Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Wesley's Notes

23:31 Red - Which was the colour of the best wines in that country. Aright - When it sparkles, and seems to smile upon a man.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

31. when . red-the color denoting greater strength (compare Ge 49:11; De 32:14).

giveth . cup-literally, "gives its eye," that is, sparkles.

moveth . aright-Perhaps its foaming is meant.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:29-35 Solomon warns against drunkenness. Those that would be kept from sin, must keep from all the beginnings of it, and fear coming within reach of its allurements. Foresee the punishment, what it will at last end in, if repentance prevent not. It makes men quarrel. Drunkards wilfully make woe and sorrow for themselves. It makes men impure and insolent. The tongue grows unruly; the heart utters things contrary to reason, religion, and common civility. It stupifies and besots men. They are in danger of death, of damnation; as much exposed as if they slept upon the top of a mast, yet feel secure. They fear no peril when the terrors of the Lord are before them; they feel no pain when the judgments of God are actually upon them. So lost is a drunkard to virtue and honour, so wretchedly is his conscience seared, that he is not ashamed to say, I will seek it again. With good reason we were bid to stop before the beginning. Who that has common sense would contract a habit, or sell himself to a sin, which tends to such guilt and misery, and exposes a man every day to the danger of dying insensible, and awaking in hell? Wisdom seems in these chapters to take up the discourse as at the beginning of the book. They must be considered as the words of Christ to the sinner.