Staying on the Path of Wisdom: A Reflection on Proverbs 20:1

“A scoffer is wine; a roarer is strong drink; and everyone who goes astray because of it is not wise.”—Proverbs 20:1

Wisdom is not merely the possession of knowledge; it is the proper application of knowledge to life. True wisdom—perfect wisdom—does not make mistakes. It implies that there is a correct path laid out before us. Even if that path has branches, each branch remains narrow, requiring skillful discernment to walk rightly. To depart from the path of wisdom, even slightly, is to be in error.

If you are not walking on the path of wisdom, then you are not wise.

This truth frames our understanding of Proverbs 20:1. Wine and strong drink, though gifts of God when used properly, are powerful influences. Too much of them makes it difficult to walk steadily and stay on the path. They do not merely cloud the mind—they distort moral judgment and behavior.

Notice how the proverb speaks: wine is not just described as something dangerous; it is personified as a scoffer. Strong drink is not merely potent; it is portrayed as a roarer—a loud, tumultuous, disruptive force. This personification reveals the moral danger: wine and strong drink can change a person’s character, making them embody qualities that wisdom rejects.

The wise man does not scoff. Proverbs and Psalms both warn against the company of scoffers:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.” (Psalm 1:1)

Scoffing is a form of arrogant rebellion against moral order. It is the opposite of fearing the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Wine, when abused, can pull a person into that rebellious posture, turning a heart that once respected God’s ways into a mouth that mocks them.

Similarly, the wise man does not roar against God. Roaring represents more than just loudness; it symbolizes inner turmoil expressed in angry, defiant noise. Psalm 77 gives us a powerful example. The psalmist, overwhelmed with trouble and infirmity, says:

“I remembered God, and I moaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.” (Psalm 77:3)

The word translated “moaned” carries the idea of roaring or groaning loudly. Yet as the psalm unfolds, the psalmist realizes that his deeper infirmity is not his external trouble, but his attitude toward God. He shifts his focus from his pain to God’s mighty works and faithful character. This is the movement from foolish roaring to humble trust—the movement back onto the path of wisdom.

Wine and strong drink, if not handled with care, can catalyze the temptation to scoff or roar against God and others. They can turn a wise man into a fool. They can turn a walker on the narrow way into one who strays.

Thus, Proverbs 20:1 warns us:

• A scoffer is not wise.

• A roarer is not wise.

• Anyone who becomes either is not wise.

We must be aware of what influences us. We must guard against anything—whether wine, strong drink, or any intoxicating influence—that would tempt us to leave the narrow path of wisdom. True wisdom walks steadily, humbly, and attentively before the Lord. Anything that pulls us away from that must be handled with extreme caution, or avoided altogether.

Let us be among those who stay on the path.