Proverbs 4:20-5:14

New International Version

²⁰My son,^(A) pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.^(B)
²¹Do not let them out of your sight,^(C)
    keep them within your heart;
²²for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.^(D)
²³Above all else, guard^(E) your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.^(F)
²⁴Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
²⁵Let your eyes^(G) look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
²⁶Give careful thought to the^[a] paths for your feet^(H)
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
²⁷Do not turn to the right or the left;^(I)
    keep your foot from evil.

Warning Against Adultery

5 My son,^(J) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words^(K) of insight,
²that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
³For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;^(L)
⁴but in the end she is bitter as gall,^(M)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
⁵Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.^(N)
⁶She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.^(O)

⁷Now then, my sons, listen^(P) to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
⁸Keep to a path far from her,^(Q)
    do not go near the door of her house,
⁹lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity^[b] to one who is cruel,
¹⁰lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.^(R)
¹¹At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
¹²You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!^(S)
¹³I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
¹⁴And I was soon in serious trouble^(T)
    in the assembly of God’s people.”^(U)