7:25

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

25a
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways ;

25b
do not stray into her paths.

7:25a–b

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths: The verbs used in these parallel lines have slightly different connotations. The first verb turn aside means to turn aside or stray into an area. The second verb means to wander around within an area. The New Living Translation (2004) expresses this as:

Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path. (New Living Translation (2004))

ways…paths: In Proverbs, the words translated ways and paths often refer figuratively to a person’s behavior or way of life. The young man should not allow himself to stray off the path of right behavior toward involvement with another man’s wife. Once he gets involved, he will wander around in adulterous behavior.

In some languages, this may have to be expressed without using figures of speech. For example:

Do not allow your thoughts to stray toward women like that. Do not become involved in their way of life.

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