“Her feet go down to death”: For a similar expression see 2.18. “Her feet” refers to her way of living and to her leading or taking her victim where she goes. We may say, for example, “If you follow her. . .” (Contemporary English Version) or “If you go with her.” See Good News Translation.

“Her steps follow the path to Sheol”: This line follows the sense of the first line very closely. “Her steps” refers to her movements, going in the direction of death, which is again the way she conducts herself, her style of life, as in the first line. The Revised Standard Version note shows that the Hebrew text has “lay hold of,” which is also used in Psa 17.5. This is apparently an idiom meaning to “follow” or keep to the path, which is parallel to “go down” in line 1. For “Sheol” see 1.12. Bible en français courant translates “Her conduct drags [you] down to death, her steps lead straight to the grave.” Contemporary English Version has “If you follow her, she will lead you down to the world of the dead.” Another expression of the whole verse is “This kind of woman will take you straight to the place of dead people.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .