How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! 18These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
Proverbs 1:17 - 18
NKJV - 17 Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird. 18 But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives.
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As I interpret the first verse of the passage cited in the question, Solomon is comparing the behavior of such men to a bird who sees only the potential "reward" that has been deliberately laid as bait for it in a net. The bird sees the net, but is foolishly focused only on what it wants, while ignoring the risks and dangers involved. Those who lie in wait for someone else in hopes of robbing him are equally intent only on the "reward" that they see in the person's possessions. They are deliberately choosing to overlook the many forces that they know will be arrayed against them (in the form of earthly authority figures and even other robbers, as well as God Himself), and that will exact retribution upon them in one form or another once they have ambushed their victim.
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