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A Young Man Lacking Good Sense

Proverbs 7:6-7 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁶For at the window of my house
    I looked out through my lattice,
⁷and I saw among the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man in want of heart,^[1]

The time of day was just after sunset, and the sun had just dropped below the horizon. Solomon was standing in a room of his home, looking out to a street below. The streets are filled with the darkness of the night. He takes notice of a young man heading down the street below.

For at the window of my house: Here the window (חַלּוֹן challon) of his house is not to be confused with the glass window of today, but rather it was simply an opening in a wall on a roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floor, which may have been covered with vines growing over a trellis, meaning that Solomon could look out at the people below, but they could not see him.

I looked out through my lattice: A lattice (אֶשְׁנָב eshnab) window is a structure with an air hole in a wall consisting of strips of wood or metal crossed and fastened together covering the hole, in some decorative pattern, which still allowed some to see through it. The latticed opening of a house overlooking the street. (cf. Judges. 5:28)

And I saw among the simple: Here the Hebrew word (פֶּתִי pethi) rendered simple (the bad sense of the word) is a translation of the same word from 1:4, which is referring to someone who is easily deceived or persuaded because they lack common sense, showing a lack of wisdom and understanding, yet not beyond the capacity to make changes. This young man is making his heart available to all his senses: feelings, thoughts, ideas, notions of evil. He is empty-headed and empty-hearted. He is foolishly hanging out near the house of a prostitute. He has not at this point committed himself to willfully sinning, but he has placed himself in the perfect place for it. A young many with a pure and clean heart would flee as Joseph had done with Potiphar’s wife, who had become infatuated with him. Over and over again, she asked Joseph to have sexual relations with her. However, being righteousness, Joseph refused, saying: “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) Returning to this young man here in Proverbs, the night is closing in on this young man’s life as the shadows deepen around him.

I have perceived among the youths: Here, youths (בֵּן ben) is simply referring to young men.

A young man in want of heart: This young man facing an adulterous situation is in want of heart (lacked heart), as he is inexperienced, lacking good sense and wisdom, lacking good judgment or discernment, to avoid the danger that lies ahead.

As the onset of nightfall arrives, the darkness of the night spills into the streets. Solomon catches sight of a young man who is especially in need of protection because he is vulnerable. He has little knowledge or experience in the situation where he has placed himself. There is little doubt; he knows very well the type of neighborhood he has entered and what goes on there. However, he likely sees the immediate gratification in this one moment, not the full ramifications of what seems like nothing more than a good time.

[1] That is, lacking good sense