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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/proverbs/5.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/proverbs/5.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/proverbs/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/proverbs/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/proverbs/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/proverbs/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/proverbs/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/proverbs/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/proverbs/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/proverbs/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/proverbs/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />But her end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/proverbs/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter like [the extract of] wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/proverbs/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/proverbs/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />in the end she&#8217s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/proverbs/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/proverbs/5.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />But all that you really get from being with her is bitter poison and pain. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/proverbs/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />But her latter end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/proverbs/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/proverbs/5.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />but when it is all over, she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/proverbs/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/proverbs/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/proverbs/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/proverbs/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/proverbs/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/proverbs/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/proverbs/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, "" Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/proverbs/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And her latter end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword with mouths.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/proverbs/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And her latter state being bitter as wormwood; sharp as a two-mouthed sword.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/proverbs/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/proverbs/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />But in the end, she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/proverbs/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/proverbs/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/proverbs/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />But the end of her life is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/proverbs/5.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />But their end is of bitter wormwood, for they are sharper than a doubleedged sword<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/proverbs/5.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />But her end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/proverbs/5.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/proverbs/5-4.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kpUA5ZltBeQ?start=771" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/proverbs/5.htm">Avoiding Immorality</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">3</span>Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, <span class="reftext">4</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/319.htm" title="319: wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯāh (Conj-w:: N-fsc:: 3fs) -- The after-part, end. From 'achar; the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity.">in the end</a> <a href="/hebrew/4751.htm" title="4751: mā·rāh (Adj-fs) -- Bitter, bitterness. Or marah; from marar; bitter; also bitterness, or bitterly.">she is bitter</a> <a href="/hebrew/3939.htm" title="3939: ḵal·la·‘ă·nāh (Prep-k, Art:: N-fs) -- Wormwood. From an unused root supposed to mean to curse; wormwood.">as wormwood,</a> <a href="/hebrew/2299.htm" title="2299: ḥad·dāh (Adj-fs) -- Sharp. From chadad; sharp.">sharp</a> <a href="/hebrew/6310.htm" title="6310: pî·yō·wṯ (N-mp) -- Mouth. From pa'ah; the mouth, whether literal or figurative; specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially according to.">as a double-edged</a> <a href="/hebrew/2719.htm" title="2719: kə·ḥe·reḇ (Prep-k:: N-fsc) -- A sword. From charab; drought; also a cutting instrument, as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement.">sword.</a> </span><span class="reftext">5</span>Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/james/3-11.htm">James 3:11-12</a></span><br />Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? / My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ecclesiastes/7-26.htm">Ecclesiastes 7:26</a></span><br />And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/8-11.htm">Revelation 8:11</a></span><br />The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil, and many people died from the bitter waters.