The Harlot's Snare

Proverbs 7

The father urges his son to treasure wisdom as a guard against a seductive woman, then narrates how such a woman meets a senseless young man at twilight, flatters him with talk of feasting and a perfumed bed, and lures him away. The chapter ends with the young man following her as an ox led to slaughter, since her house leads down to death.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonMY son, keep my words and lay up my commandments with thee.

BrentonMy son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments.

GreekΥἱὲ φύλασσε ἐμοὺς λόγους, τὰς δὲ ἐμὰς ἐντολὰς κρύψον παρὰ σεαυτῷ·

KJVMy son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

JPSMy son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.

ThomsonMy son, honour the Lord and thou shall be strong; but besides Him, fear no other. Keep my commandments, that thou mayst live; and my words as the apple of thine eye.

BrentonMy son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him:

GreekΥἱὲ τίμα τὸν Κύριον καὶ ἰσχύσεις, πλὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ μὴ φοβοῦ ἄλλον·

KJV—

JPS—

Thomson—

Brentonkeep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my words as the pupils of thine eyes.

Greekφύλαξον ἐμὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ βιώσεις, τοὺς δὲ ἐμοὺς λόγους ὥσπερ κόρας ὀμμάτων.

KJVKeep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

JPSKeep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of thine eye.

ThomsonBind them about thy fingers, and write them on the table of thy heart. Implore

BrentonAnd bind them on thy fingers, and write them on the table of thine heart.

GreekΠερίθου δὲ αὐτοὺς σοῖς δακτύλοις, ἐπίγραψον δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ πλάτος τῆς καρδίας σου.

KJVBind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

JPSBind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the table of thy heart.

ThomsonWisdom to be thy sister, and make Understanding thine acquaintance:

BrentonSay that wisdom is thy sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself;

GreekΕἰπὸν τὴν σοφίαν σὴν ἀδελφὴν εἶναι, τὴν δὲ φρόνησιν γνώριμον περιποίησαι σεαυτῷ.

KJVSay unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

JPSSay unto wisdom: ‘Thou art my sister’, And call understanding thy kinswoman;

Thomsonthat she may keep thee from a strange and wicked woman, in case she, with alluring words, should attack thee.

Brentonthat she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail thee with flattering words.

GreekἽνα σε τηρήσῃ ἀπὸ γυναικὸς ἀλλοτρίας καὶ πονηρᾶς, ἐάν σε λόγοις τοῖς πρὸς χάριν ἐμβάληται.

KJVThat they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

JPSThat they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.

ThomsonFor through a lattice she looketh out of her house into the streets;

BrentonFor she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,

GreekἈπὸ γὰρ θυρίδος ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτῆς εἰς τὰς πλατείας παρακύπτουσα,

KJVAnd beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

JPSAnd I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,

Thomsonwalking near a corner in the passages to her house,

Brentonpassing by the corner in the passages near her house,

Greekὃν ἂν ἴδῃ τῶν ἀφρόνων τέκνων νεανίαν ἐνδεῆ φρενῶν,

KJVPassing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

JPSPassing through the street near her corner, And he went the way to her house;

Thomsonand talking in the twilight, when the evening is still and dusky:—

Brentonand speaking, in the dark of the evening,

Greekπαραπορευόμενον παρὰ γωνίαν ἐν διόδοις οἴκων αὐτῆς, καὶ λαλοῦντα

KJVIn the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

JPS—

Thomson—

Brentonwhen there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness:

Greekἐν σκότει ἑσπερινῷ, ἡνίκα ἂν ἡσυχία νυκτερινὴ καὶ γνοφώδης,

KJV—

JPSIn the twilight, in the evening of the day, In the blackness of night and the darkness.

Thomsonthen this woman, who maketh the hearts of young men flutter, meeteth him, in the attire of a harlot.

Brentonand the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.

Greekἡ δὲ γυνὴ συναντᾷ αὐτῷ, εἶδος ἔχουσα πορνικὸν, ἣ ποιεῖ νέων ἐξίπτασθαι καρδίας.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonIndeed she is ever on the wing and insatiable, and her feet abide not at home.

BrentonAnd she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.

GreekἈνεπτερωμένη δέ ἐστι καὶ ἄσωτος, ἐν οἴκῳ δὲ οὐχ ἡσυχάζουσιν οἱ πόδες αὐτῆς.

KJV(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

JPSShe is riotous and rebellious, Her feet abide not in her house;

ThomsonFor sometimes she roveth abroad and sometimes lieth in wait in the streets, at every corner.

BrentonFor at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.

GreekΧρόνον γάρ τινα ἔξω ῥέμβεται, χρόνον δὲ ἐν πλατείαις παρὰ πᾶσαν γωνίαν ἐνεδρεύει.

KJVNow is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

JPSNow she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.

