1.
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
1. This connection of wisdom
and understanding is frequent (Proverbs 2:2;
Proverbs 3:7); the first denotes the
use of wise means for wise ends; the other, the exercise of a proper
discrimination in their discovery.
2.
That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
2. regard—or, "observe."
keep—preserve
constantly.
3.
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
3. (Compare ). Her enticing promises are deceitful.
4.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
4. her end—literally, "her
future," in sense of reward, what follows (compare Psalms 37:37;
Psalms 73:17). Its nature is evinced
by the use of figures, opposite those of Psalms 73:17. The physical and moral suffering of the deluded profligate
are notoriously terrible.
5.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
5. feet . . . , steps—that is,
course of life ends in death.
6.
Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
6. her ways . . . know—Some
prefer, "that she may not ponder the path of life," c. but
perhaps a better sense is, "her ways are varied, so as to
prevent your knowledge of her true character, and so of true
happiness."
7.
Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8.
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
8, 9. Avoid the slightest
temptation.
9.
Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
9. thine honour—in whatever
consisting, strength (Proverbs 3:13)
or wealth.
thy years—by cutting
them off in dissipation.
unto the cruel—for such
the sensual are apt to become.
10.
Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
10. wealth—literally,
"strength," or the result of it.
labours—the fruit of
thy painful exertions (Psalms 127:2).
There may be a reference to slavery, a commuted punishment for death
due the adulterer (Deuteronomy 22:22).
11.
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
11. at the last—the end, or
reward (compare Proverbs 5:4).
mourn—roar in pain.
flesh and . . . body—the
whole person under incurable disease.
12.
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
12-14. The ruined sinner vainly
laments his neglect of warning and his sad fate in being brought to
public disgrace.
13.
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14.
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
14. evil—for affliction, as in
Genesis 19:20; Genesis 49:15.
15.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
15-20. By figures, in which
well, cistern, and fountain [Proverbs 5:15;
Proverbs 5:18] represent the wife, and
rivers of waters [Proverbs 5:16]
the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in
lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Proverbs 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce
or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring,"
and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
16.
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
17.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
17. only thine own—harlots'
children have no known father.
18.
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
18. wife . . . youth—married
in youth.
19.
Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
19. loving . . . roe—other
figures for a wife from the well-known beauty of these animals.
breasts—(Compare
Song of Solomon 1:13; Ezekiel 23:3;
Ezekiel 23:8).
ravished—literally,
"intoxicated," that is, fully satisfied.
20.
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
15-20. By figures, in which
well, cistern, and fountain [Proverbs 5:15;
Proverbs 5:18] represent the wife, and
rivers of waters [Proverbs 5:16]
the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in
lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Proverbs 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce
or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring,"
and corresponds with "rivers of waters."
21.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
21. The reason, God's eye is on
you,
22.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
22, 23. and He will cause sin to
bring its punishment.
23.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
23. without instruction—literally,
"in want of instruction," having refused it (compare
Job 13:18; Hebrews 11:24).
go astray—literally,
"be drunken." The word "ravished" (Hebrews 11:24) here denotes fulness of punishment.