20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
    and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.^(A)

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
    Who has redness of eyes?^(A)
30 Those who linger late over wine,
    those who keep trying mixed wines.^(B)
31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup
    and goes down smoothly.
³² At the last it bites like a serpent
    and stings like an adder.
³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
    and your mind utter perverse things.^(C)
34 You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
    like one who lies on the top of a mast.^[a]
35 “They struck me,” you will say,^[b] “but I was not hurt;
    they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
    I will seek another drink.”^(D)

⁷ These also reel with wine
    and stagger with strong drink;
the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink;
    they are confused with wine;
    they stagger with strong drink;
they err in vision;
    they stumble in giving judgment.^(A)