Geneva Study Bible My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: For the lips {a} of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than {b} oil:
(a) That is, a harlot who gives herself to someone other than her husband. (b) By oil and honey he means flattering and crafty enticements. But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Her {c} feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
(c) All her doings lead to destruction. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are {d} moveable, that thou canst not know them.
(d) She has always new means to allure to wickedness. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: Lest thou give thine {e} honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
(e) That is, your strength and goods to her who will have no pity on you as is read of Samson and the prodigal son. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy {f} labours be in the house of a stranger;
(f) The goods gotten by your travel. And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and {g} assembly.
(g) Although I was faithfully instructed in the truth, yet I almost fell to utter shame and destruction nonetheless, by good bringing up in the assembly of the godly. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Drink waters out of {h} thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
(h) He teaches us sobriety exhorting us to live of our own labours and to be beneficial to the godly who want. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let them be only {i} thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
(i) Distribute them not to the wicked and infidels, but reserve them for yourself, your family and them who are of the household of faith. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let thy {k} fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy {l} youth.
(k) Your children who will come from you in great abundance showing that God blesses marriage and curses whoredom. (l) Who you married in your youth. 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. 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.
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. For the ways of man are before the {m} eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
(m) He declares that unless a man joins to his wife both in heart and in outward conversation, he will not escape the judgments of God. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. He shall {n} die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray. (n) Because he will not give ear to God's word and be admonished. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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