Proverbs 7
1 My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.
My son, observe my sayings, and my commandments must thou treasure up with thee.
2 Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
Observe my commandments, and live: and my teaching as the apple of thy eyes.
3 Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
Bind them around thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5 That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.
That they may keep thee from an adulterous woman, from an alien that useth flattering speeches.
6 As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
For through the window of my house, through my lattice did I [once] look out,
7 And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a lad void of sense;
8 Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,
He was passing through the market-place near her corner; and he stepped along on the way to her house,
9 In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the depth of the night and when it was dark:
10 And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
And, behold, a woman came to meet him with the attire of a harlot, and obdurate of heart.
11 (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
(She is noisy and ungovernable; in her house her feet never rest;
12 Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
At one time she is in the street, at another in the open places, and near every corner doth she lurk, )
13 So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
And she caught hold of him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him,
14 I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
“I had bound myself to bring peace-offerings; this day have I paid my vows:
15 Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
Therefore am I come forth to meet thee, to seek thy presence diligently, and I have found thee.
16 I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
With tapestry coverings have I decked my bed, with embroidered coverlids of the fine linen of Egypt.
17 I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
I have sprinkled my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning: let vs take our pleasure in daliance.
Come, let us indulge in love until the morning: let us delight ourselves with dalliances.
19 For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
For the man is not in his house, he is gone on a journey a great way off:
20 He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.
The bag of money hath he taken with him, by the day of the new-moon festival only will he come home.”
21 Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
She seduced him by the abundance of her reasoning: by the flattery of her lips she misguided him.
22 And he followed her straight wayes, as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter, and as a foole to the stockes for correction,
He followed after her suddenly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as in fetters to his correction, the fool:
23 Till a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.
Till an arrow cleaveth through his liver; as a bird hasteneth into the snare, and knoweth not that it is done to take his life.
24 Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
And now, O children, hearken unto me, and listen to the sayings of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.
Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways, do not go astray on her paths.
26 For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, and the strong men are all slaine by her.
For many deadly wounded hath she caused to fall: yea, very numerous are all those slain by her.
