Proverbs 23:35
New International Version
“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”

New Living Translation
And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”

English Standard Version
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink.”

Berean Standard Bible
“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?”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
“They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?

New American Standard Bible
“They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When will I awake? I will seek another drink.”

NASB 1995
“They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”

NASB 1977
“They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek yet another.”

Amplified Bible
“They struck me, but I was not hurt! They beat me, but I did not feel it! When will I wake up? I will seek more wine.”

Christian Standard Bible
“They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They struck me, but I feel no pain! They beat me, but I didn’t know it! When will I wake up? I’ll look for another drink.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
You will be bruised all over, without even remembering how it all happened. And you will lie awake asking, "When will morning come, so I can drink some more?"

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"They strike me, but I feel no pain. They beat me, but I'm not aware of it. Whenever I wake up, I'm going to look for another drink."

Good News Translation
"I must have been hit," you will say; "I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink."

International Standard Version
"They struck me," you will say, "but I never felt it. They beat me, but I never knew it When will I wake up? I want another drink."

Majority Standard Bible
?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??

NET Bible
You will say, "They have struck me, but I am not harmed! They beat me, but I did not know it! When will I awake? I will look for another drink."

New Heart English Bible
"They hit me, and I was not hurt. They beat me, and I do not feel it. When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
“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.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“They struck me, I have not been sick, "" They beat me, I have not known. When I awake—I seek it yet again!”

Young's Literal Translation
'They smote me, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake -- I seek it yet again!'

Smith's Literal Translation
They struck me, I was not pained; they beat me, I knew not: when shall I awake? I will add, I will yet seek it.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you will say: “They have beaten me, but I did not feel pain. They have dragged me, and I did not realize it. When will I awaken and find more wine?”

New American Bible
“They struck me, but it did not pain me; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When can I get up, when can I go out and get more?”

New Revised Standard Version
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They have beaten me, you shall say, but I did not suffer, they have mocked me, but I did not know it; when I shall awake sober, I will go and seek it yet again.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you will say, "They hit me and I did not suffer; they were abusive to me and I did not know it. When I wake up and I go out, I will seek it.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They have struck me, and I felt it not, They have beaten me, and I knew it not; When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained; and they mocked me, and I knew it not: when will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may go in company?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
True Riches
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
Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Isaiah 28:7
These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.

Habakkuk 2:15
Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!

1 Corinthians 6:10
nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:21
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 13:13
Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

1 Peter 4:3
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.

Luke 21:34
But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

1 Thessalonians 5:7
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Isaiah 5:11-12
Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine. / At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

Hosea 4:11
to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.

Joel 1:5
Wake up, you drunkards, and weep; wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it has been cut off from your mouth.

Micah 2:11
If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!

Nahum 1:10
For they will be entangled as with thorns and consumed like the drink of a drunkard—like stubble that is fully dry.

Jeremiah 51:39
While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

They have stricken me, shall you 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.

stricken

Proverbs 27:22
Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Jeremiah 5:3
O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Jeremiah 31:18
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

i felt it not

Ephesians 4:19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

i will

Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Deuteronomy 29:19
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

Isaiah 22:13
And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

Jump to Previous
Awake Beat Beaten Blows Drink Feel Feeling Felt Find Hit Hurt Ill Overcome Pain Seek Sick Smitten Sore Stricken Struck Wake Wilt Wine
Jump to Next
Awake Beat Beaten Blows Drink Feel Feeling Felt Find Hit Hurt Ill Overcome Pain Seek Sick Smitten Sore Stricken Struck Wake Wilt Wine
Proverbs 23
1. Consider carefully what is before you














They struck me, but I feel no pain
This phrase captures the numbing effect of indulgence and sin, particularly in the context of alcohol abuse, which is a central theme in this passage. The Hebrew root for "struck" (נכה, nakah) often implies a physical blow or a severe impact, suggesting that the consequences of one's actions can be harsh and damaging. Yet, the speaker's admission of feeling "no pain" highlights a dangerous desensitization. This insensitivity can be both physical and spiritual, reflecting a state where one's conscience is dulled, and the awareness of sin's repercussions is lost. Historically, this can be seen as a warning against the moral and spiritual stupor that can accompany excessive indulgence.

they beat me, but I did not know it
The repetition of violence with "they beat me" (הִכּוּנִי, hikkuni) emphasizes the severity of the consequences faced. The phrase "but I did not know it" suggests a profound ignorance or denial of reality. In a spiritual sense, this can be interpreted as a warning against the self-deception that sin can bring. The Hebrew understanding of knowledge (יָדַע, yada) is deeply relational and experiential, indicating that the speaker is disconnected from the truth of their situation. This reflects a broader biblical theme where sin blinds individuals to their true state, leading them away from wisdom and righteousness.

