Proverbs 5
Expanded Bible
Warning About Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
·listen [L bend your ear] to my words of understanding.
2 ·Be careful to use good sense [or So you might keep discrete]
and ·watch what you say [L your lips might protect knowledge].
3 The ·words of another man’s wife [lips of an immoral/L strange woman] may ·seem sweet as [L drip like] honey;
·they [L her tongue/palette] may be as smooth as olive oil.
4 But in the end she ·will bring you sorrow [L is bitter like wormwood],
·causing you pain [L sharp] like a two-edged sword.
5 ·She is on the way [L Her feet go down] to death;
her steps ·are headed straight [or grab on] to ·the grave [L Sheol].
6 She gives little thought to the path of life.
·She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong [L Her paths wander and she does not even realize it].
7 Now, my sons, listen to me,
and don’t ·ignore what I say [L turn aside from the speeches of my mouth].
8 ·Stay away from such a woman [L Keep your path far from her].
Don’t even go near the ·door [entrance] of her house,
9 or you will give your ·riches [honor; or vitality; vigor] to others,
and the best years of your life will be given to someone cruel.
10 Strangers will ·enjoy your wealth [or sap your strength],
and what you worked so hard for will ·go to someone else [L end up in the house of a foreigner].
11 You will groan at the end of your life
when your ·health is gone [L body and flesh are exhausted].
12 Then you will say, “I hated ·being told what to do [instruction; discipline]!
·I would not listen to [L My heart despised] correction!
13 I would not listen to my teachers
or ·pay attention [extend my heart] to my instructors.
14 I ·came [or am] close to being completely ruined
in front of ·a whole group of people [L the assembled congregation].”
15 ·Be faithful to your own wife [L Drink water from your own well; Song 4:10–15],
·just as you drink [L gushing] water from your own ·well [cistern].
16 Don’t ·pour your water in the streets [L let your fountains burst forth outside];
·don’t give your love to just any woman [L streams of water in the public squares].
17 These things are yours alone
and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.
18 ·Be happy with the wife you married when you were young [L Rejoice in the wife of your youth].
·She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water [L May your spring be blessed].
19 She is a lovely deer and a graceful doe.
Let her ·love [or breasts] always make you happy;
let her love always ·hold you captive [intoxicate/inebriate you; Song 4:10].
20 My son, ·don’t be held captive [L why should you be intoxicated/inebriated…?] by a ·woman who takes part in adultery [L stranger].
Don’t fondle the bosom of a ·woman who is not your wife [L foreigner].
21 The ·Lord sees everything you do [L eyes of the Lord are on the path of every person],
and he watches ·where you go [L all their ways].
22 An evil man will be ·caught [captured] in his wicked ways;
the ropes of his sins will tie him up.
23 He will die ·because he does not control himself [L without discipline/instruction],
and he will be ·held captive [or intoxicated; inebriated] by his ·foolishness [stupidity].
Proverbs 5
International Children’s Bible
Warning About Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
Listen to my words of understanding.
2 Be careful to use good sense.
Watch what you say.
3 The words of another man’s wife may seem sweet as honey.
Her words may be as pleasant as olive oil.
4 But in the end she will bring you sorrow.
She will cause you pain like a two-edged sword.
5 She is on the way to death.
Her steps are headed straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to life.
She does not know that her ways are wrong.
7 Now, my sons, listen to me.
Don’t ignore what I say.
8 Stay away from such a woman.
Don’t even go near the door of her house.
9 If you do, you will give your riches to others.
And the best years of your life will be given to someone who is cruel.
10 Strangers will enjoy your wealth.
And what you worked so hard for will go to someone else.
11 You will groan at the end of your life.
Then your health will be gone.
12 Then you will say, “I hated self-control!
I would not listen when I was corrected!
13 I would not listen to my teachers.
I paid no attention to what they taught me.
14 I have come very close to being completely ruined
in front of a whole group of people.”
15 Be faithful to your own wife.
She is like your own well of water from which you drink.
16 You wouldn’t drink from streams
flowing in the city streets or squares.
So be satisfied with your wife,
not those outside your home.
17 These things are yours alone.
Don’t share them with strangers.
18 Be happy with the wife
you married when you were young.
She gives you joys
as your fountain gives you water.
19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer.
Let her love always make you happy.
Let her love always hold you captive.
20 My son, don’t be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery.
Don’t hold another man’s wife.
21 The Lord sees everything you do.
He watches where you go.
22 An evil man will be caught in his evil ways.
He will be tied up by his sins as if they were ropes.
23 He will die because he does not control himself.
He will be held captive by his own foolishness.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
