Proverbs 5 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Avoid Seduction

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
listen closely[a] to my understanding(A)
2 so that you may maintain discretion
and your lips safeguard knowledge.(B)
3 Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey
and her words are[b] smoother than oil,
4 in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood(C)
and as sharp as a double-edged sword.(D)
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps head straight for Sheol.(E)
6 She doesn’t consider the path of life;
she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.

7 So now, sons, listen to me,
and don’t turn away from the words from my mouth.(F)
8 Keep your way far from her.
Don’t go near the door of her house.(G)
9 Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others
and your years to someone cruel;
10 strangers will drain your resources,
and your hard-earned pay 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.(H)
13 I didn’t obey my teachers
or listen closely[c] to my instructors.
14 I am on the verge of complete ruin
before the entire community.”

Enjoy Marriage

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
water flowing from your own well.(I)
16 Should your springs flow in the streets,
streams in the public squares?(J)
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.(K)
19 A loving deer, a graceful doe[d]
let her breasts always satisfy you;(L)
be lost in her love forever.
20 Why, my son, would you lose yourself
with a forbidden woman
or embrace a wayward woman?(M)
21 For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,(N)
and he considers all his paths.(O)
22 A wicked man’s iniquities will trap him;(P)
he will become tangled in the ropes of his own sin.(Q)
23 He will die because there is no discipline,(R)
and be lost because of his great stupidity.

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Lit wisdom; stretch out your ear
  2. 5:3 Lit her palate is
  3. 5:13 Lit or turn my ear
  4. 5:19 Or graceful mountain goat

Cross references

  1. 5:1 : Pr 4:20; 22:17
  2. 5:2 : Mal 2:7
  3. 5:4 : Pr 5:8–11; 6:32–33; Ec 7:26
  4. 5:4 : Ps 55:21; 57:4
  5. 5:5 : Pr 7:27; 9:18
  6. 5:7 : Pr 7:24
  7. 5:8 : Pr 2:18; 7:8; 9:14
  8. 5:12 : Ps 107:11; Pr 1:7,28–31; 12:1; 13:18
  9. 5:15 : Sg 4:12,15
  10. 5:16 : Pr 7:12
  11. 5:18 : Ec 9:9; Mal 2:14
  12. 5:19 : Sg 4:5
  13. 5:20 : Pr 2:16
  14. 5:21 : Jb 14:16; Ps 119:168; Hs 7:2; Heb 4:13
  15. 5:21 : Pr 4:25–26
  16. 5:22 : Nm 32:23; Ps 7:15–16
  17. 5:22 : Pr 11:6
  18. 5:23 : Jb 4:21

You Might Also Like:

Proverbs 5 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

5 My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear, 2 To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth, 4 And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouth...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

5 My son, perceive thou my wisdom, and bow down thine ear to my prudence; (My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and listen to my understanding of things;) 2 (so) that thou keep thy thoughts (proper), and thy lips keep teaching (and thy lips speak knowingly). 3 Give thou not attention to the falseness...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - World English Bible (WEB)

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding,2 that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged swor...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - The Voice (VOICE)

5 My son, stay focused; listen to the wisdom I have gained; give attention to what I have learned about life2 So you may be able to make sensible judgments and speak with knowledge.3 You see, the lips of a seductive woman speak honey-sweet words; they are smooth like oil and enticing.4 But in the en...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Beware Seduction5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.Incline your ear to my insight,2 that you may maintain discretionand your lips may preserve knowledge.3 For a seducing woman’s lips drip honeyand her mouth is smoother than oil.4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,sharp as a double-edged swo...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity5 My son, be attentive to my wisdom,incline your ear to my understanding;2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.3 For the lips of a loose woman drip honey, and her speech[a] is smoother than oil;4 but in the end she is bitter as wormw...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity5 My son, be attentive to my wisdom,incline your ear to my understanding;2 that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.3 For the lips of a loose woman drip honey, and her speech[a] is smoother than oil;4 but in the end she is bitter as wormw...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity5 My child, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,2 so that you may hold on to prudence, and your lips may guard knowledge.3 For the lips of a loose[a] woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;4 but in the end she is bitte...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity5 My child, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,(A)2 so that you may hold on to prudence, and your lips may guard knowledge.3 For the lips of a loose woman[a] drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil,(B)4 but in the end she is...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Avoid Immoral Women5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.2 Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned.3 For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil.4 But in the end she is as bitter...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New Life Version (NLV)

Being Led into Sex Sins5 My son, listen to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding. 2 So you may know what is good thinking, and your lips may keep much learning. 3 For the lips of a strange woman are as sweet as honey. Her talk is as smooth as oil. 4 But in the end she is as bitter tasting ...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Peril of Adultery5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;[a]Lend your ear to my understanding,2 That you may [b]preserve discretion,And your lips (A)may keep knowledge.3 (B)For the lips of [c]an immoral woman drip honey,And her mouth is (C)smoother than oil;4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwoo...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Warning against adultery5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sh...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New International Version (NIV)

Warning Against Adultery5 My son,(A) pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words(B) of insight,2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;(C)4 but in the end she is bitter as...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

A Warning Against Committing Adultery5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Listen carefully to my wise sayings.2 Then you will continue to have good sense. Your lips will keep on speaking words of knowledge.3 A woman who commits adultery has lips that drip honey. What she says is smoother than olive...
Read More

Proverbs 5 - New English Translation (NET)

Admonition to Avoid Seduction to Evil[a]5 My child,[b] be attentive to my wisdom,pay close attention[c] to my understanding,2 in order to safeguard[d] discretion,[e]and that your lips may guard knowledge.3 For the lips[f] of the adulterous woman drip honey,and her seductive words[g] are smoother tha...
Read More