Proverbs 5
1 My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding;
My son, attend unto my wisdom, incline thine ear to my understanding;
2 That thou mayest preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
that thou mayest keep reflection, and that thy lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;
For the lips of the strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
6 Lest she should walk the even path of life, her ways wander, but she knoweth it not.
Lest she should ponder the path of life, her ways wander, she knoweth not [whither].
7 Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
And now, children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house;
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thy vigour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;
lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;
10 Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in the house of an alien;
lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil [come] into the house of a stranger;
11 And thou moan, when thine end cometh, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
and thou mourn in thine end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed;
12 And say: 'How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
and thou say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof!
13 Neither have I hearkened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
and I have not hearkened unto the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to those that instructed me;
14 I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.'
I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.
Thy fountains shall be poured forth, as water-brooks in the broadways.
17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.
Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.
19 A lovely hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; with her love be thou ravished always.
As a lovely hind and a graceful roe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times: be thou ravished continually with her love.
20 Why then wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of an alien?
And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He maketh even all his paths.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, and he pondereth all his paths.
22 His own iniquities shall ensnare the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
23 He shall die for lack of instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall reel.
He shall die for want of discipline; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
