Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
My son, accept what I say and value my instructions.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my teaching, as the apple of thine eye.
Do what I tell you and you will live. Observe my teachings, valuing them as your main focus in life.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
Tie them to your fingers; write them in your mind.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call intelligence [thy] kinswoman:
Tell wisdom, “You're my sister,” and call insight your best friend.
5 that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words.
They will protect you from the immoral woman, from the prostitute with her seductive words.
6 For at the window of my house, I looked forth through my lattice,
One time I looked through the lattice of the window in my house,
7 and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the sons, a young man void of understanding,
and I saw among the immature young men one who had no sense at all.
8 passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
He was walking down the street near the corner where she lived and took the road passing her house.
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
It was at dusk in the evening, as the light was fading and the dark night closed in.
10 And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.
Then out came a woman came to meet him. She was dressed as a prostitute and had deceptive intentions.
11 She is clamorous and unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house:
(She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.
12 now without, now in the broadways, — and she lieth in wait at every corner.
One moment she'd be walking the streets, the next she'd be there in the town squares, loitering at every corner.)
13 And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
She grabbed hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she told him,
14 I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows:
“I sacrificed my peace offering today, and paid my vows.
15 therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek earnestly thy face, and I have found thee.
That's why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you and now I've found you!
16 I have decked my bed with tapestry coverlets of variegated linen from Egypt;
My bed is made, covered with colorful linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I've sprinkled perfume on my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us revel in love until the morning, let us delight ourselves with loves.
Come with me, let's make love until the morning. Let's enjoy one another in our love-making!
19 For the husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
My husband isn't home; he's gone on a long trip.
20 he hath taken the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of the full moon.
He took a bag of money with him, and he won't be coming back until the full moon.”
21 With her much enticement she beguiled him; with the smoothness of her lips she constrained him.
She convinced him with all that she said; she seduced him with her smooth talking.
22 He went after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as stocks [serve] for the correction of the fool;
He followed her right away, like an ox to the slaughter. Like a stag that's caught in a snare
23 till an arrow strike through his liver: as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for its life.
until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird flying into a trap, he's unaware he will pay with his life.
24 And now, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
So now listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I'm saying.
25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths:
Don't even think about following her. Don't stray down her road.
26 for she hath cast down many wounded, and all slain by her were strong.
For she has brought down and destroyed a lot of men; she's killed so many.
