Proverbs 9:13–18; Proverbs 7:7–27

red bookmark icon blue bookmark icon gold bookmark icon
Proverbs 9:13–18

The Way of Folly

13  tThe woman Folly is uloud;

she is seductive1 and vknows nothing.

14  She sits at the door of her house;

she takes a seat on wthe highest places of the town,

15  calling to those who pass by,

who are xgoing straight on their way,

16  yWhoever is simple, let him turn in here!

And to him who lacks sense she says,

17  zStolen water is sweet,

and abread eaten in secret is pleasant.

18  But he does not know bthat the dead2 are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.


Proverbs 7:7–27

and I have seen among nthe simple,

I have perceived among the youths,

a young man olacking sense,

passing along the street pnear her corner,

taking the road to her house

in qthe twilight, in the evening,

at rthe time of night and darkness.

10  And behold, the woman meets him,

sdressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.1

11  She is tloud and uwayward;

vher feet do not stay at home;

12  now in the street, now in the market,

and wat every corner she xlies in wait.

13  She seizes him and kisses him,

and with ybold face she says to him,

14  I had to zoffer sacrifices,2

and today I have apaid my vows;

15  so now I have come out to meet you,

to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

16  I have spread my couch with bcoverings,

colored linens from cEgyptian linen;

17  I have perfumed my bed with dmyrrh,

aloes, and ecinnamon.

18  Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;

let us delight ourselves with love.

19  For fmy husband is not at home;

he has gone on a long journey;

20  he took a bag of money with him;

at full moon he will come home.

21  With much seductive speech she persuades him;

with gher smooth talk she compels him.

22  All at once he follows her,

as an ox goes to the slaughter,

or as a stag is caught fast3

23  till an arrow pierces its liver;

as ha bird rushes into a snare;

he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24  And inow, O sons, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

25  Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths,

26  for many a victim has she laid low,

and all her slain are ja mighty throng.

27  Her house is kthe way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.