Proverbs 7
7
1My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands. # 7:1 Pr 2:1
2Keep my commands and live, # 7:2 Pr 3:1–2; 4:4; 6:23; 19:16
and guard my instructions
as you would the pupil of your eye. # 7:2 Dt 32:10; Ps 17:8; Zch 2:8
3Tie them to your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart. # 7:3 Dt 11:18; Pr 3:3; 6:21
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” # 7:4 Sg 4:9
and call understanding your relative.
5She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a wayward woman with her flattering talk. # 7:5 Pr 5:3,20; 6:24; 7:21
A Story of Seduction
6At the window of my house
I looked through my lattice. # 7:6 Jdg 5:28; Sg 2:9
7I saw among the inexperienced, # 7:7 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. # 7:9 Jb 24:15
10A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute, # 7:10 Gn 38:14–15
having a hidden agenda. # 7:10 Or prostitute with a guarded heart
11She is loud and defiant; # 7:11 Pr 9:13
her feet do not stay at home. # 7:11 1Tm 5:13
12Now in the street, now in the squares, # 7:12 Pr 5:16; 9:14
she lurks at every corner. # 7:12 Pr 23:28
13She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says # 7:13 Lit she makes her face strong and says to him,
14“I’ve made fellowship offerings;
today I’ve fulfilled my vows. # 7:14 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 # 7:16 Pr 31:22 —
richly colored linen from Egypt. # 7:16 Ezk 27:7
17I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. # 7:17 Ex 30:23; Ps 45:8
18Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning. # 7:18 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 silver 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 talk.
22He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap # 7:22 Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool; Hb obscure
23until an arrow pierces its # 7:23 Or his liver, # 7:21–23 Pr 2:16–19; 5:3–6; 23:27–28
like a bird darting into a snare # 7:23 Ec 9:12 —
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
24Now, sons, listen to me,
and pay attention to the words from my mouth.
25Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;
don’t stray onto her paths. # 7:25 Pr 5:8
26For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless. # 7:26 Orand powerful men are all her victims
27Her house is the road to Sheol,
descending to the chambers of death. # 7:27 Pr 2:18; 5:5; 9:18; 1Co 6:9; Rv 22:15
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Proverbs 7: CSB
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