15 Drink (A)water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your (B)springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water (C)in the streets?
17 (D)Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (E)fountain be blessed,
    and (F)rejoice in (G)the wife of your youth,
19     a lovely (H)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts (I)fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated[a] always in her love.
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with (J)a forbidden woman
    and embrace the bosom of (K)an adulteress?[b]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:19 Hebrew be led astray; also verse 20
  2. Proverbs 5:20 Hebrew a foreign woman

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Study Bible, Large Print , Hardcover
ESV Study Bible, Large Print , Hardcover
Retail: $74.99
Our Price: $47.99
Save: $27.00 (36%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible (TruTone, Gray), Leather, imitation, Grey
ESV Student Study Bible (TruTone, Gray), Leather, imitation, Grey
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $26.99
Save: $18.00 (40%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling New Testament, hardcover
ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling New Testament, hardcover
Retail: $34.99
Our Price: $22.49
Save: $12.50 (36%)