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For at the window of my house
I looked out through my lattice.
I saw among the naïve,
I noticed among the youth,
    a young man lacking understanding,
crossing the street near her corner,
    walking in the direction of her house,
in the twilight of the evening,
    in the darkest hours of the night.
10 All of a sudden, a woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute and with a cunning heart.
11 She is loud and defiant.
Her feet never stay at home—
12 now in the streets, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.
13 So she grabs him and kisses him
and with a brazen face says to him:
14 “I had to sacrifice fellowship offerings;
    today I paid my vow.
15 So I’ve come out to meet you,
to seek your presence eagerly—and I found you!
16 I have spread my couch with tapestry
of dyed Egyptian linens.
17 I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love till morning!
Let’s delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home—
he’s gone on a long journey.
20 He took a bag of money with him—
he won’t come home until full moon.”
21 With her persistent pleading she entices him,
with smooth talk she seduces him.
22 Suddenly he follows her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a stag bounding toward a trap,
23 till an arrow pierces its liver.
Like a bird darting into a snare,
    he never considered his own soul!

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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.(A)
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight,(B) 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(C) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)(D)
13 She took hold of him(E) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:(F)

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

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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.