Proverbs 7
7
1My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands. # Pr 2:1
2Keep my commands and live; # Pr 3:1-2; 4:4; 6:23; 19:16
protect my teachings
as the pupil of your eye. # Dt 32:10; Ps 17:8; Zch 2:8
3Tie them to your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart. # Dt 11:18; Pr 3:3; 6:21
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” # Sg 4:9
and call understanding your relative.
5She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a stranger with her flattering talk. # Pr 5:3,20; 6:24; 7:21
A Story of Seduction
6At the window of my house
I looked through my lattice. # Jdg 5:28; Sg 2:9
7I saw among the inexperienced, # Or simple, or gullible, or naive
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
8Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house
9at twilight, in the evening,
in the dark of the night. # Jb 24:15
10A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute, # Gn 38:14-15
having a hidden agenda. # Or prostitute with a guarded heart
11She is loud and defiant; # Pr 9:13
her feet do not stay at home. # 1Tm 5:13
12Now in the street, now in the squares, # Pr 5:16; 9:14
she lurks at every corner. # Pr 23:28
13She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says # Lit she makes her face strong and says to him,
14“I’ve made fellowship offerings; # Meat from a fellowship offering had to be eaten on the day it was offered; therefore she is inviting him to a feast at her house.
today I’ve fulfilled my vows. # Lv 7:11-18; Dt 23:18; Ps 56:12
15So I came out to meet you,
to search for you, and I’ve found you.
16I’ve spread coverings on my bed # Pr 31:22 —
richly colored linen from Egypt. # Ezk 27:7
17I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. # Ex 30:23; Ps 45:8
18Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning. # Sg 5:1
Let’s feast on each other’s love!
19My husband isn’t home;
he went on a long journey.
20He took a bag of money with him
and will come home at the time of the full moon.”
21She seduces him with her persistent pleading;
she lures with her flattering # Lit smooth talk.
22He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap # Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool ; Hb obscure
23until an arrow pierces its # Or his liver, # Pr 2:16-19; 5:3-6; 23:27-28
like a bird darting into a snare # Ec 9:12 —
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
24Now, my sons, listen to me,
and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;
don’t stray onto her paths. # Pr 5:8
26For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless. # Or and powerful men are all her victims
27Her house is the road to Sheol,
descending to the chambers of death. # Pr 2:18; 5:5; 9:18; 1Co 6:9; Rv 22:15
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 7
7
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
1My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11(She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14“Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer#7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool stepping into a noose#7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
23till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
24Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.
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