Proverbs 5:13neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~950 BC. A man sits in shame, remembering his father's warnings about adultery. Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: bitter regret mixed with shame
The original word
shāmaʿ (שָׁמַע) — to hear with intent to obey, not just audible reception
Why it matters
Hebrew fathers taught sons trade skills and moral wisdom simultaneously in workshops
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 5:13
This is spoken by someone whose adultery was exposed publicly in court
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about academic learning, but it's specifically about sexual purity instruction that was ignored, leading to public disgrace.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 5:13
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 5:13 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 5:13 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to the fool. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include regret, disobedience. Notable phrases: not obeyed the voice; turned my ear.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 5:13 mean to you, today?
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