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21 She wins him over by repeated urging,
    with her smooth lips she leads him astray.[a](A)
22 He follows her impulsively,
    like an ox that goes to slaughter;
Like a stag that bounds toward the net,
23     till an arrow pierces its liver;
Like a bird that rushes into a snare,
    unaware that his life is at stake.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:21 The verbs “to win over” (lit., “to lead astray”) and “to lead off” can be used of leading animals such as a donkey (Nm 22:23) or sheep (Jer 23:2 and 50:17). The animal imagery continues as the youth is compared to an ox, a fallow deer, and a bird in the moment they are slaughtered. None of the animals are aware of their impending death.

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)

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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.