Proverbs 23:31

Proverbs 23:31

 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

a. ASV: Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, When it sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth down smoothly:

b. YLT: See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.

c. Classic Amplified: Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the wineglass, when it goes down smoothly.

d. Septuagint: For if thou shouldest set thine eyes on bowls and cups, thou shalt afterwards go more naked than a pestle.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Do not look at wine becoming red, for to one who fixes his eyes on the golblet all paths are upright.

1. “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup…”

a. Look [Strong: 7200 7200 ra'ah raw-aw' a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.]

b. not [Strong: 408 'al al a negative particle (akin to 3808); not (the qualified negation, used as a deprecative); once (Job 24:25) as a noun, nothing:--nay, neither, + never, no ,nor, not, nothing (worth), rather than.]

c. [upon the] wine [Strong: 3196 yayin yah'-yin from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication:--banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).]

d. when [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

e. [it is] red [Strong: 119 'adam aw-dam' to show blood (in the face), i.e. flush or turn rosy:--be (dyed, made) red (ruddy).

f. when [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

g. [it] giveth [Strong: 5414 nathan naw-than' a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):--add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.]

h. [his color in the] cup [Strong: 3599 kiyc keece a form for 3563; a cup; also a bag for money or weights:--bag, cup, purse.]

2. “...when it moveth itself aright.”

a. [when it] moveth [itself] [Strong: 1980 halak haw-lak' akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along, apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant, depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth, forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on, out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead, march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away), be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread, still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad, on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax, (way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.]

b. aright [Strong: 4339 meyshar may-shawr' from 3474; evenness, i.e. (figuratively) prosperity or concord; also straightness, i.e. (figuratively) rectitude (only in plural with singular sense; often adverbially):--agreement, aright, that are equal, equity, (things that are) right(-eously, things), sweetly, upright(-ly, -ness).]

c. [Strong: 5869 `ayin ah'-yin probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

1). Even alcohol in small amounts is harmful in the sense, it lowers the inhibitions, the guardrails that prevent us from behaving in a way that we would have to ask for God, and other people forgiveness for doing, and for regretting doing. Here is an interesting quote from a scientific study about alcohol’

a). Alcohol is a depressant of the CNS. That means that alcohol makes nerve cells in the brain less excited, causing them to slow down. Does this surprise you? People often think that alcohol is a “pick-me-up” experience because it causes drinkers to become more animated and less reserved. That's because the first areas affected by small amounts of alcohol are those involved in inhibiting behaviors, which can cause an increase in animation, an increase in talkativeness, and greater sociability. http://sciencenetlinks.com/student-teacher-sheets/alcohol-and-your-brain/ 

2). The first mention of alcohol in the Bible is in Genesis and it resulted in Noah being found in an unhonorable condition. It resulted in a curse upon one of his grandsons.

a). Genesis 9:20-25 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

3). Some scholars wonder why such a strong response from Noah toward Canaan, Ham’s son, when he seemingly was not involved. It was Ham that saw his father naked in the tent. It does not say how Noah became uncovered. Personally I lean toward either Ham or Canaan did something to Noah while he was drunk and unconscious. Some scholars believe that something sexual occurred while Noah was drunk. The phrase “uncover the nakedness” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. It is used in Leviticus 18:6-19. It is also found in Ezekiel.

a).  Ezekiel 16:36, 37 Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;

16:37 Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

b). Ezekiel 23:10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

4). Another example of the effects of alcohol numbing moral standards and even producing drunken amnesia is found in Genesis, where Lot’s daughters got him drunk and had sex with him to produce offspring.

a). Genesis 19:30-38  And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

19:37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.