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31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
when it sparkles[a] in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:31 tn Heb “its eye gives.” With CEV’s “bubbling up in the glass” one might think champagne was in view.
  2. Proverbs 23:31 tn The expression is difficult. The imagery has some similarity to Song 7:9, although the parallel is not exact. The verb is the Hitpael imperfect of הָלַךְ (halakh); and the prepositional phrase uses the word “upright; equity; pleasing,” from יָשָׁר (yashar). KJV has “when it moveth itself aright”; much more helpful is ASV “when it goeth down smoothly.” Most recent English versions are similar to ASV. The phrase obviously refers to the pleasing nature of wine.

31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!

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