3 For the lips H8193 of a strange woman H2114 drop H5197 as an honeycomb, H5317 and her mouth H2441 is smoother H2509 than oil: H8081
4 But her end H319 is bitter H4751 as wormwood, H3939 sharp H2299 as a twoedged H6310 sword. H2719
5 Her feet H7272 go down H3381 to death; H4194 her steps H6806 take hold H8551 on hell. H7585
6 Lest thou shouldest ponder H6424 the path H734 of life, H2416 her ways H4570 are moveable, H5128 that thou canst not know H3045 them.
7 Hear H8085 me now therefore, O ye children, H1121 and depart H5493 not from the words H561 of my mouth. H6310
8 Remove H7368 thy way H1870 far H7368 from her, and come not nigh H7126 the door H6607 of her house: H1004
9 Lest thou give H5414 thine honour H1935 unto others, H312 and thy years H8141 unto the cruel: H394
10 Lest strangers H2114 be filled H7646 with thy wealth; H3581 and thy labours H6089 be in the house H1004 of a stranger; H5237
11 And thou mourn H5098 at the last, H319 when thy flesh H1320 and thy body H7607 are consumed, H3615
12 And say, H559 How have I hated H8130 instruction, H4148 and my heart H3820 despised H5006 reproof; H8433
13 And have not obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of my teachers, H3384 nor inclined H5186 mine ear H241 to them that instructed H3925 me!
14 I was almost H4592 in all evil H7451 in the midst H8432 of the congregation H6951 and assembly. H5712
15 Drink H8354 waters H4325 out of thine own cistern, H953 and running waters H5140 out of H8432 thine own well. H875
16 Let thy fountains H4599 be dispersed H6327 abroad, H2351 and rivers H6388 of waters H4325 in the streets. H7339
17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' H2114 with thee.
18 Let thy fountain H4726 be blessed: H1288 and rejoice H8055 with the wife H802 of thy youth. H5271
19 Let her be as the loving H158 hind H365 and pleasant H2580 roe; H3280 let her breasts H1717 satisfy H7301 thee at all times; H6256 and be thou ravished H7686 always H8548 with her love. H160
20 And why wilt thou, my son, H1121 be ravished H7686 with a strange woman, H2114 and embrace H2263 the bosom H2436 of a stranger? H5237
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 5
Commentary on Proverbs 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Pr 5:1-23. A warning against the seductive arts of wicked women, enforced by considering the advantages of chastity, and the miserable end of the wicked.
1. This connection of wisdom and understanding is frequent (Pr 2:2; 3:7); the first denotes the use of wise means for wise ends; the other, the exercise of a proper discrimination in their discovery.
2. regard—or, "observe."
keep—preserve constantly.
3. (Compare Pr 2:16). Her enticing promises are deceitful.
4. her end—literally, "her future," in sense of reward, what follows (compare Ps 37:37; 73:17). Its nature is evinced by the use of figures, opposite those of Pr 5:3. The physical and moral suffering of the deluded profligate are notoriously terrible.
5. feet … , steps—that is, course of life ends in death.
6. her ways … know—Some prefer, "that she may not ponder the path of life," &c.; but perhaps a better sense is, "her ways are varied, so as to prevent your knowledge of her true character, and so of true happiness."
8, 9. Avoid the slightest temptation.
9. thine honour—in whatever consisting, strength (Pr 3:13) or wealth.
thy years—by cutting them off in dissipation.
unto the cruel—for such the sensual are apt to become.
10. wealth—literally, "strength," or the result of it.
labours—the fruit of thy painful exertions (Ps 127:2). There may be a reference to slavery, a commuted punishment for death due the adulterer (De 22:22).
11. at the last—the end, or reward (compare Pr 5:4).
mourn—roar in pain.
flesh and … body—the whole person under incurable disease.
12-14. The ruined sinner vainly laments his neglect of warning and his sad fate in being brought to public disgrace.
14. evil—for affliction, as in Ge 19:20; 49:15.
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
17. only thine own—harlots' children have no known father.
18. wife … youth—married in youth.
19. loving … roe—other figures for a wife from the well-known beauty of these animals.
breasts—(Compare So 1:13; Eze 23:3, 8).
ravished—literally, "intoxicated," that is, fully satisfied.
21. The reason, God's eye is on you,
22, 23. and He will cause sin to bring its punishment.
23. without instruction—literally, "in want of instruction," having refused it (compare Job 13:18; Heb 11:24).
go astray—literally, "be drunken." The word "ravished" (Pr 5:19) here denotes fulness of punishment.