Proverbs 5:3

For the lips ¹  of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her seductive words ²  are smoother than olive oil,

Ps 55:21; Pr 2:16; Pr 6:24; Pr 7:21; Re 17:2-6

¹ sn “Lips” is a metonymy of cause, referring to her words. Dripping honey is an implied comparison between the product and her words, which are flattering and smooth (cf. Song 4:11). See M. Dahood, “Honey That Drips. Notes on Proverbs 5:2-3,” Bib 54 (1973): 65-66.

² tn Heb “her palate.” The word חֵךְ (khekh, “palate; roof of the mouth; gums”) is a metonymy of cause (= organ of speech) for what is said (= her seductive speech). The present translation clarifies this metonymy with the phrase “her seductive words.”