Proverbs 5 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

The lips — It concerns thee to get and to use discretion, that thou mayest be able to resist those temptations to which thou art exposed.

But — The effect of that to which she entices men, is destruction.

Feet — Her manner of life.

Lest — To prevent thy serious consideration. Moveable — She transforms herself into several shapes, and has a thousand arts to ensnare. Know — Thou canst not discover all her practice.

Honour — Thy dignity and reputation, the strength of thy body and mind. Years — The flower of thine age. The cruel — To the harlot, who though she pretends love, yet in truth is one of the most cruel creatures in the world, wasting thy estate and body without pity, and damming thy soul for ever.

Strangers — Not only the strange women themselves, but others who are in league with them. Labors — Wealth gotten by thy labours.

A moment — In how little a time am I now come into remediless misery! Assembly — And that in the congregation of Israel, where I was taught better things.

Drink — Content thyself with those delights which God alloweth thee in the sober use of the marriage — bed.

Fountains — Thy children proceeding from thy wife and from thyself. Fountains are here put for rivers flowing from them. Dispersed — They shall in due time appear abroad to thy comfort, and for the good of others.

Fountain — Thy wife. Blessed — With children; for barrenness was esteemed a curse among the Israelites.

Satisfy thee — At all convenient times: for that there may be excess in the marriage — bed is manifest. Ravished — Love her fervently. It is an hyperbolical expression.

Holden — He is in perfect bondage to his lusts, and is neither able nor wiling to set himself at liberty.

Die — He shall die in his sins. Astray — From the way of life, and from eternal salvation.