1My son, obey my words,
and treasure my commands.7:1 Pr 2:1
and guard my instructions
3Tie them to your fingers;
and call understanding your relative.
5She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
A Story of Seduction
6At the window of my house
7I saw among the inexperienced,7:7 Or simple, or gullible, or naive
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
8Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house
9at twilight, in the evening,
in the dark of the night.7:9 Jb 24:15
10A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute,7:10 Gn 38:14–15
having a hidden agenda.7:10 Or prostitute with a guarded heart
her feet do not stay at home.7:11 1Tm 5:13
she lurks at every corner.7:12 Pr 23:28
13She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says7:13 Lit she makes her face strong and says to him,
14“I’ve made fellowship offerings;
today I’ve fulfilled my vows.7:14 Lv 7:11–18; Dt 23:18; Ps 56:12
15So I came out to meet you,
to search for you, and I’ve found you.
richly colored linen from Egypt.7:16 Ezk 27:7
17I’ve perfumed my bed
Let’s feast on each other’s love!
19My husband isn’t home;
he went on a long journey.
20He took a bag of silver with him
and will come home at the time of the full moon.”
21She seduces him with her persistent pleading;
she lures with her flattering talk.
22He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap7:22 Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool; Hb obscure
like a bird darting into a snare7:23 Ec 9:12 —
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
24Now, sons, listen to me,
and pay attention to the words from my mouth.
25Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;
don’t stray onto her paths.7:25 Pr 5:8
26For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless.7:26 Or and powerful men are all her victims
27Her house is the road to Sheol,
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
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