Proverbs 23:35 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The drunkard wakes from a beating, not knowing what happened, and returns to drink.
The Context of Proverbs 23:35
Conclusion: the drunkard is trapped in a cycle of harm and returning to drink.
What Does Proverbs 23:35 Mean?
The verse depicts the drunkard's confusion and numbness: they have beaten him, but in his drunken state he did not feel it. He wakes disoriented, not aware of how he came to be injured, lacking the capacity to learn from harm. Pain should warn and correct, but he does not feel its message.
Despite the violence and injury—signs of the destruction wrought by drink—he asks when he will awake (from sleep, from his stupor) so he can seek the wine again. This is the tragic cycle: he has learned nothing; the consequences do not deter him. He is enslaved to appetite, unable to break free even after beating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Proverbs 23:35
What does Proverbs 23:35 mean?
The drunkard wakes from a beating, not knowing what happened, and returns to drink.
What is the context of Proverbs 23:35?
Conclusion: the drunkard is trapped in a cycle of harm and returning to drink.