Amsal 20:1

20:1 Wine ¹  is a mocker ²  and strong drink is a brawler;

whoever goes astray by them is not wise. ³ 

Amsal 10:17

10:17 The one who heeds instruction ⁴  is on the way to ⁵  life,

but the one who rejects ⁶  rebuke goes astray.

Yesaya 5:11

5:11 Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead, ⁷ 

those who keep drinking long after dark

until they are intoxicated with wine. ⁸ 

Yesaya 5:22

5:22 Those who are champions ⁹  at drinking wine are as good as dead, ¹⁰ 

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

[20:1]  ¹ sn The drinks are wine and barley beer (e.g., Lev 10:9; Deut 14:26; Isa 28:7). These terms here could be understood as personifications, but better as metonymies for those who drink wine and beer. The inebriated person mocks and brawls.

[20:1]  ² tn The two participles לֵץ (lets, “mocker”) and הֹמֶה (homeh, “brawler”) are substantives; they function as predicates in the sentence. Excessive use of intoxicants excites the drinker to boisterous behavior and aggressive attitudes – it turns them into mockers and brawlers.

[20:1]  ³ sn The proverb does not prohibit the use of wine or beer; in fact, strong drink was used at festivals and celebrations. But intoxication was considered out of bounds for a member of the covenant community (e.g., 23:20-21, 29-35; 31:4-7). To be led astray by their use is not wise.

[10:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “discipline.” The noun מוּסָר (musar) has a basic two-fold range of meanings: (1) “discipline” (so NIV; NAB “admonition”; NCV, NLT “correction”) and (2) “instruction” (BDB 416 s.v.; so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The wise person listens to instruction (first colon); however, the fool will not even take discipline to heart (second colon).

[10:17]  ⁵ tn The term is a genitive of location indicating the goal (IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2f).

[10:17]  ⁶ sn The contrast with the one who holds fast to discipline is the one who forsakes or abandons reproof or correction. Whereas the first is an example, this latter individual causes people to wander from the true course of life, that is, causes them to err.

[5:11]  ⁷ tn Heb “Woe [to] those who arise early in the morning, [who] chase beer.”

[5:11]  ⁸ tn Heb “[who] delay until dark, [until] wine enflames them.”

[5:11]  sn This verse does not condemn drinking per se, but refers to the carousing lifestyle of the rich bureaucrats, made possible by wealth taken from the poor. Their carousing is not the fundamental problem, but a disgusting symptom of the real disease – their social injustice.

[5:22]  ⁹ tn The language used here is quite sarcastic and paves the way for the shocking description of the enemy army in vv. 25-30. The rich leaders of Judah are nothing but “party animals” who are totally incapable of withstanding real warriors.

[5:22]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Woe [to]….” See the note at v. 8.