Proverbs 5

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

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

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 mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.

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 strange woman drop honey, And her mouth 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 in the end she is bitter as wormwood, 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 to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol;

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].

6So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, andshe knoweth it not.

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, mysons, hearken unto 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 door 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;

9Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto 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 labors be in the house of an alien,

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 thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

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!

12And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised 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;

13Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

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 was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and 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 waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine 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.

16Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, And streams of water in the streets?

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.

17Let them be for thyself alone, And not for strangers 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 fountain be blessed; And rejoice in 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.

19Asa loving hind and a pleasant doe, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; And be thou ravished always 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?

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

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.

21For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah; And he maketh level all his paths.

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 shall take the wicked, And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

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 for lack of instruction; And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

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