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16 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman,
    from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.

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16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,(A)
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,

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26 I discovered that a seductive woman[a] is a trap more bitter than death. Her passion is a snare, and her soft hands are chains. Those who are pleasing to God will escape her, but sinners will be caught in her snare.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:26 Hebrew a woman.

26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(A)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(B)

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27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap;
    a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.

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27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(A)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

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14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
    those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.

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14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;(A)
    a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.(B)

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Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
    from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.

While I was at the window of my house,
    looking through the curtain,
I saw some naive young men,
    and one in particular who lacked common sense.
He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
    strolling down the path by her house.
It was at twilight, in the evening,
    as deep darkness fell.
10 The woman approached him,
    seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She was the brash, rebellious type,
    never content to stay at home.
12 She is often in the streets and markets,
    soliciting at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
    and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I’ve just made my peace offerings
    and fulfilled my vows.
15 You’re the one I was looking for!
    I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
    with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
    Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 for my husband is not home.
    He’s away on a long trip.
20 He has taken a wallet full of money with him
    and won’t return until later this month.[a]

21 So she seduced him with her pretty speech
    and enticed him with her flattery.
22 He followed her at once,
    like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,[b]
23     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.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:20 Hebrew until the moon is full.
  2. 7:22 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads slaughter, as shackles are for the discipline of a fool.

They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(A)

At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.(B)
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight,(C) 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(D) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)(E)
13 She took hold of him(F) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:(G)

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering(H) 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(I)
    with myrrh,(J) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(K)
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.(L)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](M)
23     till an arrow pierces(N) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
  2. Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

24 It will keep you from the immoral woman,
    from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman.

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24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
    from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.(A)

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26 “Wasn’t this exactly what led King Solomon of Israel into sin?” I demanded. “There was no king from any nation who could compare to him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel. But even he was led into sin by his foreign wives. 27 How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?”

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26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him.(A) He was loved by his God,(B) and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.(C) 27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying(D) foreign women?”

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Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

10 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. 11 One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.

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When his master saw that the Lord was with him(A) and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,(B) Joseph found favor in his eyes(C) and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household,(D) and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.(E) From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household(F) of the Egyptian because of Joseph.(G) The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.(H) So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care;(I) with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,(J) and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”(K)

But he refused.(L) “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.(M) No one is greater in this house than I am.(N) My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”(O) 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused(P) to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties,(Q) and none of the household servants(R) was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak(S) and said, “Come to bed with me!”(T) But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.(U)

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To flatter friends
    is to lay a trap for their feet.

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Those who flatter their neighbors
    are spreading nets for their feet.(A)

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For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
    and her mouth is smoother than oil.
But in the end she is as bitter as poison,
    as dangerous as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.[a]
For she cares nothing about the path to life.
    She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.

So now, my sons, listen to me.
    Never stray from what I am about to say:
Stay away from her!
    Don’t go near the door of her house!
If you do, you will lose your honor
    and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved.
10 Strangers will consume your wealth,
    and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
11 In the end you will groan in anguish
    when disease consumes your body.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    If only I had not ignored all the warnings!
13 Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers?
    Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors?
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
    and now I must face public disgrace.”

15 Drink water from your own well—
    share your love only with your wife.[b]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
    having sex with just anyone?[c]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
    Never share it with strangers.

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
    Let her breasts satisfy you always.
    May you always be captivated by her love.
20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
    or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

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Footnotes

  1. 5:5 Hebrew to Sheol.
  2. 5:15 Hebrew Drink water from your own cistern, / flowing water from your own well.
  3. 5:16 Hebrew Why spill your springs in the streets, / your streams in the city squares?

For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;(A)
but in the end she is bitter as gall,(B)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.(C)
She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(D)

Now then, my sons, listen(E) to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
Keep to a path far from her,(F)
    do not go near the door of her house,
lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity[a] to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.(G)
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!(H)
13 I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble(I)
    in the assembly of God’s people.”(J)

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(K) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(L)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(M)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:9 Or years