Proverbs 7:10-20

10 et ecce mulier occurrit illi ornatu meretricio praeparata ad capiendas animas garrula et vaga
11 quietis inpatiens nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis
12 nunc foris nunc in plateis nunc iuxta angulos insidians
13 adprehensumque deosculatur iuvenem et procaci vultu blanditur dicens
14 victimas pro salute debui hodie reddidi vota mea
15 idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum desiderans te videre et repperi
16 intexui funibus lectum meum stravi tapetibus pictis ex Aegypto
17 aspersi cubile meum murra et aloe et cinnamomo
18 veni inebriemur uberibus donec inlucescat dies et fruamur cupitis amplexibus
19 non est enim vir in domo sua abiit via longissima
20 sacculum pecuniae secum tulit in die plenae lunae reversurus est domum suam

Proverbs 7:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PROVERBS 7

The sum of this chapter is to exhort men to attend to the doctrines and precepts of Wisdom, in order to avoid the adulterous woman; the exhortation to keep them with care, affection, and delight, in order to answer the end, is in Pr 7:1-5. A story is told, of Solomon's own knowledge, of a young man ensnared and ruined by a lewd woman; it begins Pr 7:6. The young man is described as foolish, and as throwing himself in the way of temptation, Pr 7:7-9; the harlot that met him is described by her attire, her subtlety, her voice, her inconstancy, her impudence, and pretensions to piety, Pr 7:10-14. The arguments she made use of to prevail upon him to go with her are taken partly from the elegance of her bed, the softness of it, and its sweet perfume, and satiety of love to be enjoyed in it, Pr 7:15-18; and partly from the absence of her husband, who was gone a long journey, and had made provision for it for a certain time, Pr 7:19,20. By which arguments she prevailed upon him to his utter ruin: which is illustrated by the similes of an ox going to the slaughter, a fool to the stocks, and a bird to the snare, Pr 7:21-23. And the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to hearken to the words of Wisdom, and to avoid the ways and paths of the harlot, by which many and mighty persons have been ruined; they being the direct road to hell and death, Pr 7:24-27.

The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.