Proverbs 7
1 My son, accept what I say and value my instructions.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Do what I tell you and you will live. Observe my teachings, valuing them as your main focus in life.
Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3 Tie them to your fingers; write them in your mind.
Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the table of thine heart.
4 Tell wisdom, “You're my sister,” and call insight your best friend.
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
5 They will protect you from the immoral woman, from the prostitute with her seductive words.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6 One time I looked through the lattice of the window in my house,
For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7 and I saw among the immature young men one who had no sense at all.
And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 He was walking down the street near the corner where she lived and took the road passing her house.
Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;
9 It was at dusk in the evening, as the light was fading and the dark night closed in.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
10 Then out came a woman came to meet him. She was dressed as a prostitute and had deceptive intentions.
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and wily of heart.
11 (She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.
She is clamorous, and wilful; her feet abide not in her house:
12 One moment she'd be walking the streets, the next she'd be there in the town squares, loitering at every corner.)
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
13 She grabbed hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she told him,
So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an impudent face she said unto him:
14 “I sacrificed my peace offering today, and paid my vows.
Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 That's why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you and now I've found you!
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 My bed is made, covered with colorful linens from Egypt.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I've sprinkled perfume on my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come with me, let's make love until the morning. Let's enjoy one another in our love-making!
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 My husband isn't home; he's gone on a long trip.
For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He took a bag of money with him, and he won't be coming back until the full moon.”
He hath taken a bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.
21 She convinced him with all that she said; she seduced him with her smooth talking.
With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forceth him away.
22 He followed her right away, like an ox to the slaughter. Like a stag that's caught in a snare
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as fetters to the correction of the fool;
23 until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird flying into a trap, he's unaware he will pay with his life.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 So now listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I'm saying.
Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Don't even think about following her. Don't stray down her road.
Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she has brought down and destroyed a lot of men; she's killed so many.
For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
