Proverbs 5:7-14 Meaning: Listen Before It’s Too Late
7Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
8Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,
9lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;
10lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house.
11You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof.
13I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
14I have come to the brink of utter ruin, among the gathered assembly.”
7Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
11And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13And 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.
7Now therefore, mysons, hearken unto me, And depart not from the words of my mouth.
8Remove thy way far from her, And come not nigh the door of her house;
9Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel;
10Lest strangers be filled with thy strength, And thy labors be in the house of an alien,
11And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;
13Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14I was well-nigh in all evil In the midst of the assembly and congregation.
7And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.
8Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house,
9Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,
10Lest strangers be filled with thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,
11And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
12And hast said, `How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,
13And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
14As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.
7And now, children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;
10lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and the fruits of thy toil [come] into the house of a stranger;
11and thou mourn in thine end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed;
12and thou say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof!
13and I have not hearkened unto the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to those that instructed me;
14I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Meaning in one sentence
Understand the father’s urgent plea in Proverbs 5:7-14 to avoid the adulteress and the bitter consequences of ignoring wisdom. A call to heed warnings now.
Context
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wise sayings, often framed as a father instructing his son. In chapter 5, the father warns against the adulteress, whose lips drip honey but whose end is bitter. Verses 7 through 14 form an urgent plea. The father breaks into the description to call his sons directly: listen to me. He tells them to stay far from her door because of what will be lost. Honor, wealth, health, and years will be given to strangers. The passage ends with a man groaning in regret, saying he hated discipline and would not listen. The wise father writes these words so the reader can hear the sorrow before living it.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this passage. First, “listen” (shama) in verse 7. This word goes beyond hearing sounds. It means to hear with attention and obey. The father does not just want their ears; he wants their lives shaped by his words. Second, “depart” (sur) in verse 8. The verb describes turning aside from a path or removing yourself. The warning is to not even come near the door. Temptation is not to be flirted with at a distance; you flee. Third, “groan” (naham) in verse 11. This word is used for the growl of a lion in pain. The language is raw: when your flesh and body are consumed, you will roar in anguish. It is the sound of too-late regret, and the father wants his sons to hear it before they feel it.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this passage as a literal warning against the adulteress, but they also see broader meaning. Matthew Henry (Reformed) applies the principle to any temptation that promises pleasure but leads to ruin. Adam Clarke (Methodist) emphasizes the physical consequences: disease and loss of reputation. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) notes the self-reproach and bitter conscience at the end. The “cruel one” is understood variously as the woman herself, her pimps, or sin’s merciless consequences. While the passage directly addresses sexual sin, historic Christian teaching holds that the pattern fits every seductive sin, greed, pride, dishonesty, that draws a person away from wisdom and into destruction.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to read this passage as only a warning against literal prostitution, missing its broader application. In fact, the “adulteress” in Proverbs also represents folly and any temptation that leads away from life. The urgent plea to listen and not depart applies to every voice that calls us from God’s ways, whether greed, pride, or an illicit relationship. The destructive consequences he describes, loss of honor, health, wealth, flow from any pattern of sin we refuse to abandon.
Living This Out
This week, ask yourself where you might be lingering at a door you should not approach. It could be a dishonest business deal that looks easy. It could be a relationship that blurs boundaries. It could be a habit of gossip or bitterness that feels satisfying in the moment. The father’s plea is concrete: don’t go near the door. That means making a decision now, before temptation sharpens its voice. It also means staying close to those who speak wisdom into your life, parents, mentors, or friends who care enough to warn you. Their words are gifts, not burdens.
Main takeaway: Wisdom calls you now so you do not have to mourn later what you gave away to sin.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Stay away from places that could get you into trouble. If someone tells you not to go somewhere, it’s because they love you. Listen to them.
For ages 9, 12
This passage is like a father saying, “Don’t even go near that place where bad things happen.” He knows that if you go close, you might get pulled in. The saddest part is that later you would wish you had listened. It’s much easier to stay away from trouble than to regret it after.
Questions People Ask
Why does the father interrupt his warning with a plea to listen?
He knows his sons are drawn by the sweet talk of temptation. He urgently calls them to pay attention before it is too late, because the pull of sin is strong and the consequences are severe.
What does it mean to give your honor to others?
Honor here includes your reputation, your strength, the freshness of your youth. The warning is that chasing forbidden pleasure will waste these precious things on people who do not care for you.
Who is the “cruel one” in verse 9?
The word is masculine singular in Hebrew, likely describing sin itself or those who profit from it, the adulteress, her associates, or the disease and ruin that follow. They show no mercy.
Does this passage apply to Christians today even if we are not tempted by adultery?
Yes. While the warning is directly about the adulteress, the pattern applies to every temptation that promises pleasure but leads to destruction. The call to listen, flee, and avoid the near occasion of sin is a timeless wisdom principle.
What is the “brink of utter ruin” in verse 14?
This likely refers to being almost destroyed by the consequences of sin, possibly even facing the death penalty under Old Testament law for adultery. The phrase emphasizes how close the sinner came to total loss, and how public the shame was.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study