Proverbs 5:8-18

8 Go far away from her, do not come near the door of her house;

9 For fear that you may give your honour to others, and your wealth to strange men:

10 And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others;

11 And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;

12 And you will say, How was teaching hated by me, and my heart put no value on training;

13 I did not give attention to the voice of my teachers, my ear was not turned to those who were guiding me!

14 I was in almost all evil in the company of the people.

15 Let water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain.

16 Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.

17 Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you.

18 Let blessing be on your fountain; have joy in the wife of your early years.

Proverbs 5:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 5

The general instruction of this chapter is to avoid whoredom, and make use of lawful marriage, and keep to that. It is introduced with an exhortation to attend to wisdom and understanding, Pr 5:1,2; one part of which lies in shunning an adulterous woman; who is described by her flattery, with which she deceives; by the end she brings men to, which is destruction and death; and by the uncertainty of her ways, which cannot be known, Pr 5:3-6. Wherefore men are advised to keep at the utmost distance from her, Pr 5:7,8; lest their honour, strength, wealth, and labours, be given to others, Pr 5:9,10; and repentance and mourning follow, when too late, Pr 5:11-14. And, as a remedy against whoredom, entering into a marriage state is advised to, and a strict regard to that; allegorically expressed by a man's drinking water out of his fountain, and by his wife being as a loving hind and pleasant roe to him, the single object of his affections, Pr 5:15-19. As also the consideration of the divine omniscience is proposed, to deter him from the sin of adultery, Pr 5:20,21; as well as the inevitable ruin wicked men are brought into by it, Pr 5:22,23.