1. The problem is to simplify the expression involving the natural logarithm and a linear term: $-2x - \ln(5)$. 2. The expression is already simplified as a sum of two terms: a linear term $-2x$ and a logarithmic term $-\ln(5)$. 3. Important rule: The natural logarithm $\ln(a)$ is not divided by any number unless explicitly written as a fraction. Here, $\ln(5)$ is a constant term. 4. Since there is no division or multiplication between $\ln(5)$ and $-2x$, the expression remains $-2x - \ln(5)$. 5. Therefore, the simplified expression is: $$-2x - \ln(5)$$ This is the final answer.