A Story of Seduction

At the window of my house
I looked through my lattice.(A)
I saw among the inexperienced,[a]
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house
at twilight, in the evening,
in the dark of the night.(B)
10 A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute,(C)
having a hidden agenda.[b]
11 She is loud and defiant;(D)
her feet do not stay at home.(E)
12 Now in the street, now in the squares,(F)
she lurks at every corner.(G)
13 She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says[c] to him,
14 “I’ve made fellowship offerings;
today I’ve fulfilled my vows.(H)
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(I)
richly colored linen from Egypt.(J)
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.(K)
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning.(L)
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 silver 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 talk.
22 He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap[d]
23 until an arrow pierces its[e] liver,(M)
like a bird darting into a snare(N)
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:7 Or simple, or gullible, or naive
  2. 7:10 Or prostitute with a guarded heart
  3. 7:13 Lit she makes her face strong and says
  4. 7:22 Text emended; MT reads like a shackle to the discipline of a fool; Hb obscure
  5. 7:23 Or his

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.