Proverbs 23:35
Proverbs 23:35 in Multiple Translations
“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not hurt; They have beaten me, and I felt it not: When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
They have overcome me, you will say, and I have no pain; they gave me blows without my feeling them: when will I be awake from my wine? I will go after it again.
“People punched me, but it didn't hurt me; they beat me, but I didn't feel a thing. I've got to get up because I need another drink.”
They haue stricken mee, shalt thou say, but I was not sicke: they haue beaten mee, but I knew not, when I awoke: therefore will I seeke it yet still.
'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'
“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
They have stricken me, wilt thou say , and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
And thou shalt say: They have beaten me, but I was not sensible of pain: they drew me, and I felt not: when shall I awake, and find wine again?
You will say, “I think that someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I ◄wake up/feel normal again► in order that I can drink some more wine?”
Berean Amplified Bible — Proverbs 23:35
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Proverbs 23:35 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הִכּ֥וּ/נִי
בַל
חָלִיתִי֮
הֲלָמ֗וּ/נִי
בַּל
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי
מָתַ֥י
אָקִ֑יץ
א֝וֹסִ֗יף
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥/נּוּ
עֽוֹד
הִכּ֥וּ/נִי
nâkâh
H5221
to smite
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp | Suff
בַל
bal
H1077
not
Part
חָלִיתִי֮
châlâh
H2470
be weak
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
הֲלָמ֗וּ/נִי
hâlam
H1986
to smite
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
בַּל
bal
H1077
not
Part
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
מָתַ֥י
mâthay
H4970
how
Part
אָקִ֑יץ
qûwts
H6974
to awake
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
א֝וֹסִ֗יף
yâçaph
H3254
to add
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥/נּוּ
bâqash
H1245
to seek
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff
עֽוֹד
ʻôwd
H5750
still
Adv
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Proverbs 23:35
הִכּ֥וּ/נִי
nâkâh
H5221
"to smite"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3cp | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Definition: 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) 1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
Usage: Occurs in 461 OT verses. KJV: beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. See also: Genesis 4:15; Joshua 10:20; 1 Samuel 29:5.
בַל
bal
H1077
"not"
Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Definition: not, hardly, else
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing. See also: 1 Chronicles 16:30; Psalms 140:12; Psalms 10:4.
חָלִיתִי֮
châlâh
H2470
"be weak"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
To beg or entreat means to ask or pray for something, often with a sense of weakness or sickness, like when someone is grieving or in pain.
Definition: : weak/disabled 1) to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry 1a) (Qal) to be weak, be sick 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to be or become weak, feel weak 1b2) to become sick, become ill 1c) (Niphal) 1c1) to make oneself sick 1c2) to be made sick 1c3) to be tired 1d) (Pual) to be made weak, become weak 1e) (Hithpael) to make oneself sick 1f) (Hiphil) 1f1) to make sore 1f2) to make sick 1f3) to show signs of sickness, become sick 1f4) to grieve 1g) (Hophal) 1g1) to be made sick 1g2) to be wounded
Usage: Occurs in 73 OT verses. KJV: beseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, [idiom] pray, make prayer, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit ([idiom] supplication), woman in travail, be (become) weak, be wounded. See also: Genesis 48:1; Psalms 119:58; Psalms 35:13.
הֲלָמ֗וּ/נִי
hâlam
H1986
"to smite"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp | Suff
To smite means to strike down or conquer, like God smiting the Egyptians in Exodus 3:20. It can also mean to hammer or overcome, as in Jeremiah 23:29.
Definition: (Qal) to smite, strike, hammer, strike down
Usage: Occurs in 9 OT verses. KJV: beat (down), break (down), overcome, smite (with the hammer). See also: Judges 5:22; Psalms 141:5; Psalms 74:6.
בַּל
bal
H1077
"not"
Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means not or nothing, often used to show something is absent or non-existent. It appears in various forms, like lest or neither. The KJV Bible translates it in different ways, including not or none.
Definition: not, hardly, else
Usage: Occurs in 58 OT verses. KJV: lest, neither, no, none (that...), not (any), nothing. See also: 1 Chronicles 16:30; Psalms 140:12; Psalms 10:4.
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
מָתַ֥י
mâthay
H4970
"how"
Part
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means 'when' or 'how long', often used to ask about time or duration, like in Genesis when asking how long a task will take.
Definition: 1) when? 1a) with prep 1a1) against when?, until when?, how long?, after how long?
Usage: Occurs in 40 OT verses. KJV: long, when. See also: Genesis 30:30; Psalms 101:2; Psalms 6:4.
אָקִ֑יץ
qûwts
H6974
"to awake"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
In the Bible, this word means to wake up or be awake, like when God told Samuel to arise and anoint a new king in 1 Samuel 16:3. It can also mean to be watchful, as in Psalm 102:7.
