The Meaning of Proverbs 5:9 Explained

Proverbs 5:9

KJV: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

YLT: Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,

Darby: lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel;

ASV: Lest thou give thine honor unto others, And thy years unto the cruel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Lest thou give  thine honour  unto others,  and thy years  unto the cruel: 

What does Proverbs 5:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 5:1-14 - Quicksands! Keep Off!
It is a matter for great thankfulness that the Bible, which is God's book rather than man's, deals so strongly and wisely with one great evil, which has manifested itself in every age and in every state of society. It speaks boldly and plainly; and all who will meditate on its teaching with a prayerful heart, will be saved from many a painful snare. If we fall it will only be due to our having refused to heed the voice that speaks to us from paragraphs like these.
The one great caution that we must all observe is in the control of our thoughts. The soul must never lie open to the tide of suggestive thoughts that break along its beach. As of old the watchman kept the gate of the medieval city so soon as darkness fell, so must the purity of God keep watch and ward at eye-gate, ear-gate, and touch-gate, lest some emissary of evil gain entrance and betray the citadel. Let Christ be the custodian of thy soul, whether thou be man or woman, old or young, and let Him impart to thee His own divine and human purity. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 5

1  Solomon exhorts to wisdom
3  He shows the mischief of unfaithfulness and riot
15  He exhorts to contentedness, generosity, and chastity
22  The wicked are overtaken with their own sins

What do the individual words in Proverbs 5:9 mean?

lest you give to others your honor and your years to the cruel [one]
פֶּן־ תִּתֵּ֣ן לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים הוֹדֶ֑ךָ וּ֝שְׁנֹתֶ֗יךָ לְאַכְזָרִֽי

פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תִּתֵּ֣ן  you  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים  to  others 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
הוֹדֶ֑ךָ  your  honor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: הֹוד  
Sense: splendour, majesty, vigour.
וּ֝שְׁנֹתֶ֗יךָ  and  your  years 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
לְאַכְזָרִֽי  to  the  cruel  [one] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אַכְזָרִי  
Sense: cruel.