What does verse 11 of proverbs chapter 5 mean?

Answer 1

It speaks of the wisdom of heeding advice to remain faithful physically to your wife, even when she is older, and not turning to prostitutes.

Proverbs 5

1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:

2 That thou may regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

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 hell.

6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou can 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,

12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!

14I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

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

19 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.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be Holden with the cords of his sins.

23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Answer 2

The fifth chapter of proverbs is about remaining clean before God, being chaste.

Before understanding the 11th verse, back up to the 9th verse:

(Proverbs 5:9-11) 9 that you may not give to others your dignity, nor your years to what is cruel; 10 that strangers may not satisfy themselves with your power, nor the things you got by pain be in the house of a foreigner, 11 nor you have to groan in your future when your flesh and your organism come to an end.

Solomon is explaining the consequences of succumbing to immoral behavior - "giving up your dignity" or losing your self-respect.

While on one hand an individual may experience some sort of pleasure, the end results are not worth it if you lose your respect.

Please see the attached link for a concise discussion of Proverbs 5.

Answer 3

Proverbs 3:5+6 says:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight." (NASB)

Sometimes we may read something in The Bible that doesn't seem logical to us, but if we listen to it and obey it's council, it usually works out for the best. (For instance, if we perceive someone as an enemy, our imperfect HUMAN tendencies may WANT to 'get back' at him, or strike out to hurt him in some way, as is often the case in today's society, but the Bible tells us to LOVE our enemies and PRAY for those persecuting us(Matthew 5:43-48). On the surface, this may seem like a senseless move, from a human perspective, but God knows what works and how to "direct our step"(Jeremiah 10:23), so often this behavior can disarm a situation and sometimes even turn an 'enemy' into a friend(Romans 12:20)(Proverbs 25:21, 22)(Romans 12:18) Like "fiery coals," kindness can warm the hearts of opposers and melt down their hostility"(1 Peter 2:12)(Proverbs 15:18; Ephesians 4:26) (1 Peter 3:10-12)(2 Timothy 2:23-25)(Psalm 37:8) (Proverbs 20:22)(Romans 12:14)(Luke 6:27, 28)

TRUSTING God's wisdom and listening to his council, even when we don't fully understand it is difficult, and takes faith and courage, and we can pray for understanding and strength to do what's right.

Because God is all-wise, his laws will guide us in the best way of living.

Because he knows more than anyone what we need to be happy, he can help us make the wisest decisions and protect us from situations that can and should be avoided. Unlike man's philosophies, God's wisdom is not vague, but emphasizes sound judgment based on accurate knowledge and understanding.(Proverbs 2:66) (James 3:17+18)(Romans 11:33) (Proverbs 22:33) God knows how to protect us, and if we learn to TRUST him, and bring our thinking in line with his, we will benefit. (1 Corinthians 10:13) (Proverbs 18:10)(Psalm 23)(Psalm 91)

Answer 4

It is warning about adultery!

It also advices to be truthful to Own wife!

Answer 5

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely upon your own understanding."

It means not to try to second-guess God or to outsmart Him.