< Proverbs 5 >
1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, [and] bow thine ear to my understanding:
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow your ear to my understanding:
2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and [that] thy lips may keep knowledge.
That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep knowledge.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop [as] an honeycomb, and her mouth [is] smoother than oil:
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. (Sheol )
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. (Sheol )
6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, [that] thou canst not know [them].
Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that you can not know them.
7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Hear me now therefore, O all of you children, 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 your way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Lest you give your honour unto others, and your years unto the cruel:
10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours [be] in the house of a stranger;
Lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labours be in the house of a stranger;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
I was almost 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 your own cistern, and running waters out of your own well.
16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, [and] rivers of waters in the streets.
Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
Let them be only your own, and not strangers' with you.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 [Let her be as] the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be you ravished always with her love.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
And why will you, 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 pondereth all his goings.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his activities.
22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.
23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.