Proverbs 5
1 My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,
My son! Give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding,
2 To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep.
To observe thoughtfulness, And your lips keep knowledge.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth,
For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth [is] smoother than oil,
4 And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.
And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.
Her feet are going down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
6 The path of life — lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths — thou knowest not.
The path of life—lest you ponder, Her paths have moved—you do not know.
7 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.
And now, you sons, listen to me, And do not turn from sayings of my mouth.
8 Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house,
Keep your way far from off her, And do not come near to the opening of her house,
9 Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,
Lest you give your splendor to others, And your years to the fierce,
10 Lest strangers be filled [with] thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,
Lest strangers be filled [with] your power, And your labors in the house of a stranger,
11 And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
And you have howled in your latter end, In the consumption of your flesh and your food,
12 And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,
And have said, “How I have hated instruction, And my heart has despised reproof,
13 And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
And I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, And have not inclined my ear to my teachers.
14 As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.
As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a congregation.”
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.
Drink waters out of your own cistern, Even flowing ones out of your own well.
16 Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.
Let your fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places streams of waters.
17 Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.
Let them be to you for yourself, And not to strangers with you.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of thy youth,
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of your youth,
19 A hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.
A doe of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy you at all times, Magnify yourself in her love continually.
20 And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
And why do you magnify yourself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
21 For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.
For the ways of each are before the eyes of YHWH, And He is pondering all his paths.
22 His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.
His own iniquities capture the wicked, And he is holden with the ropes of his sin.
23 He dieth without instruction, And in the abundance of his folly magnifieth himself!
He dies without instruction, And magnifies himself in the abundance of his folly!