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/55-21.htm">Psalm 55:21</a></span><br />His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/9-15.htm">Jeremiah 9:15</a></span><br />Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/lamentations/3-15.htm">Lamentations 3:15</a></span><br />He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/12-15.htm">Hebrews 12:15</a></span><br />See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/5-20.htm">Isaiah 5:20</a></span><br />Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/23-27.htm">Matthew 23:27-28</a></span><br />Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/3-13.htm">Romans 3:13</a></span><br />“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/psalms/140-3.htm">Psalm 140:3</a></span><br />They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/23-15.htm">Jeremiah 23:15</a></span><br />Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/3-14.htm">Ezekiel 3:14</a></span><br />So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_peter/2-14.htm">2 Peter 2:14</a></span><br />Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/job/20-14.htm">Job 20:14</a></span><br />yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.</p><p class="hdg">her</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/6-24.htm">Proverbs 6:24-35</a></b></br> To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/7-22.htm">Proverbs 7:22,23</a></b></br> He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/proverbs/9-18.htm">Proverbs 9:18</a></b></br> But he knoweth not that the dead <i>are</i> there; <i>and that</i> her guests <i>are</i> in the depths of hell.</p><p class="hdg">sharp</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/judges/16-4.htm">Judges 16:4-6,15-21</a></b></br> And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name <i>was</i> Delilah… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/psalms/55-21.htm">Psalm 55:21</a></b></br> <i>The words</i> of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war <i>was</i> in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet <i>were</i> they drawn swords.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/hebrews/4-12.htm">Hebrews 4:12</a></b></br> For the word of God <i>is</i> quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and <i>is</i> a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/psalms/119-22.htm">Bitter</a> <a href="/psalms/149-6.htm">Double-Edged</a> <a href="/proverbs/1-19.htm">End</a> <a href="/psalms/69-21.htm">Gall</a> <a href="/psalms/73-17.htm">Latter</a> <a href="/psalms/149-6.htm">Mouths</a> <a href="/proverbs/3-12.htm">Sharp</a> <a href="/psalms/149-6.htm">Sword</a> <a href="/psalms/149-6.htm">Two-Edged</a> <a href="/job/30-4.htm">Wormwood</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/proverbs/6-34.htm">Bitter</a> <a href="/revelation/1-16.htm">Double-Edged</a> <a href="/proverbs/5-11.htm">End</a> <a href="/jeremiah/8-14.htm">Gall</a> <a href="/proverbs/5-11.htm">Latter</a> <a href="/proverbs/10-32.htm">Mouths</a> <a href="/proverbs/9-7.htm">Sharp</a> <a href="/proverbs/12-18.htm">Sword</a> <a href="/hebrews/4-12.htm">Two-Edged</a> <a href="/jeremiah/9-15.htm">Wormwood</a><div class="vheading2">Proverbs 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/proverbs/5-1.htm">Solomon exhorts to wisdom</a></span><br><span class="reftext">3. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/proverbs/5-3.htm">He shows the mischief of unfaithfulness and riot</a></span><br><span class="reftext">15. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/proverbs/5-15.htm">He exhorts to contentedness, generosity, and chastity</a></span><br><span class="reftext">22. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/proverbs/5-22.htm">The wicked are overtaken with their own sins</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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The imagery of "bitter as wormwood" draws from the ancient understanding of wormwood as a plant known for its intensely bitter taste, often associated with sorrow and calamity. In biblical times, wormwood was a symbol of judgment and suffering (<a href="/lamentations/3-15.htm">Lamentations 3:15</a>, <a href="/revelation/8-11.htm">Revelation 8:11</a>). This bitterness contrasts with the initial allure of sin, highlighting the deceptive nature of temptation. The cultural context of the time would have understood this bitterness as a warning against the seductive but ultimately destructive nature of immoral relationships.<p><b>sharp as a double-edged sword</b><br>The comparison to a "double-edged sword" conveys the idea of danger and harm. In ancient warfare, a double-edged sword was a powerful weapon, capable of cutting in both directions, symbolizing the potential for severe damage. This metaphor underscores the perilous consequences of engaging in sinful behavior, which can lead to spiritual and emotional destruction. The imagery of a sword is also used in other scriptures to represent the Word of God (<a href="/hebrews/4-12.htm">Hebrews 4:12</a>), which discerns and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. This duality suggests that while God's Word is life-giving, the path of sin is destructive. The historical context of this imagery would resonate with an audience familiar with the lethal efficiency of such a weapon, reinforcing the seriousness of the warning.