Proverbs 5:1-14

New International Reader's Version

A Warning Against Committing Adultery

5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
    Listen carefully to my wise sayings.
²Then you will continue to have good sense.
    Your lips will keep on speaking words of knowledge.
³A woman who commits adultery has lips that drip honey.
    What she says is smoother than olive oil.
⁴But in the end she is like bitter poison.
    She cuts like a sword that has two edges.
⁵Her feet go down to death.
    Her steps lead straight to the grave.
⁶She doesn’t give any thought to her way of life.
    Her paths have no direction, but she doesn’t realize it.

⁷My sons, listen to me.
    Don’t turn away from what I say.
⁸Stay on a path far away from that evil woman.
    Don’t even go near the door of her house.
⁹If you do, you will lose your honor to other people.
    You will give your self-respect to someone who is mean.
¹⁰Strangers will use up all your wealth.
    Your hard work will make someone else rich.
¹¹At the end of your life you will groan.
    Your skin and your body will be worn out.
¹²You will say, “How I hated to take advice!
    How my heart refused to be corrected!
¹³I would not obey my teachers.
    I wouldn’t listen to those who taught me.
¹⁴I was soon in deep trouble.
    It happened right in front of the whole assembly of God’s people.”