thy fountains
Proverbs 5:16
This is a difficult verse to unravel because the Hebrew is not clear, so
translators have translated the verse in two ways, a "positive" interpreation and a "negative" interpretation.
- KJV: Positive
- Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Here, the fountains are considered a different water source than the cistern in the previous verse.
If you do indeed drink out of your own
cistern - i.e., stay faithful to your wife in marriage -
then your "fountains", i.e. offspring, will overflow in abundance. See also
John Gill's Commentary on Proverbs 5:16.
- NIV: Negative
- Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
Here, it is assumed that the water analogy is a direct continuation of the previous verse, which
focused on confining your water to your own cistern. Carelessly spilling water into the streets
represents reckless promiscuity. Water must be controlled and protected, as further directed in the
next verse:
Let them (the springs) be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
See also BibleRef.com's Commentary on Proverbs 5:16.
Regardless of interpretation, God's message is clear: It is absolutely vital to be faithful to your spouse!
(For an even more exhaustive technical analysis, see Bible
Hub's Commentary Survey on Proverbs 5.)
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