On his birthday three days later the king gave a banquet for all his officials; he released his wine steward and his chief baker and brought them before his officials.

One night King Belshazzar invited a thousand noblemen to a great banquet, and they drank wine together.

At once the gold cups and bowls were brought in, and they all drank wine out of them

On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced in front of the whole group. Herod was so pleased

Finally Herodias got her chance. It was on Herod's birthday, when he gave a feast for all the top government officials, the military chiefs, and the leading citizens of Galilee.

Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It's stupid to get drunk.

You are doomed! You get up early in the morning to start drinking, and you spend long evenings getting drunk.

At your feasts you have harps and tambourines and flutes---and wine. But you don't understand what the LORD is doing,

You are doomed! Heroes of the wine bottle! Brave and fearless when it comes to mixing drinks!

But for just a bribe you let the guilty go free, and you keep the innocent from getting justice.

The kingdom of Israel is doomed! Its glory is fading like the crowns of flowers on the heads of its drunken leaders. Their proud heads are well perfumed, but there they lie, dead drunk.

Even the prophets and the priests are so drunk that they stagger. They have drunk so much wine and liquor that they stumble in confusion. The prophets are too drunk to understand the visions that God sends, and the priests are too drunk to decide the cases that are brought to them.

The tables where they sit are all covered with vomit, and not a clean spot is left.

You are doomed! In your fury you humiliated and disgraced your neighbors; you made them stagger as though they were drunk.

You in turn will be covered with shame instead of honor. You yourself will drink and stagger. The LORD will make you drink your own cup of punishment, and your honor will be turned to disgrace.

Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit.

You have spent enough time in the past doing what the heathen like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and the disgusting worship of idols.

And now the heathen are surprised when you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living, and so they insult you.

When King Jeroboam heard this, he pointed at him and ordered, "Seize that man!" At once the king's arm became paralyzed so that he couldn't pull it back.

Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.

They talk about me in the streets, and drunkards make up songs about me.

Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined.

Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided.

Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly.

Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly.

"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."

and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

You acted against the Lord of heaven and brought in the cups and bowls taken from his Temple. You, your noblemen, your wives, and your concubines drank wine out of them and praised gods made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone---gods that cannot see or hear and that do not know anything. But you did not honor the God who determines whether you live or die and who controls everything you do.