Proverbs 5:4 kjv

But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:4 nkjv

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:4 niv

but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:4 esv

but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Proverbs 5:4 nlt

But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
as dangerous as a double-edged sword.

Proverbs 5 verses

Proverbs 5 4 Meaning

Proverbs 5:4 vividly describes the eventual outcome of yielding to the enticements of the forbidden woman or any form of illicit sin. While her initial allure may be sweet and enticing, her ultimate consequence is deeply painful and destructive. It reveals that the fleeting pleasure of sin inevitably gives way to profound bitterness, regret, and damaging results that pierce one's very being. This verse serves as a crucial counter-balance to the initial deceptive charm, exposing sin's true nature as ruinous.

Proverbs 5 4 Context

Proverbs chapter 5 is a direct warning from a father to his son against the perils of sexual immorality, specifically focusing on the "strange woman" or adulteress. The chapter opens with an appeal for attention and wisdom (v. 1-2). Verse 3 presents the deceptive initial appeal of the forbidden woman, describing her words as sweet as honey and smoother than oil, highlighting the sensual allure. Verse 4 then dramatically shifts the perspective, revealing the inevitable, bitter, and destructive end consequences. This contrast is central to the chapter's teaching. The following verses (v. 5-14) elaborate on these ruinous effects, including leading to death, loss of honor, wealth, health, and profound regret. The chapter concludes by urging fidelity to one's own wife (v. 15-20) and reminding the son that God sees all his ways and ensures the wicked are snared by their own iniquity (v. 21-23). The historical and cultural context underscores the importance of marital fidelity and family lineage in ancient Israel, where such sexual sin was not merely a personal failing but a societal threat, bringing public shame and often financial ruin.

Proverbs 5 4 Word analysis

• But her end (וְאַחֲרִיתָהּ, wəʾaḥărîṯāh): The Hebrew term ʾaḥărîṯāh denotes "her latter end," "her future," or "her ultimate consequence." This emphasizes the unavoidable result and the long-term, delayed payoff, contrasting sharply with the immediate gratification. It is a critical theological concept in Proverbs, highlighting that present choices determine future outcomes.
• she is bitter (מָרָה, marah): Derived from a root meaning "to be bitter, to be sad." It conveys an experience of intense unpleasantness, sorrow, or grief. It speaks to the emotional and spiritual emptiness and regret that replace fleeting pleasure.
• as wormwood (כַלַּעֲנָה, kal-laʿanah): The prefix ka- means "like" or "as." Laʿanah refers to wormwood, a plant known for its extreme bitterness. Biblically, it frequently symbolizes misfortune, distress, sorrow, poison, and divine judgment. Its presence implies not just discomfort, but a deeply nauseating and agonizing experience.
• sharp (חַדָּה, ḥaddah): This word signifies intense, piercing, or pointed. It points to the acute pain and penetrative damage inflicted. It’s not a blunt impact, but a piercing, incisive wound.
• as a two-edged sword (כְּחֶרֶב פִּיּוֹת, kəḥereḇ pīyyōṯ): The Hebrew idiom ḥereḇ pīyyōṯ literally means "sword of mouths" (plural for edge or mouth). This weapon cuts both ways, from either side, making it highly effective and devastatingly destructive. It signifies comprehensive damage that penetrates deeply and is inescapable.
• "But in the end she is bitter as wormwood": This phrase vividly conveys the spiritual and emotional devastation. The "sweetness" of sin (v. 3) gives way to a soul-crushing, regretful, and genuinely nauseating outcome, often tied to divine disfavor or the natural consequence of evil.
• "sharp as a two-edged sword": This imagery underscores the material and relational harm that results. The "two-edged" nature signifies that the damage is deep, comprehensive, and potentially self-inflicted (harming oneself as well as others), cutting away health, wealth, reputation, and peace.

Proverbs 5 4 Bonus section

The stark contrast between Proverbs 5:3 and 5:4 is critical to understanding the entire warning. It exemplifies the classic biblical tension between sin's deceptive charm and its inevitable, ruinous outcome. Sin always promises pleasure and freedom but always delivers bitterness, bondage, and destruction. The "strange woman" in Proverbs is often understood as a symbol not only of literal adultery but also of any enticing, worldly wisdom or pursuit that deviates from God's righteous path, demonstrating that the end result of any sin is bitter and sharp. The passage urges foresight and a long-term perspective in making moral choices, looking beyond immediate gratification to the ultimate, God-ordained consequences.

Proverbs 5 4 Commentary

Proverbs 5:4 serves as a profound and vital counter-point to the seductive nature of sin presented in the preceding verse. While the "forbidden woman" (representing any ungodly temptation) offers an initial facade of sweetness and allure, this verse strips away the illusion to reveal the unescapable, painful reality that awaits. The transition from honeyed words to "bitter wormwood" highlights a dramatic shift from pleasure to profound sorrow, spiritual nausea, and utter disillusionment. Similarly, what initially seems smooth and harmless eventually proves "sharp as a two-edged sword," inflicting deep, pervasive, and potentially irreparable damage—not just emotional pain, but often tangible loss in health, wealth, reputation, and peace. The warning emphasizes that sin's promises are fleeting and deceptive; its true wages are always devastation and death. It implores the hearer to look beyond superficial appeal to the intrinsic and inevitable consequences.