Definition: 1) to awake, wake up 1a) (Hiphil) to awaken, arouse, show signs of waking, awake
Usage: Occurs in 22 OT verses. KJV: arise, (be) (a-) wake, watch. See also: 1 Samuel 26:12; Proverbs 23:35; Psalms 3:6.
א֝וֹסִ֗יף
yâçaph
H3254
"to add"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
To add means to increase or do something again, like adding more of something or continuing an action. This word is used in the Bible to describe growth or repetition.
Definition: : add/more[amount] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: add, [idiom] again, [idiom] any more, [idiom] cease, [idiom] come more, [phrase] conceive again, continue, exceed, [idiom] further, [idiom] gather together, get more, give more-over, [idiom] henceforth, increase (more and more), join, [idiom] longer (bring, do, make, much, put), [idiom] (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed (further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, [idiom] yet, yield. See also: Genesis 4:2; 2 Samuel 19:14; Psalms 10:18.
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥/נּוּ
bâqash
H1245
"to seek"
V-Piel-Imperf-1cs | Suff
This Hebrew verb means to seek or search for something. In Psalm 105:4, it's used to encourage seeking God's face. It's also used in 1 Samuel 28:8 where Saul seeks a medium.
Definition: 1) to seek, require, desire, exact, request 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to seek to find 1a2) to seek to secure 1a3) to seek the face 1a4) to desire, demand 1a5) to require, exact 1a6) to ask, request 1b) (Pual) to be sought
Usage: Occurs in 215 OT verses. KJV: ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for). See also: Genesis 31:39; Esther 7:7; Psalms 4:3.
עֽוֹד
ʻôwd
H5750
"still"
Adv
The word 'still' means something continues or happens again, like in Genesis 29:26 and Isaiah 2:11. It can also mean 'more' or 'additionally'.
Definition: subst 1) a going round, continuance adv 2) still, yet, again, besides 2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence) 2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition) 2c) again 2d) still, moreover, besides Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Usage: Occurs in 459 OT verses. KJV: again, [idiom] all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), [idiom] once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within). See also: Genesis 4:25; Judges 9:37; 2 Chronicles 32:16.
Study Notes — Proverbs 23:35
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Proverbs 23:35 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 23:35
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 23:35
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
- Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
- Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
- Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 23:35
- Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
- Sermons on Proverbs 23:35
Context — Saying 19
33Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.
34You will be like one sleeping on the high seas or lying on the top of a mast:
35“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I did not know it! When can I wake up to search for another drink?”
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 56:12 | “Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!” |
| 2 | Jeremiah 5:3 | O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they felt no pain. You finished them off, but they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent. |
| 3 | 2 Peter 2:22 | Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.” |
| 4 | Proverbs 27:22 | Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him. |
| 5 | 1 Corinthians 15:32–34 | If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame. |
| 6 | Proverbs 26:11 | As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. |
| 7 | Ephesians 4:19 | Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more. |
| 8 | Deuteronomy 29:19 | because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry. |
| 9 | Isaiah 22:13 | But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” |
| 10 | Jeremiah 31:18 | I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God. |
Proverbs 23:35 Summary
[Proverbs 23:35 describes a person who is so drunk that they don't even feel pain when they are hurt, and they just want to keep drinking. This is a picture of what can happen when we let sin or addiction control our lives, as seen in Romans 6:16. We can become numb to the things that are truly important and just keep seeking more of the thing that is harming us. As it says in Proverbs 23:32, 'In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.']
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the context of Proverbs 23:35 and how does it relate to the preceding verses?
Proverbs 23:35 is a continuation of the description of the effects of excessive drinking started in Proverbs 23:29-30, with the speaker now in a state of numbness and seeking more drink, as also seen in Proverbs 23:33-34 where strange things are seen and perversities are uttered.
How does the numbness described in Proverbs 23:35 relate to spiritual numbness?
The physical numbness described in Proverbs 23:35 can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual numbness, where one becomes desensitized to the things of God, similar to what is described in Ephesians 4:19, where people give themselves over to sensuality, having lost all sensitivity.
What warning does Proverbs 23:35 give regarding the pursuit of drunkenness?
Proverbs 23:35 warns that the pursuit of drunkenness can lead to a loss of self-awareness and a craving for more, as also seen in Proverbs 21:17, where it is said that he who loves pleasure will become poor, and in Proverbs 28:7, where it is said that he who keeps the law is a son, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
How does Proverbs 23:35 relate to the biblical concept of drunkenness as a form of escapism?
Proverbs 23:35 illustrates how drunkenness can be used as a form of escapism, as the speaker is trying to escape the pain and reality of their situation, similar to what is described in Isaiah 28:7, where the priests and prophets stumble due to beer and wine, and in 1 Peter 5:7, where believers are encouraged to cast their anxieties on God instead of turning to escapism.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I may be seeking to escape or numb myself, and how can I instead turn to God for comfort and guidance?
