11 You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;(A)
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.(B)

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11 You make known to me the path of life;(A)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,(B)
    with eternal pleasures(C) at your right hand.(D)

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She doesn’t consider the path of life;
she doesn’t know that her ways are unstable.

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She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(A)

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She will keep you from a forbidden woman,
a wayward woman with her flattering talk.(A)

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They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(A)

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21 She seduces him with her persistent pleading;
she lures with her flattering talk.
22 He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap[a]
23 until an arrow pierces its[b] liver,(A)
like a bird darting into a snare(B)
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

24 Now, sons, listen to me,
and pay attention to the words from my mouth.
25 Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways;
don’t stray onto her paths.(C)
26 For she has brought many down to death;
her victims are countless.[c]
27 Her house is the road to Sheol,
descending to the chambers of death.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 7:22 Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool; Hb obscure
  2. 7:23 Or his
  3. 7:26 Or and powerful men are all her victims

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.(A)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](B)
23     till an arrow pierces(C) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.(D)

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

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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.

27 For a prostitute is a deep pit,(A)
and a wayward woman is a narrow well;
28 indeed, she sets an ambush like a robber(B)
and increases the number of unfaithful people.

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27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,(A)
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait(B)
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

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26 And I find more bitter than death(A) the woman who is a trap:(B) her heart a net and her hands chains. The one who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner will be captured by her.

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26 I find more bitter than death
    the woman who is a snare,(A)
whose heart is a trap
    and whose hands are chains.
The man who pleases God will escape her,
    but the sinner she will ensnare.(B)

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