ThomsonHa! she hath caught him and kissed him, and with an unblushing countenance, said to him:

BrentonThen she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

GreekΕἶτα ἐπιλαβομένη ἐφίλησεν αὐτὸν, ἀναιδεῖ δὲ προσώπῳ προσεῖπεν αὐτῷ,

KJVSo she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

JPSSo she caught him, and kissed him, And with an impudent face she said unto him:

ThomsonI have a peace offering; to-day I am paying my vows:

BrentonI have a peace-offering; to-day I pay my vows:

Greekθυσία εἰρηνική μοι ἐστὶ, σήμερον ἀποδίδωμι τὰς εὐχάς μου.

KJVI have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

JPS’Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; This day have I paid my vows.

Thomsonfor this reason I came out to meet thee, earnestly longing to see thee. I have found thee.

Brentontherefore I came forth to meet thee, desiring thy face; and I have found thee.

GreekἝνεκα τούτου ἐξῆλθον εἰς συνάντησίν σοι, ποθοῦσα τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον, εὕρηκά σε.

KJVTherefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

JPSTherefore came I forth to meet thee, To seek thy face, and I have found thee.

ThomsonWith cords I have stretched my bed, and decked it with tapestry from Egypt.

BrentonI have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt.

Greekκειρίαις τέτακα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἀμφιτάποις δὲ ἔστρωκα τοῖς ἀπʼ Αἰγύπτου.

KJVI have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

JPS—

ThomsonI have perfumed my bed with saffron, and my house with cinnamon:

BrentonI have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon.

GreekΔιέῤῥαγκα τὴν κοίτην μου κροκίνῳ, τὸν δὲ οἶκόν μου κινναμώμῳ·

KJVI have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

JPSI have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Thomsoncome, and let us take our fill of love till the morning:—come and let us solace ourselves with love.

BrentonCome, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love.

GreekἘλθὲ καὶ ἀπολαύσωμεν φιλίας ἕως ὄρθρου, δεῦρο καὶ ἐλκυλισθῶμεν ἔρωτι.

KJVCome, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

JPSCome, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with loves.

ThomsonFor my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;

BrentonFor my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey,

GreekΟὐ γὰρ πάρεστιν ὁ ἀνήρ μου ἐν οἴκω, πεπόρευται δὲ ὁδὸν μακράν,

KJVFor the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

JPSFor my husband is not at home, He is gone a long journey;

Thomsonhe took in his hand a roll of silver, and will return to his house after many days.

Brentonhaving taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house.

Greekἔνδεσμον ἀργυρίου λαβὼν ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, διʼ ἡμερῶν πολλῶν ἐπανήξει εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonSo with much fawning discourse she led him astray, and with the flattery of her lips inveigled him.

BrentonSo with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips she forced him from the right path.

GreekἈπεπλάνησε δὲ αὐτὸν πολλῇ ὁμιλίᾳ, βρόχοις τε τοῖς ἀπὸ χειλέων ἐξώκειλεν αὐτόν.

KJVWith her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

JPS—

ThomsonAnd he is gone after her, attracted by her, as an ox is led to slaughter, or as a dog to be chained; or like a deer pierced through the liver with a dart.

BrentonAnd he followed her, being gently led on, and that as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow:

GreekὉ δὲ ἐπηκολούθησεν αὐτῇ κεπφωθείς· ὥσπερ δὲ βοῦς ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἄγεται, καὶ ὥσπερ κύων ἐπὶ δεσμοὺς,

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonAnd he hasteth like a bird to a snare, not knowing that he is running the risk of his life.

Brentonand he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for his life.

Greekἢ ὡς ἔλαφος τοξεύματι πεπληγὼς εἰς τὸ ἧπαρ· σπεύδει δὲ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον εἰς παγίδα, οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅτι περὶ ψυχῆς τρέχει.

KJVTill a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

JPSTill an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteneth to the snare— And knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.

ThomsonNow, therefore, my son hearken to me; and attend to the words of my mouth.

BrentonNow then, my son, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

GreekΝῦν οὖν υἱὲ ἄκουέ μου, καὶ πρόσεχε ῥήμασι στόματός μου.

KJVHearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

JPSNow therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.

ThomsonLet not thy heart turn aside to her ways:

BrentonLet not thine heart turn aside to her ways:

GreekΜὴ ἐκκλινάτω εἰς τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῆς ἡ καρδία σου,

KJVLet not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

JPSLet not thy heart decline to her ways, Go not astray in her paths.

Thomsonfor she hath wounded and brought down many; and innumerable are they whom she hath slain.

Brentonfor she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable.

Greekπολλοὺς γὰρ τρώσασα καταβέβληκε, καὶ ἀναρίθμητοί εἰσιν οὓς πεφόνευκεν.

KJVFor she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

JPSFor she hath cast down many wounded; Yea, a mighty host are all her slain.

ThomsonHer house is the highway to Hades, leading down to the chambers of death.

BrentonHer house is the way of hell, leading down to the chambers of death.

GreekὉδοὶ ᾅδου ὁ οἶκος αὐτῆς, κατάγουσαι εἰς τὰ ταμιεῖα τοῦ θανάτου.

KJVHer house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

JPSHer house is the way to the nether-world, Going down to the chambers of death.