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/s/solomon.htm">Solomon</a></b><br>Traditionally considered the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. He wrote Proverbs to impart wisdom and instruction.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_adulterous_woman.htm">The Adulterous Woman</a></b><br>In the context of <a href="/bsb/proverbs/5.htm">Proverbs 5</a>, she symbolizes temptation and the dangers of infidelity. Her allure is initially sweet but ultimately destructive.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/w/wormwood.htm">Wormwood</a></b><br>A bitter herb often used in the Bible to symbolize bitterness and sorrow. It represents the ultimate outcome of succumbing to temptation.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/d/double-edged_sword.htm">Double-Edged Sword</a></b><br>A metaphor for something that is dangerous and can cause harm. It signifies the sharp and painful consequences of sin.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_deceptive_nature_of_sin.htm">The Deceptive Nature of Sin</a></b><br>Sin often appears attractive and harmless at first, but its end is bitter and destructive. Believers must be vigilant and discerning.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequences_of_infidelity.htm">The Consequences of Infidelity</a></b><br>Adultery and infidelity lead to personal and relational destruction. Faithfulness in marriage is a reflection of our faithfulness to God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/guarding_the_heart.htm">Guarding the Heart</a></b><br>Protecting one's heart from temptation requires intentionality and reliance on God's wisdom. Regular engagement with Scripture is essential.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_power_of_god's_word.htm">The Power of God's Word</a></b><br>Just as a double-edged sword can cut, God's Word can penetrate our hearts, revealing sin and guiding us toward righteousness.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/seeking_wisdom.htm">Seeking Wisdom</a></b><br>Pursuing godly wisdom helps us navigate life's temptations and avoid the pitfalls of sin. Prayer and community support are vital in this pursuit.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_proverbs_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_do_trichotomy_and_dichotomy_differ.htm">How do trichotomy and dichotomy of man differ?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_event_explains_wormwood's_bitter_waters.htm">In Revelation 8:10–11, what real-world event could explain a star named Wormwood making waters bitter and causing widespread death? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_to_verify_proverbs_5_3-4's_claim.htm">Proverbs 5:3-4: How can we verify the claim that enticing words inevitably lead to bitterness if there's no tangible evidence for such moral cause-and-effect?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_on_speech.htm">What does the Bible teach about controlling speech?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/proverbs/5.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(4) <span class= "bld">Bitter as wormwood.--</span>The <span class= "ital">absinthium </span>of <a href="/revelation/8-11.htm" title="And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.">Revelation 8:11</a>, where, apparently, it is considered as a poison. So God's message to St. John (<a href="/revelation/10-10.htm" title="And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.">Revelation 10:10</a>) was in his mouth sweet as honey (comp. <a href="/psalms/19-10.htm" title="More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.">Psalm 19:10</a>), but made his belly bitter: that is, he met with much sorrow and trouble in making it known to men, but through this "much tribulation" (<a href="/acts/14-22.htm" title="Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.">Acts 14:22</a>) he "entered into the kingdom of heaven."<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/proverbs/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 4.</span> - The contrast is drawn with great vividness between the professions of the "strange woman" and the disastrous consequences which overtake those who listen to her enticements. She promises enjoyment, pleasure, freedom from danger, but <span class="cmt_word">her end is bitter as wormwood.</span> "Her end," not merely with reference to herself, which may be and is undoubtedly true, but the last of her as experienced by those who have intercourse with her - her character as it stands revealed at the last. So it is said of wine, "At the last," <span class="accented">i.e.</span> its final effects, if indulged in to excess, "it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder" (<a href="/proverbs/23-22.htm">Proverbs 23:22</a>). <span class="accented">Bitter as wormwood.