When will I wake up
This phrase is a poignant cry for awareness and change. The Hebrew concept of waking (עוּר, ur) often symbolizes a return to consciousness or enlightenment. In the biblical context, waking up is frequently associated with repentance and a turning back to God. This rhetorical question implies a longing for deliverance from the stupor of sin and a desire to return to a state of spiritual alertness. It serves as a call to action, urging individuals to seek God's wisdom and guidance to break free from the chains of indulgence and ignorance.

so I can find another drink?
The concluding phrase reveals the tragic cycle of addiction and the futility of seeking fulfillment in earthly pleasures. The Hebrew word for "find" (בָּקַשׁ, baqash) implies an active search or pursuit, indicating that the speaker is trapped in a relentless quest for satisfaction that ultimately leads nowhere. This reflects the biblical teaching that true fulfillment and peace can only be found in a relationship with God, not in the temporary and deceptive pleasures of the world. The verse as a whole serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of excess and the importance of seeking wisdom and self-control through faith.

(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.

Verse 35. - The drunkard is represented as speaking to himself. The LXX. inserts, "and thou shelf say" as the Authorized Version does: They have stricken me, shall thou say, and I was not sick; or, I was not hurt. The drunken man has been beaten (perhaps there is a reference to the "contentions," ver. 29), but the blows did not pain him; his condition has rendered him insensible to pain. He has some vague idea the he has suffered certain rough treatment at the hands of his companions, but it has made no impression on him. They have beaten me, and I felt it not; did not even know it. Far from recognizing his degradation and profiting by the merzed chastisement which he has incurred, he is represented as looking forward with pleasure to a renewal of his debauch, when his drunken sleep shall be over. When shall I awake? I will seek it (wine) yet again. Some take מָתַי (mathai) as the relative conjunctive: "When I awake I will seek it again;" but it is always used interrogatively, and the expression thus becomes more animated, as Delitzsch observes. It is as though the drunkard has to yield to the effects of his excess and sleep off his intoxication, but he is. as it were, all the time longing to be able to rouse himself and recommence his orgies. We have had words put into the mouth of the sluggard (Proverbs 6:10). The whole verse is rendered by the LXX thus: "Thou shalt say, They smote me, and I was not pained, and they mocked me, and I knew it not. When will it be morning, that I may go and seek those with whom I may consort?" The author of the 'Tractutus de Conscientia' appended to St. Bernard's works, applies this paragraph to the cuss of an evil conscience indurated by wicked habits and insensible to correction.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“They struck me,
הִכּ֥וּנִי (hik·kū·nî)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

but I feel no
בַל־ (ḇal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

pain!
חָלִיתִי֮ (ḥā·lî·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

They beat me,
הֲלָמ֗וּנִי (hă·lā·mū·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | first person common singular
Strong's 1986: To strike down, to hammer, stamp, conquer, disband

but I did not
בַּל־ (bal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

know it!
יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי (yā·ḏā·‘ə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

When
מָתַ֥י (mā·ṯay)
Interrogative
Strong's 4970: Extent, when

can I wake up
אָקִ֑יץ (’ā·qîṣ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 6974: Arise, be awake, watch

to search for
אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥נּוּ (’ă·ḇaq·šen·nū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

another
א֝וֹסִ֗יף (’ō·w·sîp̄)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3254: To add, augment

drink?”
עֽוֹד׃ (‘ō·wḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 5750: Iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more


Links
Proverbs 23:35 NIV
Proverbs 23:35 NLT
Proverbs 23:35 ESV
Proverbs 23:35 NASB
Proverbs 23:35 KJV

Proverbs 23:35 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 23:35 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 23:35 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 23:35 French Bible
Proverbs 23:35 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Proverbs 23:35 They hit me and I was not (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 23:34
Top of Page
Top of Page