Proverbs 23:29
Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
The verse answers its own questions by pointing to those who linger long over wine and who go to seek mixed drink. Its woe, sorrow, contentions, babbling or foolish talk, wounds without cause, and redness or bloodshot eyes are the marks of such persons, showing the misery and the debasing, enslaving and harmful effects of intoxicating drink.
In its context the warning continues that wine when red and sparkling in the cup should not be looked upon, for at last it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. It makes the eyes see strange things and the heart speak perverse things. It brings a stupor like lying in the midst of the sea or on top of a mast, with insensibility so that blows are not felt and with a craving on awaking only to seek drink again.
Indulgence in spirituous liquors, wine and strong drink does great evil, bringing sorrow, trouble, conflict, injury and impaired judgment. It clouds the powers given by God, disorders the nervous system, weakens reason and resolve, and takes away reason and self-control. It leaves people unaware of what they do and able to cause fatal harm, neglecting obligation to family and friends and bartering away house, food and clothing to gratify craving, and contributing to death and lessened days of life. Even moderate drinking and even one drink can gradually cultivate an appetite for stimulants and lead toward drunkenness until appetite controls the person, so that abstinence is the only safety from its madness and woe. To continue drinking after being told again and again of this harm is transgression of the laws of God, and drinkers should cease transgressing and seek to preserve themselves in a condition of health.
The verse also pictures the world-loving professed Christian who is drunken and benumbed with appetite for gain, forgets heaven, loses peace of mind and joy of soul and divine approbation and the heavenly mansions and glorious rest, toils in the way of the transgressor and receives death. Love of the world at such sacrifice is an even greater exhibition of insanity than drunkenness.