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16 to deliver you from the strange woman,
    even from the foreigner who flatters with her words,

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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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For the lips of an adulteress drip honey.
    Her mouth is smoother than oil,

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For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey,
    and her mouth is smoother than oil.

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20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress?
    Why embrace the bosom of another?

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20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
    or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

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that they may keep you from the strange woman,
    from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
For at the window of my house,
    I looked out through my lattice.
I saw among the simple ones.
    I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
passing through the street near her corner,
    he went the way to her house,
in the twilight, in the evening of the day,
    in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute,
    and with crafty intent.
11 She is loud and defiant.
    Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares,
    and lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him.
    With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me.
    Today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore I came out to meet you,
    to diligently seek your face,
    and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry,
    with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning.
    Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For my husband isn’t at home.
    He has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him.
    He will come home at the full moon.”
21 With persuasive words, she led him astray.
    With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 He followed her immediately,
    as an ox goes to the slaughter,
    as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 Until an arrow strikes through his liver,
    as a bird hurries to the snare,
    and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me.
    Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Don’t let your heart turn to her ways.
    Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 for she has thrown down many wounded.
    Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol,[a]
    going down to the rooms of death.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:27 Sheol is the place of the dead.

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.

24 So listen to me, my sons,
    and pay attention to my words.
25 Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
    Don’t wander down her wayward path.
26 For she has been the ruin of many;
    many men have been her victims.
27 Her house is the road to the grave.[c]
    Her bedroom is the den of death.

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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.
  3. 7:27 Hebrew to Sheol.

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit.
    He who is under Yahweh’s wrath will fall into it.

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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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26 My son, give me your heart;
    and let your eyes keep in my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit;
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Yes, she lies in wait like a robber,
    and increases the unfaithful among men.

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26 O my son, give me your heart.
    May your eyes take delight in following my ways.
27 A prostitute is a dangerous trap;
    a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well.
28 She hides and waits like a robber,
    eager to make more men unfaithful.

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