{a} Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.

(a) By wine here is meant him that is given to wine, and so by strong drink.

Wesley's Notes

20:1 A mocker - Wine immoderately drunk makes men mockers. Raging - Makes men full of rage.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 20

Pr 20:1-30.

1. mocker-scorner. Such men are made by wine.

strong drink-made by spicing wine (compare Isa 5:11, 22); and it may include wine.

raging-or boisterous as a drunkard.

deceived-literally, "erring," or reeling.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:1 It seems hard to believe that men of the greatest abilities, as well as the ignorant, should render themselves fools and madmen, merely for the taste or excitement produced by strong liquors. 2. How formidable kings are to those who provoke them! how much more foolish then is it to provoke the King of kings! 3. To engage in quarrels is the greatest folly that can be. Yield, and even give up just demands, for peace' sake. 4. He who labours and endures hardship in his seed-time for eternity, will be properly diligent as to his earthly business.

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Chapter 20

Verse 1

Here is, 1. The mischief of drunkenness: Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging. It is so to the sinner himself; it mocks him, makes a fool of him, promises him that satisfaction which it can never give him. It smiles upon him at first, but at the last it bites. In reflection upon it, it rages in his conscience. It is raging in the body, puts the humours into a ferment. When the wine is in the wit is out, and then the man, according as his natural temper is, either mocks like a fool or rages like a madman. Drunkenness, which pretends to be a sociable thing, renders men unfit for society, for it makes them abusive with their tongues and outrageous in their passions, ch. 23:29. 2. The folly of drunkards is easily inferred thence. He that is deceived thereby, that suffers himself to be drawn into this sin when he is so plainly warned of the consequences of it, is not wise; he shows that he has no right sense or consideration of things; and not only so, but he renders himself incapable of getting wisdom; for it is a sin that infatuates and besots men, and takes away their heart. A drunkard is a fool, and a fool he is likely to be.