeye its
einoH5869 →887 times
יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְit will go
yithalekhH1980 →1546 times
בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃with smoothness<es>
bemeisharimH4339 →19 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 119:37Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 31:1
“I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:25
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
- 1 John 2:16
Through
1 John 2:16For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.
it leads to
- Romans 13:14
Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
- Galatians 5:17
For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
- Psalms 119:36–37
Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain.
- Genesis 3:6
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave…
- Proverbs 27:20
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.
- Romans 13:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 5; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 189:5; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 46:4; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Nilus of Sinai, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 8:4.44.