Proverbs 7:7,22-23 - Compare All Versions

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As I stood at the window of my house looking out through the shutters, Watching the mindless crowd stroll by, I spotted a young man without any sense Arriving at the corner of the street where she lived, then turning up the path to her house. It was dusk, the evening coming on, the darkness thickening into night. Just then, a woman met him— she’d been lying in wait for him, dressed to seduce him. Brazen and brash she was, restless and roaming, never at home, Walking the streets, loitering in the mall, hanging out at every corner in town.

Soon she has him eating out of her hand, bewitched by her honeyed speech. Before you know it, he’s trotting behind her, like a calf led to the butcher shop, Like a stag lured into ambush and then shot with an arrow, Like a bird flying into a net not knowing that its flying life is over.

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding

He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.

And I saw among the naive, And discerned among the youths A young man lacking sense

Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

and saw some foolish, young men. I noticed one of them had no wisdom.

All at once he followed her, like an ox led to the butcher, like a deer caught in a trap and shot through the liver with an arrow. Like a bird caught in a trap, he didn’t know what he did would kill him.

And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding

He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool; Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.

I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.

All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding

Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.

And among the naive [the inexperienced and gullible], I saw among the youths A young man lacking [good] sense

Suddenly he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter [not knowing the outcome], Or as one in stocks going to the correction [to be given] to a fool, Until an arrow pierced his liver [with a mortal wound]; Like a bird fluttering straight into the net, He did not know that it would cost him his life.

I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense.

He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.

I noticed among the mindless crowd a simple, naïve young man who was about to go astray.

He was swayed by her sophistication, enticed by her longing embrace. She led him down the wayward path right into sin and disgrace. Quickly he went astray, with no clue where he was truly headed, taken like a dumb ox alongside the butcher. She was like a venomous snake coiled to strike, so she set her fangs into him! He’s like a man about to be executed with an arrow right through his heart— like a bird that flies into the net, unaware of what’s about to happen.

and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense

All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.