Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.
2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes;
3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart.
4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:
5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.
6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,
Looking out from my house, and watching through the window,
7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
I saw among the young men one without sense,
8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.
Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house,
9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,
At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night.
10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,
And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart;
11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.
12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road.
13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him:
14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected.
15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you.
16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices.
18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights.
19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
For the master of the house is away on a long journey:
20 He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.
He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon.
21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips.
22 Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,
The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord;
23 Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
24 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth;
25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army.
