The Meaning of Proverbs 23:31 Explained

Proverbs 23:31

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

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.

Darby: Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkleth in the cup, and goeth down smoothly:

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Proverbs 23:31 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 23

1  Consider carefully what is before you

What do the individual words in Proverbs 23:31 mean?

Not do look on the wine when it is red when it sparkles - in the cup eye [when] it swirls around smoothly
אַל־ תֵּ֥רֶא יַיִן֮ כִּ֪י יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם כִּֽי־ יִתֵּ֣ן [בכיס] (בַּכּ֣וֹס) עֵינ֑וֹ יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים

תֵּ֥רֶא  do  look  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יַיִן֮  the  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
יִתְאַ֫דָּ֥ם  it  is  red 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָדֵם  
Sense: to be red, red.
יִתֵּ֣ן  it  sparkles 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
[בכיס]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
(בַּכּ֣וֹס)  in  the  cup 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כִּיס  
Sense: bag, purse.
עֵינ֑וֹ  eye 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
יִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ךְ  [when]  it  swirls  around 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים  smoothly 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֵישָׁרִים  
Sense: evenness, uprightness, straightness, equity.