Proverbs 5 · Verse 15

Proverbs 5:15

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Proverbs 5:15, King James Version

Proverbs 5:15 in other translations

BSBDrink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.
WEBDrink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
ASVDrink waters out of thine own cistern, And running waters out of thine own well.
YLTDrink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.
DARBYDrink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
BBELet water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain.
WebsterDrink waters out of thy own cistern, and running waters out of thy own well.

What does Proverbs 5:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 5:15-20
15-20. By figures, in which well, cistern, and fountain [Pr 5:15, 18] represent the wife, and rivers of waters [Pr 5:16] the children, men are exhorted to constancy and satisfaction in lawful conjugal enjoyments. In Pr 5:16, fountains (in the plural) rather denote the produce or waters of a spring, literally, "what is from a spring," and corresponds with "rivers of waters."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern - Be satisfied with thy own wife; and let the wife see that she reverence her husband; and not tempt him by inattention or unkindness to seek elsewhere what he has a right to expect, but cannot find, at home.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 5:15-23
Lawful marriage is a means God has appointed to keep from these destructive vices. But we are not properly united, except as we attend to God's word, seeking his direction and blessing, and acting with affection. Ever remember, that though secret sins may escape the eyes of our fellow-creatures, yet a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, who not only sees, but ponders all his goings. Those who are so foolish as to choose the way of sin, are justly left of God to themselves, to go on in the way to destruction.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Proverbs 5:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שְׁתֵה\־she.teh-drinkH8354
מַ֥יִםMa.yimwaterH4325
מִבּוֹרֶ֑ךָmi.bo.Re.khafrom own cistern yourH953
וְ֝נֹזְלִ֗יםve.no.ze.Limand streamsH5140
מִתּ֥וֹךְmi.Tokhfrom [the] midst ofH8432
בְּאֵרֶֽךָ\׃be.'e.Re.khaown well yourH875

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 5:15

  • 1 Corinthians 7:2-5

    Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

  • Hebrews 13:4

    Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

  • Proverbs 5:18-19

    Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
18,19; 1Co 7:2-5; Heb 13:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 5:14

    I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

  • Proverbs 5:15

    Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.

  • Proverbs 5:16

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

Read all of Proverbs 5

Proverbs 5:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Bebe el agua de tu cisterna, y los raudales de tu pozo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Bois des eaux de ta citerne, et de ce qui coule du milieu de ton puits.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Trinke Wasser aus deiner Cisterne und Fließendes aus deinem Brunnen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Bibe aquam de cisterna tua, et fluenta putei tui;