Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers. Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Say to wisdom, Thou are my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman,
Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;
5 that they may keep thee from the interloping woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice,
For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7 and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding
And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house,
Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman attired like a harlot, and wily of heart.
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
11 She is loud and headstrong. Her feet abide not in her house.
She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lies in wait at every corner.
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him,
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:
14 Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. I have paid my vows this day.
'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 Therefore I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning. Let us solace ourselves with love.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the man is not at home. He has gone a long journey.
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.
He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.'
21 With her much fair speech she causes him to yield. With the flattering of her lips she forces him along.
With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.
22 He goes after her straightaway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;
23 till an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare. And he does not know that it is for his life.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare — and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.
24 Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her paths.
Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she has cast down many wounded. Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain.
