The Meaning of Proverbs 20:1 Explained

Proverbs 20:1

KJV: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

YLT: Wine is a scorner -- strong drink is noisy, And any going astray in it is not wise.

Darby: Wine is a scorner, strong drink is raging; and whoso erreth thereby is not wise.

ASV: Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; And whosoever erreth thereby is not wise.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Wine  [is] a mocker,  strong drink  [is] raging:  and whosoever is deceived  thereby is not wise. 

What does Proverbs 20:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 20:1-15 - Sobriety Industry Honesty
Strong drink is the greatest of all foes to human happiness. It gains an influence over men by fair promises, but when once it is entrenched, it mocks at the misery of its abject slave. It promises strength for the arm, joy for the heart, brilliance for the mind; but those fair promises are not kept, and the end is impotence, misery, and imbecility. Let each reader of these words henceforth utterly abjure it!
The sluggard is depicted throughout this book to stir us to diligent industry. After all, it is not by great gifts but by patient persistence that men succeed. Indeed, the highest genius is left behind by the careful plodder, if the one lacks and the other possesses this invaluable quality. "Diligent in business, serving the Lord."
All our life lies open to the eye of God. He is closely acquainted with the transactions of the bank, the office, the ledger, and the weights in the store. No lapse from perfect honesty escapes his notice; and for every act of deception there is an inevitable Nemesis. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 20

1  Proper Living

What do the individual words in Proverbs 20:1 mean?

A mocker Wine [is] [is] a brawler Strong drink and whoever is led astray by it not is wise
לֵ֣ץ הַ֭יַּין‪‬ הֹמֶ֣ה שֵׁכָ֑ר וְכָל־ שֹׁ֥גֶה בּ֝֗וֹ לֹ֣א יֶחְכָּֽם

לֵ֣ץ  A  mocker 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: לִיץ 
Sense: to scorn, make mouths at, talk arrogantly.
הַ֭יַּין‪‬  Wine  [is] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
הֹמֶ֣ה  [is]  a  brawler 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָמָה  
Sense: to murmur, growl, roar, cry aloud, mourn, rage, sound, make noise, tumult, be clamorous, be disquieted, be loud, be moved, be troubled, be in an uproar.
שֵׁכָ֑ר  Strong  drink 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁכָר  
Sense: strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor.
וְכָל־  and  whoever 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שֹׁ֥גֶה  is  led  astray 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁגָה  
Sense: to go astray, stray, err.
בּ֝֗וֹ  by  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
יֶחְכָּֽם  is  wise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָכַם  
Sense: to be wise.