51 The eighteenth saying is about excessive drinking. The style changes here as the sage breaks into a vivid use of the imagination. It begins with a riddle describing the effects of drunkenness (v. 29) and gives the answer in v. 30; instructions follow in v. 31, with the consequences described in v. 32; the direct address continues in vv. 33 and 34; and the whole subject is concluded with the drunkard’s own words in v. 35 (M. E. Andrews, “Variety of Expression in Proverbs 23:29–35,” 28 [1978]: 102–3).
52 The Hebrew word translated “dullness” describes darkness or dullness of the eyes due to intoxication, perhaps “redness” (so , , ); , , “bloodshot eyes.” understands the situation differently: “black eyes.”
53 The answer to the question posed in v. 29 is obviously one who drinks too much, which this verse uses metonymies to point out. Lingering over wine is an adjunct of drinking more wine; and seeking mixed wine obviously means with the effect or the purpose of drinking it.
54 Heb “its eye gives.” With ’s “bubbling up in the glass” one might think champagne was in view.
55 The expression is difficult, and is suspected of having been added from Song 7:10, although the parallel is not exact. The verb is the Hitpael imperfect of הָלַךְ (halakh); and the prepositional phrase uses the word “upright; equity; pleasing,” from יָשָׁר (yashar). has “when it moveth itself aright”; much more helpful is : “when it goeth down smoothly.” Most recent English versions are similar to . The phrase obviously refers to the pleasing nature of wine.
56 Heb “its end”; “At the last”; (interpretively) “The next morning.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

Those who tarry long over wine;

those who go to try mixed wine.

Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

In the end it bites like a serpent

and stings like an adder.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaints?

Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

Those who linger over wine,

who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

Do not gaze at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup,

when it goes down smoothly!

In the end it bites like a snake

and poisons like a viper.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has conflicts? Who has complaints?

Who has wounds for no reason?

Who has red eyes?

Those who linger over wine;

those who go looking for mixed wine.

Don’t gaze at wine because it is red,

because it gleams in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

In the end it bites like a snake

and stings like a viper.

NLTNew Living Translation

Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?

Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?

Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?

It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,

trying out new drinks.

Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,

how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.

For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;

it stings like a viper.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

To whom is woe? To whom is sorrow? To whom are quarrels? To whom is complaint?

To whom are wounds without cause? To whom is redness of the eyes?

To those who linger over wine,

to those who come to try mixed wine.

Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles on the cup,

going down smoothly.

In the end, it will bite like a serpent,

and it will sting like an adder.

KJV 1900King James Version

Who hath woe? who hath sorrow?

Who hath contentions? who hath babbling?

Who hath wounds without cause?

Who hath redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at the wine;

They that go to seek mixed wine.

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red,

When it giveth his colour in the cup,

When it moveth itself aright.

At the last it biteth like a serpent,

And stingeth like an adder.

Public Domain