She does not consider
The phrase "She does not consider" suggests a lack of reflection or awareness. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "פֶּן" (pen), which implies a warning or caution. This highlights the importance of wisdom and discernment in making life choices. The absence of consideration indicates a life led without the guidance of wisdom, which is a central theme in Proverbs. The wise are called to deliberate and seek understanding, contrasting with the folly of ignoring the consequences of one's actions.

the path of life
"The path of life" refers to a way of living that aligns with God's will and leads to spiritual fulfillment and eternal life. In Hebrew, "דֶּרֶךְ חַיִּים" (derekh chayyim) signifies a journey or course that is life-giving. This path is often depicted in Scripture as narrow and requiring intentionality and righteousness. The imagery of a path suggests direction and purpose, emphasizing that life is a journey with a destination. The wise are encouraged to walk this path, guided by God's commandments and wisdom.

she does not know
The phrase "she does not know" indicates ignorance or a lack of understanding. The Hebrew word "יָדַע" (yada) means to know intimately or experientially. This lack of knowledge is not merely intellectual but relational and spiritual. It underscores the danger of living without a true understanding of God's ways. In the biblical context, knowing is often associated with a deep, covenantal relationship with God, which this individual lacks.

that her ways are unstable
"Her ways are unstable" describes a life characterized by inconsistency and unreliability. The Hebrew word "נוּעַ" (nu'a) conveys the idea of wavering or being unsteady. This instability is a result of not being anchored in the truth and wisdom of God. In the broader scriptural context, stability is often linked to righteousness and faithfulness to God's word. The instability here serves as a warning of the consequences of living apart from divine wisdom, leading to a life that lacks direction and purpose.

(6) Lest thou shouldest ponder . . .--The meaning of the English version appears to be, "To prevent thy choosing the path of life, she leads thee by devious paths that thou knowest not where thou art." It may also be rendered, "Far from smoothing for herself the path of life, her steps wander without her observing it." By these words is described the reckless career of a vicious woman, who at last dares not think whither her steps are leading her, but as it were with eyes shut, totters on till she falls to rise no more.

Verse 6. - Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are movable, that thou canst not know them. This verse should be rather rendered, she walks not in the path of life, her ways fiuctuate, she knows not. It consists of a series of independent proposiyions or statements, all of which are descriptive of the singularly fatuous conduct of "the strange woman." In the previous verse the teacher has said that her conduct leads to ruin; he here further emphasizes the idea by putting forward the same truth from the opposite, or, as we may say, from the negative point of view, and so completes the picture. "The words," as Plumptre remarks, "describe with terrible vividness the state of heart and soul which prostitution brings on its victims." Her course is one o(persistent, wilful, headstrong, blind folly and wickedness. Lest; pen; here "not," equivalent to לא (lo). So the LXX., Vulgate, Targum, Syriac. The use of pen, in this sense is, however, unique (Gesenius). Delitzsch and Zockler, following Luther, Geier, Holden, etc., assign to it an emphatic negative force, as, "She is far removed from entering," or, "she never treadeth." Others take pen as a dependent prohibitive particle, equivalent to the Latin ne forte, "lest," as in the Authorized Version, and employed to connect the sentence which it introduces either with the preceding verse (as Schultens) or with the second hemistich, on which it is made dependent (Holden, Wordsworth, Aben Ezra, loc., Michaelis, etc.). Thou shouldest ponder; t'phalles, connected by makkeph with pen, as usual (Lee), is either second person masculine or third person feminine. The latter is required here, the subject of the sentence being "the strange woman," as appears clearly from the second hemistich, "her ways," etc. The verb patas (cf. Proverbs 14:26) here means "to prepare," i.e. to walk in, or to travel over. Thus Gesenius renders, "She (the adulteress) prepareth not (for herself) the way of life:" i.e. she does not walk in the way of life; cf. the LXX. εἰσέρχεται, Vulgate ambulant (sc. gressus ejus), and other ancient versions, all of which understand the verb in this sense. The meaning of the phrase, pen t'phalles, is, therefore, "she walks not" in the way of life - the way that has life for its object, and which in itself is full of life and safety. Far from doing this, the teacher goes on to say, her ways are movable; literally, go to and fro, or fluctuate; i.e. they wilfully stagger hither and thither, like the steps of a drunkard, or like the uncertain steps of the blind, for the verb nua is so used in the former sense in Isaiah 24:20; Isaiah 29:9; Psalm 107:27; and in the latter in Lamentations 4:14. Her steps are slippery (LXX., σφαλέραι), or wander (Vulgate, vagi); they are without any definite aim; she is always straying in the vagrancy of sin (Wordsworth); cf. Proverbs 7:12. That thou canst not know them (lo theda); literally, she knows not. The elliptical form of this sentence in the original leaves it open to various interpretations. It seems to refer to the way of life; she knows not the way of life, i.e. she does not regard or perceive the way of life. The verb yada often has this meaning. The meaning may be obtained by supplying mah, equivalent to quicquam, "anything," as in Proverbs 9:13, "She knows not anything," i.e. she knows nothing. The objection to this is that it travels unnecessarily out of the sentence to find the object which ought rather to be supplied from the context. The object may possibly be the staggering of her feet: she staggers hither and thither without her perceiving it (Delitzsch); or it may, lastly, be indefinite: she knows not whittler her steps conduct her (Wordsworth and Zockler).

Parallel Commentaries ...


She does not
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

consider
תְּפַלֵּ֑ס (tə·p̄al·lês)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 6424: To roll flat, prepare, to revolve, weigh

the path
אֹ֣רַח (’ō·raḥ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 734: A well-trodden road, a caravan

of life;
חַ֭יִּים (ḥay·yîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

she does not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know that
תֵדָֽע׃ (ṯê·ḏā‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

her ways
מַ֝עְגְּלֹתֶ֗יהָ (ma‘·gə·lō·ṯe·hā)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4570: An entrenchment, track

are unstable.
נָע֥וּ (nā·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5128: To quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 5:6 She gives no thought to the way (Prov. Pro Pr)