Proverbs 20:1 - Exposition

Wine is a mocker; or, scorner, the word ( luts ) being taken up from the last chapter. The liquor is, as it were, personified, as doing what men do under its influence. Thus inebriated persons scoff at what is holy, reject reproof, ridicule all that is serious. Septuagint, ἀκόλαστον οἶνος , "Wine is an undisciplined thing;" Vulgate, Luxuriosa res, vinum. Strong drink is raging; a brawler, Revised Version. Shekar, σίκερα ( Luke 1:15 ), is most frequently employed of any intoxicating drink not made from grapes, e.g. palm wine, mead, etc. The inordinate use of this renders men noisy and boisterous, no longer masters of themselves or restrained by the laws of morality or decency. Septuagint, υβιστικὸν μέθη , "Drunkenness is insolent." Theognis has some sensible lines on this matter—

ος δ ἂν ὑπερβάλλῃ πόσιος μὲτρον οὐκέτι κεῖνος

τῆς αὐτοῦ γλώσσης καρτερὸς οὐδὲ νόου

΄υθεῖται δ ἀπάλαμνα τὰ νήφοσι γίγνεται αἰσχρά

αἰδεῖται δ ἕρδων οὐδὲν ὅταν μεθύη |

τὸ πρὶν ἐὼν σώφρων τότε νήπιος

Whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise . No one who reels under the influence of, is overpowered by, wine is wise ( Isaiah 28:7 ). Septuagint, "Every fool is involved in such." Says a Latin adage—

" Ense cadunt multi, perimit sed crapula plures ."

"More are drowned in the wine cup than in the ocean," say the Germans (comp. Proverbs 23:29 , etc.; Ephesians 5:18 ).