Add parallel Print Page Options

Being Led into Sex Sins

My son, listen to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding. So you may know what is good thinking, and your lips may keep much learning. For the lips of a strange woman are as sweet as honey. Her talk is as smooth as oil. But in the end she is as bitter tasting as wormwood, and as sharp as a sword that cuts both ways. Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold of hell. She does not think about the path of life. Her ways go this way and that, and she does not know it.

Now then, my sons, listen to me. Do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Keep far away from her. Do not go near the door of her house. If you do, you would give your strength to others, and your years to those without loving-kindness. 10 Strangers would be filled with your strength, and the fruits of your work would go to a strange house. 11 You would cry inside yourself when your end comes, when your flesh and body are wasted away. 12 You would say, “How I have hated teaching! My heart hated strong words! 13 I have not listened to the voice of my teachers. I have not turned my ear to those who would teach me. 14 Now I have a bad name in the meeting place of the people.”

15 Drink water from your own pool, flowing water from your own well. 16 Should the waters from your well flow away, rivers of water in the streets? 17 Let them be yours alone, and not for strangers with you. 18 Let your well be honored, and be happy with the wife you married when you were young. 19 Let her be like a loving, female deer. Let her breasts please you at all times. Be filled with great joy always because of her love. 20 My son, why should you be carried away with a sinful woman and fall into the arms of a strange woman? 21 For the ways of a man are seen by the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths. 22 His own sins will trap the sinful. He will be held with the ropes of his sin. 23 He will die for want of teaching, and will go the wrong way because of the greatness of his foolish ways.

Warning Against Adultery

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

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

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(M) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(N)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(O)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view(P) of the Lord,
    and he examines(Q) all your paths.(R)
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;(S)
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.(T)
23 For lack of discipline they will die,(U)
    led astray by their own great folly.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:9 Or years