PROV 5:3 Parallel Verse View

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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 πρόσεχε φαύλῃ γυναικί. Μέλι γὰρ ἀποστάζει ἀπὸ χειλέων γυναικὸς πόρνης, ἣ πρὸς καιρὸν λιπαίνει σὸν φάρυγγα,
(Maʸ proseⱪe faulaʸ gunaiki. Meli gar apostazei apo ⱪeileōn gunaikos pornaʸs, haʸ pros kairon lipainei son farunga, )

BrTr for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate:

ULT For the lips of a strange woman drip fresh honey
⇔ and smoother than oil is her palate,

UST Do this because what adulterous women say seems delightful like the taste of honey.
⇔ Yes, their words are more soothing than how olive oil feels on your skin.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE For the lips of an adulteress drip honey.
⇔ Her mouth is smoother than oil,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
⇔ and her seductive words are smoother than olive oil,

LSV For the lips of a strange woman drop honey,
And her mouth [is] smoother than oil,

FBV For the lips of an immoral woman may taste as sweet as honey, the kisses of her mouth may be as smooth as oil,

T4T What an immoral woman says to you may be as sweet as honey,
⇔ and sound smoother than olive oil feels on your skin,

LEB • For the lips of the strange woman will drip honey, and smoother than oil is her mouth.[fn]

5:? Or “palate”

BBE For honey is dropping from the lips of the strange woman, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

Moff that they may save you from the loose woman:
⇔ her lips drop honied words,
⇔ her talk is smoother than oil itself,

JPS For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

ASV For the lips of a strange woman drop honey,
⇔ And her mouth is smoother than oil:

DRA For the lips of a harlot are like a honeycomb dropping, and her throat is smoother than oil.

YLT For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth,

Drby For the lips of the strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

RV For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

SLT For the lips of the strange woman will drop droppings of the honeycomb, and her palate is smooth above oil:

Wbstr For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honey-comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

KJB-1769 ¶ For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:[fn]

5.3 mouth: Heb. palate

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn]For the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe, and her mouth is smoother then oyle.
(¶ For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother then oil.)

5:3 Heb. palate

Bshps For the lippes of a straunge woman are a dropping hony combe, and her throte is more glistering then oyle:
(For the lips of a strange woman are a dropping honeycomb, and her throat is more glistering then oil:)

Gnva For the lippes of a strange woman drop as an honie combe, and her mouth is more soft then oyle.
(For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is more soft then oil. )

Cvdl For the lippes of an harlot are a droppinge hony combe, and hir throte is softer then oyle.
(For the lips of an harlot are a dropping honeycomb, and her throat is softer then oil.)

Wycl for the lippis of an hoore ben an hony coomb droppinge, and hir throte is clerere than oile;
(for the lips of an hoar/grey been an honeycomb dropping, and her throat is clearer than oil;)

Luth Denn die Lippen der Hure sind süß wie Honigseim, und ihre Kehle ist glätter denn Öl,
(Because the lips the/of_the whore(n) are sweet/cute as/like honeycomb, and their/her throat is smoother because/than oil,)

ClVg favus enim distillans labia meretricis, et nitidius oleo guttur ejus:[fn]
(honeycomb because dripping lips prostitute, and brighter with_oil throat his: )

5.3 Favus enim. Cum in ore hæretico, etc., usque ad veritas a stultis æstimatur. Labia meretricis. Patet de meretrice, quia et sermonis suavitatem et formositatem corporis ad capiendos miseros quærit. Oleo guttur. Oleo Spiritus sancti fides catholica consecratur: quo nitidius suum guttur ostentat, qui sua sensa patrum fide anteponit.

5.3 Honeycomb because. Since in/into/on vocally theseretico, etc., until to the_truth from for_fools brasstimatur. lips prostitute. It's_clear from/about meretrice, because and speech suavitatem and formositatem body to to_be_captured miserable seeks. Oleo throat. Oleo Spirit holy faith Catholic/universal is_consecrated: where brighter his_own throat shows_off, who/which his_own felt of_the_fathers with_faith anteponit.

