20 Wine is a mocker,^(A) beer is a brawler;
whoever goes astray^[a] because of them is not wise.

¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise;
keep your mind on the right course.
²⁰ Don’t associate with those who drink too much wine^(A)
or with those who gorge themselves on meat.^(B)
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will become poor,
and grogginess will clothe them in rags.^(C)

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?
Who has wounds for no reason?^(A)
Who has red eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine;
those who go looking for mixed wine.^(B)
31 Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,^(C)
because it gleams in the cup
and goes down smoothly.^(D)
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and stings like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
and you will say absurd things.^[a](E)
34 You’ll be like someone sleeping out at sea
or lying down on the top of a ship’s mast.
³⁵ “They struck me, but^[b] I feel no pain!
They beat me, but I didn’t know it!^(F)
When will I wake up?
I’ll look for another drink.”^(G)