Proverbs 5 - Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)

Seventh Address to a Son:
Wisdom Teaches You to Avoid Adultery

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
Open your ears to my understanding,
2 so that you may hold on to insight,
so your lips may guard knowledge,
3 because the lips of an immoral woman drip with honey,
and her words are[a] as smooth as olive oil,
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood[b]
and as sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death.
Her steps lead to hell.[c]
6 She gives no thought to the path of life.[d]
Her ways wander, but she doesn’t realize it.
7 Now, you sons, listen to me.
Do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep your way far from her.
Do not go near the doorway of her house.
9 If you do, you will give your wealth to others
and your years to a cruel person.
10 If you do, your work will satisfy strangers,
and the results of your labor will end up in another man’s house.
11 You will groan when your end comes,
when your body and flesh are consumed.
12 Then you will say, “Oh, how I hated discipline,
and my heart despised warnings!
13 I did not listen to my teachers’ voices,
and I did not open my ears to hear my instructors.
14 I soon[e] reached total ruin
in the midst of the assembly of the community.”

Encouragement to Faithfulness in Marriage

15 Drink water from your own cistern.
Drink running water from your own well.
16 Why should the water from your springs flow out into the street,
your streams of water into the public squares?
17 They should be yours, yours alone.
They are not for strangers to share with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed.
Obtain your joy from the wife you married in your youth,
19 who is a loving doe and a graceful deer.
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times.
Always be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why should you be led astray, my son, by an immoral woman?
Why embrace a woman who is not your wife?
21 For the ways of a man are in front of the eyes of the Lord,
and he weighs all of his paths.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked man will capture him,
and he will be bound by the ropes of his sin.
23 He will die for lack of discipline,
and he will go astray because of his great stupidity.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:3 Literally her palate is
  2. Proverbs 5:4 Wormwood is a toxic, bitter-tasting drink (absinthe).
  3. Proverbs 5:5 Or the grave. The Hebrew word is sheol.
  4. Proverbs 5:6 Or she does not make the paths of life level
  5. Proverbs 5:14 Or almost

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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 ...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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