OET interlinear PROV 5:16

5:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^16aWhy should your springs flow in the streets,

^16b your streams of water in the public squares?

There is an ellipsis in 5:16b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 5:16a. For example:

^16b and why should your streams of water flow in the public squares?

5:16a–b

Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?: There are at least four ways to interpret the parallel metaphors in this verse:

1. The words springs and streams of water refer to the son’s sexual affections or the source of his sexual pleasure. The verse contains parallel rhetorical questions. These questions advise the man not to share his sexual affections or seek a source of sexual pleasure in the streets or public squares. In other words, he should not seek sexual pleasure outside his own home with women other than his wife.Within this major interpretation, individual scholars hold slightly differing views. Whybray (page 90) and McKane (page 318) understand the metaphors to refer to the husband’s semen, which is scattered outside the marital relationship by intercourse with other women. Garrett (page 93) understands them to mean the husband’s sexual affections, and Toy (page 113) and Waltke (pages 318–319) take them as the husband’s sources of sexual enjoyment outside the home, e.g. prostitutes. All these views may be taken broadly as an admonition to the man to limit his sexual activity to the marital relationship. For example:

   Don’t pour your water in the streets; don’t give your love to just any woman. (NCV) (NCV, NLT, CEV) Notice that the NCV translates the rhetorical questions as statements.

2. The words springs and streams of water refer to the young man’s wife. The verse contains parallel rhetorical questions. These questions advise the man not to neglect his wife and thus cause her to be unfaithful. With this interpretation, the streets or public squares refer to other men with whom the unfaithful wife would become involved.This interpretation has the advantage of maintaining the same reference for the metaphors of well/springs/fountain. All would then refer to the woman, as they do in Song of Songs 4:15, rather than switching to the man in 5:16. An argument against this interpretation is that this whole chapter is an admonition to the man to avoid sexual contact outside of marriage. It is not concerned with a wife who might be tempted to seek affection elsewhere (Murphy, page 32; Scott, page 58) or might be violated by another man (Fox, page 200).

3. The words springs and streams of water refer to the children that result from a marriage. The verse contains parallel positive statements. These statements promise that a faithful marriage will result in many children and other benefits to the community. With this interpretation, the streets or public squares refer to the community into which the children would be born.This interpretation is supported by Kidner (page 70), Cohen (page 28), and Cook (page 25). In addition to the argument of context given in the notes, the following considerations weigh against this interpretation: 1) Springs/streams symbolize sources of sexual enjoyment, not children. 2) Springs overflowing in the streets do not imply an increased number of children (water), but the wasting of valuable water outside the home (Fox, page 201). 3) In the context of the passage as a whole, allowing water to flow outside in the streets is to be avoided. It is not a positive idea (McKane, page 318). This is confirmed by Proverbs 7:12, which speaks of the adulteress frequenting the streets and squares, making available her sexual charms publicly. 4) Men being tempted by adultery are not concerned with raising up many children to benefit the community nor by another man gaining ownership of any child that might result. It is clearly a matter of sexual enticement/desire.

4. The words springs and streams of water refer to the children that are born outside the marriage relationship. This verse advises the young man not to produce children with an immoral woman, because such children will grow up in another man’s home and will not benefit him. With this interpretation, the streets or public squares refer to other families who would raise the illegitimate children that he fathered. For example:

   Children that you have by other women will do you no good. (GNT) (GNT)

Most versions are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it best fits the context. The chapter as a whole is a warning to the man against sexual unfaithfulness. Verses 5:15 and 5:18–20 clearly advise the man to seek sexual pleasure in his wife alone. The context is not about the danger of a wife’s unfaithfulness or the benefits of children.

The metaphors occur in the form of rhetorical questions. The function of the rhetorical questions is to give advice. Other ways to translate the metaphors are:

• Keep the first metaphor, and translate the meaning of the second metaphor. For example:

  Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? (NLT)

  Should your springs flow outside in the streets? Of course not! You should never sleep with a woman who is not your wife.

• Translate both metaphors as similes. Make the point of comparison explicit. For example:

  You should not be like a river that flows through the marketplace. Do not be like a water source where any woman can drink.

springs…streams of water: The word that the BSB translates as springs refers to the headwaters or source of streams and rivers. It is the place where flowing water first comes out of the ground. The parallel term, streams of water, refers to channels or canals in which water is flowing. In this verse, these terms are used figuratively. Both terms refer to the son’s sexual affections.

streets…public squares: These parallel terms are used figuratively. They refer to women other than the young man’s wife.

5:16a

5:16b