Proverbs 2:16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Footnotes
- Proverbs 2:16 Or foreign woman
Proverbs 2:16
Common English Bible
16 Wisdom will rescue you from the mysterious woman,
from the foreign woman with her slick words.
Proverbs 5:3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
3 Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey
and her words are[a] smoother than oil,
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:3 Lit her palate is
Proverbs 5:3
Common English Bible
3 The lips of a mysterious woman drip honey,
and her tongue is smoother than oil,
Proverbs 5:20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
20 Why, my son, would you be infatuated
with a forbidden woman
or embrace the breast of a stranger?(A)
Proverbs 5:20
Common English Bible
20 Why, my son, should you lose your senses with a mysterious woman
and embrace the breasts of a foreign female?
Proverbs 7:5-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
5 She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a stranger with her flattering talk.(A)
A Story of Seduction
6 At the window of my house
I looked through my lattice.(B)
7 I saw among the inexperienced,[a]
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
8 Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house
9 at twilight, in the evening,
in the dark of the night.(C)
10 A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute,(D)
having a hidden agenda.[b]
11 She is loud and defiant;(E)
her feet do not stay at home.(F)
12 Now in the street, now in the squares,(G)
she lurks at every corner.(H)
13 She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says[c] to him,
14 “I’ve made fellowship offerings;[d]
today I’ve fulfilled my vows.(I)
15 So I came out to meet you,
to search for you, and I’ve found you.
16 I’ve spread coverings on my bed(J)—
richly colored linen from Egypt.(K)
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.(L)
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning.(M)
Let’s feast on each other’s love!
19 My husband isn’t home;
he went on a long journey.
20 He took a bag of money with him
and will come home at the time of the full moon.”
21 She seduces him with her persistent pleading;
she lures with her flattering[e] talk.
22 He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap[f]
23 until an arrow pierces its[g] liver,(N)
like a bird darting into a snare(O)—
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me,
and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;
don’t stray onto her paths.(P)
26 For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless.[h]
27 Her house is the road to Sheol,
descending to the chambers of death.(Q)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 7:7 Or simple, or gullible, or naive
- Proverbs 7:10 Or prostitute with a guarded heart
- Proverbs 7:13 Lit she makes her face strong and says
- Proverbs 7:14 Meat from a fellowship offering had to be eaten on the day it was offered; therefore she is inviting him to a feast at her house.
- Proverbs 7:21 Lit smooth
- Proverbs 7:22 Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool; Hb obscure
- Proverbs 7:23 Or his
- Proverbs 7:26 Or and powerful men are all her victims
Proverbs 7:5-27
Common English Bible
5 so she might guard you against the mysterious woman,
from the foreign woman who flatters you.
6 When from the window of my house,
from behind the screen, I gazed down,
7 I looked among the naive young men
and noticed among the youth, one who had no sense.
8 He was crossing the street at her corner
and walked down the path to her house
9 in the early evening,
at the onset of night and darkness.
10 All of a sudden a woman approaches him,
dressed like a prostitute and with a cunning mind.
11 She is noisy and defiant;
her feet don’t stay long in her own house.
12 She has one foot in the street, one foot in the public square.
She lies in wait at every corner.
13 She grabs him and kisses him.
Her face is brazen as she speaks to him:
14 “I’ve made a sacrifice of well-being;
today I fulfilled my solemn promises.
15 So I’ve come out to meet you,
seeking you, and I have found you.
16 I’ve spread my bed with luxurious covers,
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I’ve sprinkled my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deep of love until morning;
let’s savor our lovemaking.
19 For my husband isn’t home;
he’s gone far away.
20 He took a pouch of money with him;
he won’t come home till full moon.”
21 She seduces him with all her talk.
She entices him with her flattery.
22 He goes headlong after her,
like an ox to the slaughter,
like a deer leaping into a trap,[a]
23 until an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird hurrying to the snare,
not aware that it will cost him his life.
24 Now children, listen to me,
and pay attention to my speech.
25 Don’t turn your heart to her ways;
don’t wander down her paths.
26 She has caused many corpses to fall;
she has killed many people.
27 Her house is a path to the grave,[b]
going down to the chambers of death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 7:22 Heb uncertain
- Proverbs 7:27 Heb Sheol
Proverbs 22:14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
14 The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit;
a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.(A)
Proverbs 22:14
Common English Bible
14 The mouth of a mysterious woman is a deep pit;
those under the Lord’s wrath will fall in it.
Proverbs 23:26-28
Holman Christian Standard Bible
26 My son, give me your heart,
and let your eyes observe my ways.
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit,(A)
and a stranger is a narrow well;
28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber(B)
and increases those among men who are unfaithful.
Proverbs 23:26-28
Common English Bible
26 My child, give your mind to me
and let your eyes keep to my path.
27 A prostitute is a deep pit,
and a foreign woman is a narrow well.
28 Indeed, she ambushes like a robber
and increases the number of the faithless.
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