"Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer-may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love." (NIV) Proverbs 5:15-19

Proverbs 5:15-19 gives advice for happy marriages. The passage begins with “Drink water from your own cistern” and ends with, “always be enraptured with her love.”

The symbolism of the passage represents the happiness that a spouse can bring. The advice is to cherish what you have. If we will appreciate our spouses and the love of our spouses, then we will help bring happiness to the home.

Chances are great that you were not forced into a marriage. If you have difficulties, remember the things that attracted you to begin with. Choose to become enraptured again. Find the things about him or her that are good and lovely. Your mate is the cistern that can hold vast quantities of love for you. Drink from it.

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