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)

Paragraph 5:1–6

In this paragraph, the father urges the son to pay attention to his wise words (5:1) so that he will always be cautious and sensible in what he does and says (5:2). The reason for this caution is that it will enable him to resist the tempting invitation of the adulteress whose path leads straight to death (5:3–6).

5:3

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^3aThough the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey

^3band her speech is smoother than oil,

5:3a–b

(combined/reordered)

This is necessary to protect you^(sing) from the temptations of an adulteress, because such a woman says things that are very tempting/alluring and flattering.

the lips of the forbidden woman…her speech: There are two ways to interpret the word that the BSB translates here as lips:

“Lips” is a figure of speech (metonymy) that refers to the words of an adulteress. For example:
The words of another man’s wife may seem sweet as honey (NCV) (CEV, NCV)
“Lips” refers to the literal lips of an adulteress. For example:
The lips of another man’s wife may be as sweet as honey (GNT) (GNT, GW)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it better fits the parallel expression in 5:3b. It also better fits the preceding context, which deals with the father’s words and the son’s words.

drip honey…smoother than oil: These are parallel metaphors. The first metaphor compares the words of the unfaithful wife to honey that falls drop by drop from the honeycomb. The second metaphor compares her words to olive oil, which was used both for rubbing on the skin and in cooking.

The CEV expresses the point of comparison of both of these figures of speech:

The words of an immoral woman may be as sweet as honey and as smooth as olive oil. (CEV)

In the Hebrew language, these metaphors both refer to flattering, seductive words.See Garrett (page 91) and Ross (page 927). In some languages, “sweet” and “smooth” are not used to describe words, or they may have the wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, you have several options:

Make explicit a point of comparison that fits with words or speech. For example:
Her words are persuasive and flattering like the sweetest honey or like smooth oil.
Use a different figure of speech from your language that emphasizes the nature of flattering words.
State the meaning directly. For example:
The words of an adulteress are delightfully tempting and flattering.

5:3a

Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey

For the words of an adulteress are sweet like honey dripping from the comb.
The reason such carefulness is important is because the immoral wife of another man may say things to tempt you^(sing). Her words are like the sweetest honey.

Though: The word that the BSB translates as Though is translated as “For” in most English versions. This word introduces the reason that the young man should make careful decisions. It is because the words of the adulteress are enticing. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this connection more explicit. For example:

You need to be careful because…

forbidden woman: See the note on 2:16a. This woman was “immoral” (CEV), and she may have been a prostitute. But it is clear from the following verses that she was “another man’s wife” (GNT).

drip honey: In some languages, it may be awkward to make explicit that this phrase refers to honey that drips from a honeycomb. If that is true in your language, you may use a more general expression. For example:

as sweet as honey (GNT)

5:3b

and her speech is smoother than oil,

They are smooth like olive oil.
What she says may flatter you^(sing).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֤י

that/for/because/then/when

For here indicates that what follows is a reason why someone should obey the commands introduced in [5:1](../05/01.md). Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: “Do what I say, because”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נֹ֣פֶת תִּ֭טֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתֵ֣י זָרָ֑ה

honey drip lips_of adulteress

Here, lips represent the words that the strange woman speaks, and they are compared to fresh honey. This means that what the strange woman says is sweet and appealing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “the words that a strange woman says seem sweet and appealing”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

זָרָ֑ה

adulteress

See how you translated strange woman in [2:16](../02/16.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠חָלָ֖ק מִ⁠שֶּׁ֣מֶן חִכָּֽ⁠הּ

and_[is],smooth more,than_oil mouth_of,her

Here Solomon represents the tempting words that the strange woman speaks as her palate and he compares them to smooth oil. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “and are pleasant and persuasive” or “and are as persuasive as olive oil is smooth”

Parallel PROV 5:3

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

Paragraph 5:1–6

5:3

5:3a–b

5:3a

5:3b