28:7 Even these men 1 stagger because of wine,
they stumble around because of beer –
priests and prophets stagger because of beer,
they are confused 2 because of wine,
they stumble around because of beer;
they stagger while seeing prophetic visions, 3
they totter while making legal decisions. 4
28:8 Indeed, all the tables are covered with vomit;
no place is untouched. 5
20:1 Wine 6 is a mocker 7 and strong drink is a brawler;
whoever goes astray by them is not wise. 8
23:32 Afterward 9 it bites like a snake,
and stings like a viper.
1 tn Heb “these.” The demonstrative pronoun anticipates “priests and prophets” two lines later.
2 tn According to HALOT 135 s.v. III בלע, the verb form is derived from בָּלַע (bala’, “confuse”), not the more common בָּלַע (“swallow”). See earlier notes at 3:12 and 9:16.
3 tn Heb “in the seeing.”
4 tn Heb “[in] giving a decision.”
5 tn Heb “vomit, without a place.” For the meaning of the phrase בְּלִי מָקוֹם (bÿli maqom, “without a place”), see HALOT 133 s.v. בְּלִי.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 tn Heb “its end”; NASB “At the last”; TEV (interpretively) “The next morning.”