6 The path of life -- lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths -- thou knowest not.
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways `are' established.
Thou causest me to know the path of life; Fulness of joys `is' with Thy presence, Pleasant things by Thy right hand for ever!
For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.
A man of worthlessness, a man of iniquity, Walking `with' perverseness of mouth, Winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, Directing with his fingers,
And, lo, a woman to meet him -- (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart, Noisy she `is', and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not. Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) -- And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him, `Sacrifices of peace-offerings `are' by me, To-day I have completed my vows. Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee. `With' ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works -- cotton of Egypt. I sprinkled my bed -- myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, we are filled `with' loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves. For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey. A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.' She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.
Rightly `is' righteousness for life, And whoso is pursuing evil -- for his own death.
So -- the way of an adulterous woman, She hath eaten and hath wiped her mouth, And hath said, `I have not done iniquity.'
`him,' whose presence is according to the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all deceitfulness of the unrighteousness in those perishing, because the love of the truth they did not receive for their being saved,
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.