Add parallel Print Page Options

16 You will be saved from the loose[a] woman,
    from the adventuress[b] with her smooth words,

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 2:16 Heb strange
  2. Proverbs 2:16 Heb foreign woman

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

Read full chapter

For the lips of a loose woman drip honey,
    and her speech[a] is smoother than oil;

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:3 Heb palate

For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;(A)

Read full chapter

20 Why should you be infatuated, my son, with a loose woman
    and embrace the bosom of an adventuress?

Read full chapter

20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

Read full chapter

to preserve you from the loose woman,
    from the adventuress with her smooth words.

For at the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
and I have seen among the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man without sense,
passing along the street near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
in the twilight, in the evening,
    at the time of night and darkness.

10 And lo, a woman meets him,
    dressed as a harlot, wily of heart.[a]
11 She is loud and wayward,
    her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
    and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with impudent face she says to him:
14 “I had to offer sacrifices,
    and today I have 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 decked my couch with coverings,
    colored spreads of Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
    aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For 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 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[b]
23     till an arrow pierces its entrails;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 And 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;
    yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:10 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Proverbs 7:22 Cn Compare Gk: Heb uncertain

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)

24 Now then, my sons, listen(P) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.(Q)
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.(R)

Read full chapter

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.

14 The mouth of a loose woman is a deep pit;
    he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.

Read full chapter

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)

Read full chapter

26 My son, give me your heart,
    and let your eyes observe[a] my ways.
27 For a harlot is a deep pit;
    an adventuress is a narrow well.
28 She lies in wait like a robber
    and increases the faithless among men.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:26 Another reading is delight in

Saying 18

26 My son,(A) give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,(B)
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(C)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(D)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Read full chapter