Proverbs 5:4-11
Proverbs 5:3-14 The Message (MSG)
The lips of a seductive woman are oh so sweet, her soft words are oh so smooth. But it won’t be long before she’s gravel in your mouth, a pain in your gut, a wound in your heart. She’s dancing down the perfumed path to Death; she’s headed straight for Hell and taking you with her. She hasn’t a clue about Real Life, about who she is or where she’s going. So, my friend, listen closely; don’t treat my words casually. Keep your distance from such a woman; absolutely stay out of her neighborhood. You don’t want to squander your wonderful life, to waste your precious life among the hardhearted. Why should you allow strangers to take advantage of you? Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you? You don’t want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones, Saying, “Oh, why didn’t I do what they told me? Why did I reject a disciplined life? Why didn’t I listen to my mentors, or take my teachers seriously? My life is ruined! I haven’t one blessed thing to show for my life!”
Proverbs 5:4-11 King James Version (KJV)
But her end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a twoedged sword. Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, Her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. 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: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, And thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; And thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed
Proverbs 5:4-11 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol. She does not ponder the path of life; Her ways are unstable, she does not know it. Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her And do not go near the door of her house, Or you will give your vigor to others And your years to the cruel one; And strangers will be filled with your strength And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien; And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed
Proverbs 5:4-11 New Century Version (NCV)
But in the end she will bring you sorrow, causing you pain like a two-edged sword. She is on the way to death; her steps are headed straight to the grave. She gives little thought to life. She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong. Now, my sons, listen to me, and don’t ignore what I say. Stay away from such a woman. Don’t even go near the door of her house, or you will give your riches to others, and the best years of your life will be given to someone cruel. Strangers will enjoy your wealth, and what you worked so hard for will go to someone else. You will groan at the end of your life when your health is gone.
Proverbs 5:4-11 American Standard Version (ASV)
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on Sheol; So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, and she knoweth it not. Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house; Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel; Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien, And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed
Proverbs 5:4-11 New International Version (NIV)
but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it. Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
Proverbs 5:4-11 New King James Version (NKJV)
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. Lest you ponder her path of life— Her ways are unstable; You do not know them. Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house, Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one; Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, And your labors go to the house of a foreigner; And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed
Proverbs 5:4-11 Amplified Bible (AMP)
But in the end she is bitter like [the extract of] wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), So that she does not think [seriously] about the path of life; Her ways are aimless and unstable; you cannot know where her path leads. ¶Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not depart from (forget) the words of my mouth. Let your way [in life] be far from her, And do not go near the door of her house [avoid even being near the places of temptation], [Prov 4:15; Rom 16:17; 1 Thess 5:19-22] Or you will give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one, And strangers will be filled with your strength And your hard-earned wealth will go to the house of a foreigner [who does not know God]; And you will groan when your life is ending, When your flesh and your body are consumed
Proverbs 5:4-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it. So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house! If you do, you will lose your honor and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved. Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor. In the end you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body.
Proverbs 5:4-11 The Passion Translation (TPT)
But I promise you this: In the end all you’ll be left with is a bitter conscience. For the sting of your sin will pierce your soul like a sword. She will ruin your life, drag you down to death, and lead you straight to hell. She has prevented many from considering the paths of life. Yes, she will take you with her where you don’t want to go, sliding down a slippery road and not even realizing where the two of you will end up! Listen to me, young men, and don’t forget this one thing I’m telling you— run away from her as fast as you can! Don’t even go near the door of her house unless you want to fall into her seduction. In disgrace you will relinquish your honor to another, and all your remaining years will be squandered— given over to the cruel one. Why would you let strangers take away your strength while the labors of your house go to someone else? For when you grow old you will groan in anguish and shame as sexually transmitted diseases consume your body.
Proverbs 5:4-11 English Standard Version Revision 2016 (ESV)
but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed