Proverbs 5 in the early church
144 passages quote, allude to, or echo Proverbs 5, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 8 · 9 · 11 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 22
Proverbs 5:1
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ear to my insight,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:1 | Didascalia 1.7 (Latin) · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | first half of the third century |
| Prov 5:1 | On Ecclesiastical Theology 3.3.34 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 337–339 |
Proverbs 5:2
that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:2 | Homilies on Ezekiel 8.2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s) |
| Prov 5:2–4 | Apostolic Constitutions 1.7.8 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Prov 5:2 | On Grace and Free Will 2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 426 |
Proverbs 5:3
Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:3 | The Instructor 3.11.68 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Prov 5:3 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:3 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 157 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:3 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 173 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:3 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 211 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:3 | PG 12:1577 (Ps 117 LXX) · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:3 | Homilies on Ezekiel 8.2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Jerome's translation in the 380s) |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Demonstration 14.41 · Aphrahat | allusion, medium confidence | 337-345 |
| Prov 5:3 | Catechetical Lecture 4.2 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Prov 5:3–5 | On Not Agreeing with Heretics 6 · Lucifer of Cagliari | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–361 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Letters 46, 47 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 357–378 |
| Prov 5:3 | Homilies 12.14 · Basil of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| Prov 5:3 | Letter 78.7 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Prov 5:3 | Letter 78.41 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Letter 128.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | On Cain and Abel 1.15 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Prov 5:3 | Homilies on Matthew 73.4 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | On 1 Cor 7:2, section 5 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Homily 12 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390–394 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Sermon 339.6 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Prov 5:3–4 | Tractates 15 · Gaudentius of Brescia | quotation, high confidence | ca. 397-410 |
Proverbs 5:4
in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:4 | The Instructor 3.11.68 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Prov 5:4 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 157 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:4 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 211 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:4 | Homilies on Joshua 14.2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Prov 5:4 | Question 115, section 30 · Ambrosiaster | echo, low confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Prov 5:4 | Letter 78.7 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Prov 5:4 | Homilies on Matthew 73.4 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Prov 5:4 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 37.51.5 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 387-397 |
Proverbs 5:5
Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:5 | The Instructor 3.11.68 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Prov 5:5 | The Instructor 3.11.69 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Prov 5:5 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
Proverbs 5:6
She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:6 | The Instructor 3.11.69 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 190–200 |
| Prov 5:6 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 157 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
Proverbs 5:8
Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:8 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:8 | Homilies on Numbers 20.3 · Origen | allusion, low confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Prov 5:8 | Homilies on the Psalms 1.4 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, low confidence | ca. 360-378 |
| Prov 5:8 | On Fleeing the World 56 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 387-391 |
Proverbs 5:9
lest you concede your vigor to others, and your years to one who is cruel;
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:9 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:9 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 173 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 220-254 |
Proverbs 5:11
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body are spent,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:11 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:11 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 157 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:11 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 173 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:11 | Letter 341 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 360–390 |
| Prov 5:11–14 | Apostolic Constitutions 1.7.10 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
Proverbs 5:13
I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my mentors.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:13 | Didascalia 1.7 (Latin) · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | first half of the third century |
Proverbs 5:14
I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:14 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 157 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:14 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 173 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:14 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 30.1.4 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Prov 5:14 | Historia monachorum, chapter 1 · Rufinus of Aquileia | quotation, medium confidence | Greek original ca. 394-395; Rufinus's Latin ca. 404-406 |
Proverbs 5:15
Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.
Proverbs 5:16
Why should your springs flow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:16 | Miscellanies 2.2.8 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:16 | Homilies on Numbers 12.1 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Prov 5:16 | Against Celsus 4.44 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Prov 5:16 | On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.29 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-390 |
| Prov 5:16 | Exposition of Psalm 118 6.31.1 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Prov 5:16 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 45.3.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
| Prov 5:16–17 | Homilies on the First Epistle of John 7.6 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 407 |
| Prov 5:16 | The Conferences 14.13 · John Cassian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
Proverbs 5:17
Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:17 | Homilies on Numbers 12.1 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Prov 5:17 | Against Celsus 4.44 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Prov 5:17 | Oration 37.8 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Prov 5:17 | On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.29 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-390 |
| Prov 5:17 | On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386–390 |
Proverbs 5:18
May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth:
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:18 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 175 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:18 | Demonstration 18.10 · Aphrahat | allusion, medium confidence | 337-345 |
| Prov 5:18–19 | Apostolic Constitutions 6.29.2 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Prov 5:18 | On Jacob and the Happy Life 1.29 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-390 |
| Prov 5:18 | On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386–390 |
| Prov 5:18 | Commentary on Malachi 2:13–16 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | 406 |
Proverbs 5:19
A loving doe, a graceful fawn—may her breasts satisfy you always; may you be captivated by her love forever.
Proverbs 5:20
Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress, or embrace the bosom of a stranger?
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov 5:20 | Miscellanies 1.5.29 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:20 | Miscellanies 1.5.31 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Prov 5:20 | Fragments on Proverbs, column 175 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Prov 5:20 | Canonical Letter, Migne PG 45:227 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
Proverbs 5:22
The iniquities of a wicked man entrap him; the cords of his sin entangle him.