</span> The Hebrew, <span class="accented">laanah</span>, "wormwood," Gesenius derives from the unused root <span class="accented">laan</span>, "to curse." It is the equivalent to the <span class="accented">absinthium</span> of the Vulgate. So Aquila, who has <span class="greek">ἀψίνθιον</span>. The LXX. improperly renders <span class="greek">χολή</span>, "gall." In other places the word <span class="accented">laanah</span> is used as the emblem of bitterness, with the superadded idea of its being poisonous, also according to the Hebrew notion, shared in also by the Greeks, that the plant combined these two qualities. Thus in <a href="/deuteronomy/29-18.htm">Deuteronomy 29:18</a> it is associated with <span class="accented">rosh</span>, "a poisonful herb" (margin), and the Targum terms it, agreeably with this notion, "deadly wormwood." The same belief is reproduced in <a href="/revelation/8-11.htm">Revelation 8:11</a>, "And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter" (cf. <a href="/jeremiah/9-15.htm">Jeremiah 9:15</a>; <a href="/amos/5-7.htm">Amos 5:7</a>: 6:12). The apostle, no doubt, has it in mind when he speaks of any "root of bitterness," in <a href="/hebrews/12-15.htm">Hebrews 12:15</a>. The herb is thus described by Umbreit: "It is a plant toward two feet high, belonging to the genus <span class="accented">Artemisia</span> (species <span class="accented">Artemisia absinthium</span>), which produces a very firm stalk with many branches, grayish leaves, and small, almost round, pendent blossoms. It has a bitter and saline taste, and seems to have been regarded in the East as also a poison, of which the frequent combination with <span class="accented">rosh</span> gives an intimation." Terence has a strikingly similar passage to the one before us - <p><span class="accented">In melle sunt linguae sitae vestrae atque orations<br />Lacteque; corda felle sunt lita atque acerbo aceto."</span> Your tongues are placed in honey and your speech is milk; your hearts are besmeared with gall and sharp vinegar ('Trucul.,' 1:11. 75). <span class="cmt_word">Sharp as a two-edged sword;</span> literally, <span class="accented">as a sword of edges</span> (<span class="accented">kherev piphiyyoth</span>), which may mean a sword of extreme sharpness. Her end is as sharp as the sharpest sword. But it seems better to take the term as it is understood in the Authorized Version, which has the support both of the Vulgate, <span class="accented">gladius biceps</span>, and the LXX., <span class="greek">μαχαίρα διστόμος</span>, <span class="accented">i.e.</span> "a two-edged sword." Compare "a two-edged sword" (<span class="accented">kherev piphiyyoth</span>) of <a href="/psalms/149-6.htm">Psalm 149:6</a>. The meaning is, the last of her is poignancy of remorse, anguish of heart, and death. In these she involves her victims. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/proverbs/5-4.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">her end</span><br /><span class="heb">וְֽ֭אַחֲרִיתָהּ</span> <span class="translit">(wə·’a·ḥă·rî·ṯāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_319.htm">Strong's 319: </a> </span><span class="str2">The last, end, the future, posterity</span><br /><br /><span class="word">is bitter</span><br /><span class="heb">מָרָ֣ה</span> <span class="translit">(mā·rāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4751.htm">Strong's 4751: </a> </span><span class="str2">Bitter, bitterness, bitterly</span><br /><br /><span class="word">as wormwood,</span><br /><span class="heb">כַֽלַּעֲנָ֑ה</span> <span class="translit">(ḵal·la·‘ă·nāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3939.htm">Strong's 3939: </a> </span><span class="str2">Wormwood</span><br /><br /><span class="word">sharp</span><br /><span class="heb">חַ֝דָּ֗ה</span> <span class="translit">(ḥad·dāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - feminine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2299.htm">Strong's 2299: </a> </span><span class="str2">Sharp</span><br /><br /><span class="word">as a double-edged</span><br /><span class="heb">פִּיּֽוֹת׃</span> <span class="translit">(pî·yō·wṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6310.htm">Strong's 6310: </a> </span><span class="str2">The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to</span><br /><br /><span class="word">sword.</span><br /><span class="heb">כְּחֶ֣רֶב</span> <span class="translit">(kə·ḥe·reḇ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2719.htm">Strong's 2719: </a> </span><span class="str2">Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/proverbs/5-4.htm">Proverbs 5:4 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/proverbs/5-4.htm">OT Poetry: Proverbs 5:4 But in the end she is as (Prov. Pro Pr) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/proverbs/5-3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Proverbs 5:3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Proverbs 5:3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/proverbs/5-5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Proverbs 5:5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Proverbs 5:5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>