Proverbs 5

1My son, attend unto my wisdom, incline thine ear to my understanding;

1My son, attend to my wisdom, and incline thy ear to my prudence,

1My son, give attention to my wisdom; let your ear be turned to my teaching:

2that thou mayest keep reflection, and that thy lips may preserve knowledge.

2That thou mayst keep thoughts, and thy lips may preserve instruction. Mind not the deceit of a woman.

2So that you may be ruled by a wise purpose, and your lips may keep knowledge.

3For the lips of the strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

3For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.

3For honey is dropping from the lips of the strange woman, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

4but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

4But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword.

4But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword;

5Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on Sheol.

5Her feet go down into death, and her steps go in as far as hell.

5Her feet go down to death, and her steps to the underworld;

6Lest she should ponder the path of life, her ways wander, she knoweth not [whither].

6They walk not by the path of life, her steps are wandering, and unaccountable.

6She never keeps her mind on the road of life; her ways are uncertain, she has no knowledge.

7And now, children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

7Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.

7Give ear to me then, my sons, and do not put away my words from you.

8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:

8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the doors of her house.

8Go far away from her, do not come near the door of her house;

9lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;

9Give not thy honour to strangers, and thy years to the cruel.

9For fear that you may give your honour to others, and your wealth to strange men:

10lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil [come] into the house of a stranger;

10Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours be in another man's house,

10And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others;

11and thou mourn in thine end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed;

11And thou mourn at the last, when thou shalt have spent thy flesh and thy body, and say;

11And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;

12and thou say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof!

12Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof,

12And you will say, How was teaching hated by me, and my heart put no value on training;

13and I have not hearkened unto the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to those that instructed me;

13And have not heard the voice of them that taught me, and have not inclined my ear to masters?

13I did not give attention to the voice of my teachers, my ear was not turned to those who were guiding me!

14I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

14I have almost been in all evil, in the midst of the church and of the congregation.

14I was in almost all evil in the company of the people.

15Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

15Drink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well:

15Let water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain.

16Thy fountains shall be poured forth, as water-brooks in the broadways.

16Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.

16Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.

17Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

17Keep them to thyself alone, neither let strangers be partakers with thee.

17Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you.

18Let thy fountain be blessed; and have joy of the wife of thy youth.

18Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:

18Let blessing be on your fountain; have joy in the wife of your early years.

19As a lovely hind and a graceful roe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times: be thou ravished continually with her love.

19Let her be thy dearest hind, and most agreeable fawn: let her breasts inebriate thee at all times: be thou delighted continually with her love.

19As a loving hind and a gentle doe, let her breasts ever give you rapture; let your passion at all times be moved by her love.

20And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

20Why art thou seduced, my son, by a strange woman, and art cherished in the bosom of another?

20Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?

21For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, and he pondereth all his paths.

21The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps.

21For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he puts all his goings in the scales.

22His own iniquities shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

22His own iniquities catch the wicked, and he is fast bound with the ropes of his own sins.

22The evil-doer will be taken in the net of his crimes, and prisoned in the cords of his sin.

23He shall die for want of discipline; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

23He shall die, because he hath not received instruction, and in the multitude of his folly he shall be deceived.

23He will come to his end for need of teaching; he is so foolish that he will go wandering from the right way.