- How can I cultivate self-awareness and recognize when I am pursuing things that are harmful to my spiritual and physical well-being?
- In what ways can I prioritize seeking the things of God and staying sensitive to His voice, rather than pursuing worldly pleasures?
- What are some ways that I can be a good steward of my body and my mind, and avoid the temptation to seek escapism through substances or other means?
Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 23:35
They have stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick,.... Or "grieved not" (x); or was not wounded or skin broken (y); see Jeremiah 5:3.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 23:35
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
They have stricken me; I cannot deny that I exposed myself by my drunkenness to manifold abuses and injuries. I was not sick; I was not then sensible of it, neither do I now find any great hurt by it; it was but the effect of a present frolic, at which I have no cause to be much troubled. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again; at present I find some inconvenience, and my condition requires sleep to settle myself, and when I am composed and refreshed, I purpose to return to my former course. But that which Solomon here expresseth, seems rather to be the language of their hearts or lives than of their tongues. Compare .
Trapp's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
Proverbs 23:35 They have stricken me, [shalt thou say, and] I was not sick; they have beaten me, [and] I felt [it] not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.Ver. 35. They have stricken me.] A drunken man, we say, takes no hurt, feels no smart, is turned into a very stock. Dionysius the Heracleot felt not needles thrust into his fat belly. Pliny mentioneth certain bears, that being sound asleep, cannot be wakened with the sharpest prickles. Mathiolus reports of the asses of Etruria, that, feeding upon henbane, they fall into such a dead sleep, that being taken for dead, they are half hideled, ere they can be aroused. Lo, such is the drunkard’ s lethargy; neither is he more insensible than sensual and irrecoverable. Mathiol. in Dioscorid. The common name of the annual plant Hyoscyamus niger, a native of Europe and northern Asia, growing on waste ground, having dull yellow flowers streaked with purple, viscid stem and leaves, unpleasant smell, and narcotic and poisonous properties; also extended to the genus as a whole. [?Skinned.]
Ellicott's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
(35) They have stricken me, and I was not sick.—The drunken man feels no blows or ill usage. When shall I awake?—He longs to rouse himself from his slumber that he may return to his debauch.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
Verse 35. They have stricken me] Though beat and abused, full of pain, and exhibiting a frightful figure; yet so drunk was he, as to be insensible who had struck him: still, after all this abuse and disgrace, he purposes to embrace the next opportunity of repeating his excesses! SIN makes a man contemptible in life, miserable in death, and wretched to all eternity. Is it not strange, then, that men should LOVE it?
Cambridge Bible on Proverbs 23:35
35. sick] Rather, hurt, R.V. or pained; ἐπόνεσα, LXX.; dolui, Vulg. Both the physical and moral insensibility of the drunkard to the consequences of his vice are perhaps pointed at. awake] i.e. shake off completely the stupor from which he is beginning to rouse himself. His first thought on regaining consciousness is to repeat his fault. it] the wine which though it has not been mentioned since Proverbs 23:31, is uppermost in his thoughts. The whole description is strikingly vivid.
Whedon's Commentary on Proverbs 23:35
35. Stricken me… beaten me — The drunkard, in his sottish stupidity, soliloquizes, apparently unconscious of any evil effects from his indulgence, and is urged by the strength of his appetite and habits to pursue his old vice.
Sermons on Proverbs 23:35
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
What Do You Do With Your Future by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher uses various metaphors to describe the fleeting nature of life. He compares life to a mess on a hillside, grass in a valley, the flight of a bird, and |
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I Don't Want to Be Right! by Ralph Sexton | In this sermon, the preacher expresses concern about the state of the world and the impact it has on children. He emphasizes the importance of parents setting a good example for th |
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Divine Jealousy for the Truth by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar emphasizes God's divine jealousy for the truth, asserting that His eyes are constantly watching over it to guard and maintain it. He explains that there is only one |
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A Time of Unusual Sickness and Mortality Improved by Samuel Davies | Samuel Davies preaches about the urgent need for sinners to turn to God in the midst of afflictions and mortality, emphasizing the importance of genuine conversion and the necessit |
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Divine Jealousy for the Truth. by Horatius Bonar | Horatius Bonar emphasizes God's divine jealousy for truth, as expressed in Jeremiah 5:3, where the Lord laments the absence of truth among His people. He asserts that God's watchfu |
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We Shall All Stand Before the Judgement Seat of Christ by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ. He references Romans 14:10, which states that everyone will give an account |
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Personal Testimony by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on a personal experience of going against his conscience and the consequences that followed. He describes the moment when his father confronted |