Proverbs 5:4–11

4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,

sharp as a double-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

her steps lead straight to the grave.

6 She gives no thought to the way of life;

her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;

do not turn aside from what I say.

8 Keep to a path far from her,

do not go near the door of her house,

9 lest you lose your honor to others

and your dignity to one who is cruel,

10 lest strangers feast on your wealth

and your toil enrich the house of another.

11 At the end of your life you will groan,

when your flesh and body are spent.

4 But her end is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a twoedged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

Her steps take hold on hell.

6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life,

Her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

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:

9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others,

And thy years unto the cruel:

10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth;

And thy labours be in the house of a stranger;

11 And thou mourn at the last,

When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison,

as dangerous as a double-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

her steps lead straight to the grave.

6 For she cares nothing about the path to life.

She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

7 So now, my sons, listen to me.

Never stray from what I am about to say:

8 Stay away from her!

Don’t go near the door of her house!

9 If you do, you will lose your honor

and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.

10 Strangers will consume your wealth,

and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.

11 In the end you will groan in anguish

when disease consumes your body.

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death,

Her steps lay hold of hell.

6 Lest you ponder her path of life—

Her ways are unstable;

You do not know them.

7 Therefore hear me now, my children,

And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8 Remove your way far from her,

And do not go near the door of her house,

9 Lest you give your honor to others,

And your years to the cruel one;

10 Lest aliens be filled with your wealth,

And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

11 And you mourn at last,

When your flesh and your body are consumed,

4 But in the end she will bring you sorrow,

causing you pain like a two-edged sword.

5 She is on the way to death;

her steps are headed straight to the grave.

6 She gives little thought to life.

She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong.

7 Now, my sons, listen to me,

and don’t ignore what I say.

8 Stay away from such a woman.

Don’t even go near the door of her house,

9 or you will give your riches to others,

and the best years of your life will be given to someone cruel.

10 Strangers will enjoy your wealth,

and what you worked so hard for will go to someone else.

11 You will groan at the end of your life

when your health is gone.

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

Her steps take hold on Sheol;

6 So that she findeth not the level path of life:

Her ways are unstable, and she knoweth it not.

7 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me,

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;

9 Lest thou give thine honor unto others,

And thy years unto the cruel;

10 Lest strangers be filled with thy strength,

And thy labors be in the house of an alien,

11 And thou mourn at thy latter end,

When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,

4 but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on Sheol. 6 Lest she should ponder the path of life, her ways wander, she knoweth not whither. 7 And now, children, hearken unto me, 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: 9 lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel; 10 lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil come into the house of a stranger; 11 and thou mourn in thine end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed;

4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, 

as sharp as a two-edged sword. 

5 Her feet descend to death. 

Her steps lead straight to hell. 

6 She doesn’t even think about the path of life. 

Her steps wander, and she doesn’t realize it. 

7 But now, sons, 

listen to me, 

and do not turn away from what I say to you. 

8 Stay far away from her. 

Do not even go near her door. 

9 Either you will surrender your reputation to others 

and ⸤the rest of⸥ your years to some cruel person, 

10 or strangers will benefit from your strength 

and you will have to work hard in a pagan’s house. 

11 Then you will groan when your end comes, 

when your body and flesh are consumed. 

You will say, 

4 in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood

and as sharp as a double-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

her steps head straight for Sheol.

6 She doesn’t consider the path of life;

she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.

7 So now, my sons, listen to me,

and don’t turn away from the words of my mouth.

8 Keep your way far from her.

Don’t go near the door of her house.

9 Otherwise, you will give up your vitality to others

and your years to someone cruel;

10 strangers will drain your resources,

and your earnings will end up in a foreigner’s house.

11 At the end of your life, you will lament

when your physical body has been consumed,

4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

her steps follow the path to Sheol.

6 She does not keep straight to the path of life;

her ways wander, and she does not know it.

7 And now, my child, listen to me,

and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8 Keep your way far from her,

and do not go near the door of her house,

9 lest you give your honor to others

and your years to the merciless,

10 and strangers take their fill of your wealth,

and your labors go to the house of an alien,

11 and at the end of your life you groan,

when your flesh and body are consumed,

4 But her end is bitter as the wormwood,

sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death;

her steps take hold of Sheol.

6 She does not observe the path of life;

her ways wander, and she does not know it.

7 Now, O children, listen to me;

do not depart from the sayings of my mouth.

8 Keep your paths far from her,

and do not go near to the door of her house,

9 lest you give your honor to the others,

and your years to the merciless,

10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength,

and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,

11 and you groan at your end,

when your flesh and body are consumed,

4 But in the end she is like bitter poison.

She cuts like a sword that has two edges.

5 Her feet go down to death.

Her steps lead straight to the grave.

6 She doesn’t give any thought to her way of life.

Her paths are crooked, but she doesn’t realize it.

7 My sons, listen to me.

Don’t turn away from what I say.

8 Stay on a path far away from that evil woman.

Don’t even go near the door of her house.

9 If you do, you will give your best strength to others.

You will give the best years of your life to someone who is mean.

10 Strangers will use up all of your wealth.

Your hard work will make someone else rich.

11 At the end of your life you will groan.

Your skin and your body will be worn out.

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to death,

Her steps take hold of Sheol.

6 She does not ponder the path of life;

Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me

And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8 Keep your way far from her

And do not go near the door of her house,

9 Or you will give your vigor to others

And your years to the cruel one;

10 And strangers will be filled with your strength

And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;

11 And you groan at your final end,

When your flesh and your body are consumed;