47 The participle with “suddenly” gives a more vivid picture, almost as if to say “there he goes.”
48 The present translation follows R. B. Y. Scott (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [], 64). This third colon of the verse would usually be rendered, “fetters to the chastening of a fool” (, , and are all similar). But there is no support that עֶכֶס (’ekhes) means “fetters.” It appears in Isaiah 3:16 as “anklets.” The parallelism here suggests that some animal imagery is required. Thus the ancient versions have “as a dog to the bonds.”
49 The figure of an arrow piercing the liver (an implied comparison) may refer to the pangs of a guilty conscience that the guilty must reap along with the spiritual and physical ruin that follows (see on these expressions H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament).
50 The expression that it is “for/about/over his life” means that it could cost him his life (e.g., Num 16:38). Alternatively, the line could refer to moral corruption and social disgrace rather than physical death—but this would not rule out physical death too.

In other versions

All at once he follows her,

as an ox goes to the slaughter,

or as a stag is caught fast

till an arrow pierces its liver;

as a bird rushes into a snare;

he does not know that it will cost him his life.

All at once he followed her

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer stepping into a noose

till an arrow pierces his liver,

like a bird darting into a snare,

little knowing it will cost him his life.

He follows her impulsively

like an ox going to the slaughter,

like a deer bounding toward a trap

until an arrow pierces its liver,

like a bird darting into a snare—

he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.

He followed her at once,

like an ox going to the slaughter.

He was like a stag caught in a trap,

awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.

He was like a bird flying into a snare,

little knowing it would cost him his life.

He goes after her suddenly;

like an ox to the slaughter he goes,

and like a stag to the instruction of a fool,

until an arrow pierces his entrails,

like a bird rushing into a snare,

but he does not know that it will cost him his life.

He goeth after her straightway,

As an ox goeth to the slaughter,

Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Till a dart strike through his liver;

As a bird hasteth to the snare,

And knoweth not that it is for his life.

Public Domain