Books

Proverbs 5

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

Back to Bible

Switch Version:

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

¹ My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen closely [1] to my understanding ⓐ

² so that you may maintain discretion and your lips safeguard knowledge. ⓑ

³ Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her words are [2] smoother than oil,

⁴ in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood ⓒ and as sharp as a double-edged sword. ⓓ

⁵ Her feet go down to death; her steps head straight for Sheol. ⓔ

⁶ She doesn’t consider the path of life; she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.

⁷ So now, my sons, listen to me, and don’t turn away from the words of my mouth. ⓕ

⁸ Keep your way far from her. Don’t go near the door of her house. ⓖ

⁹ Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others and your years to someone cruel;

¹⁰ strangers will drain your resources, and your earnings will end up in a foreigner’s house.

¹¹ At the end of your life, you will lament when your physical body has been consumed,

¹² and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction. ⓗ

¹³ I didn’t obey my teachers or listen closely [3] to my mentors.

¹⁴ I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community.”

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern, water flowing from your own well. ⓘ

¹⁶ Should your springs flow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? ⓙ

¹⁷ They should be for you alone and not for you to share with strangers.

¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth. ⓚ

¹⁹ A loving doe, a graceful fawn — let her breasts always satisfy you; ⓛ be lost in her love forever.

²⁰ Why, my son, would you be infatuated with a forbidden woman or embrace the breast of a stranger? ⓜ

²¹ For a man’s ways are before the LORD’s eyes, ⓝ and He considers all his paths. ⓞ

²² A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him; ⓟ he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin. ⓠ

²³ He will die because there is no discipline, ⓡ and be lost because of his great stupidity.

#	HCSB
1	My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen closely [1] to my understanding ⓐ
2	so that you may maintain discretion and your lips safeguard knowledge. ⓑ
3	Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her words are [2] smoother than oil,
4	in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood ⓒ and as sharp as a double-edged sword. ⓓ
5	Her feet go down to death; her steps head straight for Sheol. ⓔ
6	She doesn’t consider the path of life; she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.
7	So now, my sons, listen to me, and don’t turn away from the words of my mouth. ⓕ
8	Keep your way far from her. Don’t go near the door of her house. ⓖ
9	Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others and your years to someone cruel;
10	strangers will drain your resources, and your earnings will end up in a foreigner’s house.
11	At the end of your life, you will lament when your physical body has been consumed,
12	and you will say, “How I hated discipline, and how my heart despised correction. ⓗ
13	I didn’t obey my teachers or listen closely [3] to my mentors.
14	I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community.”
15	Drink water from your own cistern, water flowing from your own well. ⓘ
16	Should your springs flow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares? ⓙ
17	They should be for you alone and not for you to share with strangers.
18	Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth. ⓚ
19	A loving doe, a graceful fawn — let her breasts always satisfy you; ⓛ be lost in her love forever.
20	Why, my son, would you be infatuated with a forbidden woman or embrace the breast of a stranger? ⓜ
21	For a man’s ways are before the LORD’s eyes, ⓝ and He considers all his paths. ⓞ
22	A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him; ⓟ he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin. ⓠ
23	He will die because there is no discipline, ⓡ and be lost because of his great stupidity.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Holy Bible

Proverbs 5

Select Commentary