PROV 5:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Μὴ ὑπερεκχείσθω σοι ὕδατα ἐκ τῆς σῆς πηγῆς, εἰς δὲ σὰς πλατείας διαπορευέσθω τὰ σὰ ὕδατα.
(Maʸ huperekⱪeisthō soi hudata ek taʸs saʸs paʸgaʸs, eis de sas plateias diaporeuesthō ta sa hudata. )

BrTr Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets.

ULT Should your springs overflow outside,
⇔ channels of water in the open areas?

UST Do not be like someone who lets his water run out into the streets;
⇔ never have sex with other women!

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Should your springs overflow in the streets,
⇔ streams of water in the public squares?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Should your springs be dispersed outside,
⇔ your streams of water in the wide plazas?

LSV Let your fountains be scattered abroad,
In broad places streams of waters.

FBV Why should your springs be spilled outside, your streams of water poured out in the streets?

T4T Like you would not waste good water by pouring it into the street,
⇔ you should not have sex with other women. [MET, EUP]

LEB • Shall your springs be scattered outward? In the streets, shall there be streams of water?

BBE Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.

Moff Are you to seek your pleasures here and there,
⇔ and drink them in the streets?

JPS Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.

ASV Should thy springs be dispersed abroad,
⇔ And streams of water in the streets?

DRA Let thy fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide thy waters.

YLT Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.

Drby Thy fountains shall be poured forth, as water-brooks in the broadways.

RV Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets?
(Should thy/your springs be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets? )

SLT Thy fountains shall be dispersed without; in the broad places streams of waters.

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

KJB-1769 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
(Let thy/your fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. )

KJB-1611 Let thy fountaines bee dispersed abroad, and riuers of waters in the streets.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Let thy welles flowe out abrode, that there may be riuers of waters in the streates:
(Let thy/your wells flow out abroad, that there may be rivers of waters in the streets:)

Gnva Let thy fountaines flow foorth, and the riuers of waters in the streetes.
(Let thy/your fountains flow forth, and the rivers of waters in the streets. )

Cvdl Let yi welles flowe out a brode, that there maye be ryuers of water in the stretes.
(Let ye/you_all wells flow out a brode, that there may be rivers of water in the streets.)

Wycl Thi wellis be stremed forth; and departe thi watris in stretis.
(Thy/Your wells be stremed forth; and depart thy/your waters in streets.)

Luth Laß deine Brunnen herausfließen und die Wasserbäche auf die Gassen.
(Let your spring(n) out_of_herefließen and the streams on/in/to the alleys/lanes.)

ClVg deriventur fontes tui foras, et in plateis aquas tuas divide.[fn]
(deriventur sources/springs yours(sg) outside, and in/into/on the_streets waters yours divide. )

5.16 Deriventur. Cum ipse servaveris, tunc et aliis prædica, et in magna auditorum amplitudine divina eloquia, juxta uniuscujusque qualitatem, dispensa.

5.16 Deriventur. Since exactly_that/himself servaveris, then and to_others beforedica, and in/into/on big audience amplitudine divine words, next_to of_each qualitatem, dispensa.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–23: Eighth lesson: Avoid the temptation to commit adultery

A summary of this lesson is: Stay away from a woman who commits adultery, or you will bitterly regret it (5:1–14). Instead, be delighted with your own wife (5:15–20), because the LORD sees everything you do and will punish wickedness (5:21–23).

Some other headings for this section are:

Advice to stay away from a woman who commits adultery

Warning About Adultery (NCV)

Avoid Adultery (GW)

Be Faithful to Your Wife (CEV)

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

(combined/reordered)

You^(sing) should not be like a spring or river from which any woman may drink.
You should not waste your love by giving it to a woman who is not your wife.

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:

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.
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).
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.
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

Why should your springs flow in the streets,

You^(sing) should not be like a spring that flows out into the streets

5:16b

your streams of water in the public squares?

or a water channel from which other women can drink.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ ח֑וּצָ⁠ה בָּ֝⁠רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם

scattered springs_of,your outside,to_[the] in,places streams_of water

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize that a man should not commit adultery. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: “Your springs should not overflow outside, channels of water in the open areas!”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ ח֑וּצָ⁠ה בָּ֝⁠רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם

scattered springs_of,your outside,to_[the] in,places streams_of water

Solomon is leaving out some words in the second clause that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the first clause if it would be clearer in your language. You may need to make a new sentence. Alternate translation: “Should your springs overflow outside? Should your channels of water overflow in the open areas?”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

יָפ֣וּצוּ מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י⁠ךָ ח֑וּצָ⁠ה בָּ֝⁠רְחֹב֗וֹת פַּלְגֵי־מָֽיִם

scattered springs_of,your outside,to_[the] in,places streams_of water

In both clauses, Solomon is using a polite way to refer to a man having sex with women other than his wife by speaking as if that man allowed his springs or water to flow in public places. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a polite way of referring to this in your language, or you could express the meaning plainly. See the discussion of euphemisms in the Chapter Introduction. Alternate translation: “Should you sleep with other women, making something public that should be private”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ח֑וּצָ⁠ה בָּ֝⁠רְחֹב֗וֹת

outside,to_[the] in,places

Here, outside and open areas refer to public places where there are many people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “outside of your home … in public places”

Parallel PROV 5:16

Section 5:1–23: Eighth lesson: Avoid the temptation to commit adultery

5:16

5:16a–b

5:16a

5:16b