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20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.(A)

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More Dealing With Fools

20 Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler.
Whoever is intoxicated by them is not wise.

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17 Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
    whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

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17 Whoever loves pleasure will be poor.
Whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

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20 Do not be among winebibbers
    or among gluttonous eaters of meat,(A)
21 for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
    and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.(B)

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20 Do not be among those who drink too much wine,
or those who eat too much meat,
21 because a drunk and a glutton will become poor,
and drunken stupor dresses a person in rags.

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29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
    Who has redness of eyes?(A)
30 Those who linger late over wine,
    those who keep trying mixed wines.(B)
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
32 At the last it bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your mind utter perverse things.(C)
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.[a]
35 “They struck me,” you will say,[b] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I will seek another drink.”(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.34 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 23.35 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb lacks you will say

29 Who has trouble? Who has misery?
Who has quarrels? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds for no reason? Who has glazed eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
those who go to search for mixed wine.
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly.
32 Later it bites like a snake,
and it strikes like a venomous viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things,
and your mind will say senseless things.
34 You will be like someone who tries to sleep in the middle of the sea,
like someone who tries to sleep at the top of a ship’s mast.
35 “They struck me, but I felt no pain.
They beat me, but I was not aware of it.
When will I wake up, so that I can try it again?”

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It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings to drink wine
    or for rulers to desire[a] strong drink,(A)
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to one who is perishing
    and wine to those in bitter distress;
let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

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Footnotes

  1. 31.4 Cn: Heb where

It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
nor for rulers to crave beer.
If he does, he will drink and forget what is decreed.
He will change the legal rights of all the oppressed.
Give beer to someone who is perishing
and wine to one whose soul is bitter.
He will drink and forget his poverty,
and he will no longer remember his trouble.

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