John Gill Commentary Proverbs 23:32

"At the last it biteth like a serpent, And stingeth like an adder." — Proverbs 23:32 (ASV)

At the last it bites like a serpent Though it goes down sweetly, yet it leaves a sting behind it, intemperately drunk; a nausea in the stomach, a stink in the breath, pains and giddiness in the head, weakness in the eyes, trembling in the members of the body, palsy, gout, and other distempers, very painful and grievous to be borne; and, what is worse, if the conscience is awakened, sharp and cutting reflections there; and, without true repentance, torments intolerable in the world to come;

and stings like an adder ; or "spreads" ^F21 , or separates and scatters; that is, its poison. So the Vulgate Latin version, "diffuses poisons as a basilisk", or "cockatrice"; the Targum and Syriac version, ``as a serpent which flies;'' it signifies the same as before.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (vrpy) "jecur diffindet", Schultens.