Proverbs 5:18
New International Version
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

New Living Translation
Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

English Standard Version
Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

Berean Standard Bible
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:

King James Bible
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

New King James Version
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth.

New American Standard Bible
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

NASB 1995
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

NASB 1977
Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let your fountain be blessed, And be glad in the wife of your youth.

Amplified Bible
Let your fountain (wife) be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity], And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Christian Standard Bible
Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.

American Standard Version
Let thy fountain be blessed; And rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

Contemporary English Version
Be happy with the wife you married when you were young.

English Revised Version
Let thy fountain be blessed; and rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Let your own fountain be blessed, and enjoy the girl you married when you were young,

Good News Translation
So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the woman you married--

International Standard Version
Let your fountain be blessed and enjoy the wife of your youth.

Majority Standard Bible
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:

NET Bible
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in your young wife--

New Heart English Bible
Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

World English Bible
Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Let your fountain be blessed, "" And rejoice because of the wife of your youth,

Young's Literal Translation
Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of thy youth,

Smith's Literal Translation
Thy fountain shall be blessed: and rejoice from the wife of thy youth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let thy vein be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of thy youth:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Let your spring be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth:

New American Bible
Let your fountain be blessed and have joy of the wife of your youth,

New Revised Standard Version
Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And your fountain shall be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Let thy fountain be blessed; And have joy of the wife of thy youth.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Let thy fountain of water be truly thine own; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Avoiding Immorality
17Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth: 19A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.…

Cross References
Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:25-33
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ...

Song of Solomon 4:9-10
You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your neck. / How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! Your love is much better than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than all spices.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. / The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. / Do not deprive each other, except by mutual consent and for a time, so you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again, so that Satan will not tempt you through your lack of self-control.

Ecclesiastes 9:9
Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun.

Malachi 2:14-15
Yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have broken faith, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. / Has not the LORD made them one, having a portion of the Spirit? And why one? Because He seeks godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Song of Solomon 2:16
My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.

1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Colossians 3:19
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Song of Solomon 7:6-9
How fair and pleasant you are, O love, with your delights! / Your stature is like a palm tree; your breasts are clusters of fruit. / I said, “I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.” May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, ...

Matthew 19:4-6
Jesus answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ / and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? / So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. / It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. / Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. ...

Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest blaze of all. / Mighty waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, his offer would be utterly scorned.

1 Timothy 5:14
So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.


Treasury of Scripture

Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of your youth.

rejoice

Ecclesiastes 9:9
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Malachi 2:14,15
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant…

Jump to Previous
Blessed Blessing Early Fountain Joy Rejoice Spring Wife Youth
Jump to Next
Blessed Blessing Early Fountain Joy Rejoice Spring Wife Youth
Proverbs 5
1. Solomon exhorts to wisdom
3. He shows the mischief of unfaithfulness and riot
15. He exhorts to contentedness, generosity, and chastity
22. The wicked are overtaken with their own sins














May your fountain be blessed
The term "fountain" in this context is a metaphor for the source of life and vitality, often interpreted as one's family or progeny. In Hebrew, the word used is "maqor," which can refer to a spring or source of water, symbolizing life and sustenance. In ancient Israel, water was a precious resource, essential for survival and prosperity. Thus, a blessed fountain implies a life filled with divine favor, abundance, and continuity. The blessing of one's fountain suggests a prayer for prosperity and the flourishing of one's family line, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness and righteousness in ensuring God's blessings.

and may you rejoice
The Hebrew word for "rejoice" is "samach," which conveys a deep, heartfelt joy and satisfaction. This joy is not merely a fleeting emotion but a profound sense of contentment and delight. In the biblical context, rejoicing is often associated with God's blessings and the fulfillment of His promises. It is a call to find joy in the gifts God has provided, particularly in the context of marriage. This phrase encourages believers to cultivate a spirit of gratitude and joy in their relationships, recognizing them as divine gifts.

in the wife of your youth
This phrase highlights the enduring nature of marital love and commitment. The reference to "the wife of your youth" underscores the idea of a lifelong partnership, beginning in one's early years and continuing into maturity. In Hebrew culture, marriage was a covenantal relationship, reflecting God's covenant with His people. The phrase calls for a return to the initial love and passion that characterized the early days of marriage, urging husbands to cherish and honor their wives throughout their lives. It serves as a reminder of the sacredness of the marital bond and the joy that comes from a faithful, loving relationship. This exhortation aligns with the broader biblical theme of fidelity and the celebration of love within the bounds of marriage.

(18) Let thy fountain . . .--As a reward for purity of life, the blessing of a numerous offspring is invoked. (Comp. Psalm 128:3, where the wife is a "fruitful vine," and the children numerous and flourishing like olive-branches.)

Verse 18. - Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. The employment of the ordinary term "wife" in the second hemistich shows in what sense the figure which is used has to be understood. The terms "fountain" and "wife" denote the same person. The wife is here called "thy fountain" (Hebrew, m'kor'ka), just as she has been previously "thine own cistern" (b'or) and "thine own well" (b'er) in ver. 15. The Hebrew makor, "fountain," is derived from the root kur, "to dig." The figure seems to determine that the blessing here spoken of consists in the with being a fruitful mother of children; and hence the phrase means, "Let thy with be blessed," i.e. rendered happy in being the mother of thy children. This is quite consistent with the Hebrew mode of thought. Every Israelitish wife regarded herself, and was regarded by ethers as "blessed," if she bore children, and unhappy if the reverse were the case. Blessed; Hebrew, baruk (Vulgate, benedicta), is the kal participle passive of barak, "to bless." Instead of this, the LXX. reads ἴδια, "Let thy fountain be thine own" - a variation which in no sense conveys the meaning of the original. And rejoice with; rather, rejoice in, the wife being regarded as the sphere within which the husband is to find his pleasure and joy. Umbreit explains, "Let thy wife be extolled." The same construction of the imperative s'makh, from samakh," to be glad, or joyful," with min, occurs in Judges 9:19; Zephaniah 3:14, etc. The Authorized rendering is, however, favoured by the Vulgate, laetare cum, and the LXX., συνευφραίνω μετὰ Compare the exhortation in Ecclesiastes 9:9, "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest." The wife of thy youth (Hebrew, ishshah n'ureyka) may mean either

(1) the wife to whom thou hast given the fair bloom of thy youth (Umbreit);

(2) the wife chosen in thy youth (Delitzsch); or

(3) thy youthful wife. The former seems the more probable meaning. Compare the expression, "companion of thy youth," in Proverbs 2:17.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May your fountain
מְקוֹרְךָ֥ (mə·qō·wr·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4726: Something dug, a, source, of happiness, wisdom, progeny)

be
יְהִֽי־ (yə·hî-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

blessed,
בָר֑וּךְ (ḇā·rūḵ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

and may you rejoice
וּ֝שְׂמַ֗ח (ū·śə·maḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

in the wife
מֵאֵ֥שֶׁת (mê·’ê·šeṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

of your youth:
נְעוּרֶֽךָ׃ (nə·‘ū·re·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5271: Youth, the state, the persons


Links
Proverbs 5:18 NIV
Proverbs 5:18 NLT
Proverbs 5:18 ESV
Proverbs 5:18 NASB
Proverbs 5:18 KJV

Proverbs 5:18 BibleApps.com
Proverbs 5:18 Biblia Paralela
Proverbs 5:18 Chinese Bible
Proverbs 5:18 French Bible
Proverbs 5:18 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Proverbs 5:18 Let your spring be blessed (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 5:17
Top of Page
Top of Page