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Proverbs 7:9-8:24
English Standard Version
Proverbs 7:9-8:24
English Standard Version
10 And behold, the woman meets him,
(C)dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.[a]
11 She is (D)loud and (E)wayward;
(F)her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and (G)at every corner she (H)lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with (I)bold face she says to him,
14 “I had to (J)offer sacrifices,[b]
and today I have (K)paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with (L)coverings,
colored linens from (M)Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with (N)myrrh,
aloes, and (O)cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For (P)my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
20 he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with (Q)her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast[c]
23 till an arrow pierces its liver;
as (R)a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 And (S)now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,
26 for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are (T)a mighty throng.
27 Her house is (U)the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not (V)wisdom call?
Does not (W)understanding raise her voice?
2 On (X)the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside (Y)the gates in front of (Z)the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O (AA)men, I call,
and my cry is to (AB)the children of man.
5 O (AC)simple ones, learn (AD)prudence;
O (AE)fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak (AF)noble things,
and from my lips will come (AG)what is right,
7 for my (AH)mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing (AI)twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all (AJ)straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 (AK)Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (AL)for wisdom is better than jewels,
and (AM)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and (AN)discretion.
13 (AO)The fear of the Lord is (AP)hatred of evil.
(AQ)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and (AR)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (AS)counsel and (AT)sound wisdom;
I have insight; (AU)I have strength.
15 By me (AV)kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.[d]
17 (AW)I love those who love me,
and (AX)those who seek me diligently find me.
18 (AY)Riches and honor are with me,
(AZ)enduring wealth and (BA)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (BB)better than (BC)gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than (BD)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 (BE)“The Lord (BF)possessed[e] me at the beginning of his work,[f]
the first of his acts (BG)of old.
23 Ages ago I was (BH)set up,
at the first, (BI)before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no (BJ)depths I was (BK)brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart
- Proverbs 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
- Proverbs 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
- Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
- Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
- Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
Proverbs 7:9-8:24
New International Version
Proverbs 7:9-8:24
New International Version
9 at twilight,(A) as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly(B) and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)(C)
13 She took hold of him(D) and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:(E)
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering(F) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed(G)
with myrrh,(H) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(I)
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.(J)
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](K)
23 till an arrow pierces(L) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.(M)
24 Now then, my sons, listen(N) to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.(O)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.(P)
Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?(Q)
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:(R)
4 “To you, O people, I call out;(S)
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple,(T) gain prudence;(U)
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[c]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,(V)
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,(W)
11 for wisdom is more precious(X) than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.(Y)
12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.(Z)
13 To fear the Lord(AA) is to hate evil;(AB)
I hate(AC) pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.(AD)
15 By me kings reign
and rulers(AE) issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,(AF)
and nobles—all who rule on earth.[d]
17 I love those who love me,(AG)
and those who seek me find me.(AH)
18 With me are riches and honor,(AI)
enduring wealth and prosperity.(AJ)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;(AK)
what I yield surpasses choice silver.(AL)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,(AM)
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.(AN)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
- Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
- Proverbs 8:5 Septuagint; Hebrew foolish, instruct your minds
- Proverbs 8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; other Hebrew manuscripts all righteous rulers
- Proverbs 8:22 Or way; or dominion
- Proverbs 8:22 Or The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work; or The Lord brought me forth at the beginning of his work
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.