Proverbs 7
1 My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.
My son! Keep my sayings, And lay up my commands with you.
2 Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of your eye.
3 Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
Bind them on your fingers, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,
Say to wisdom, “You [are] my sister.” And cry to understanding, “Relative!”
5 That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.
To preserve you from a strange woman, From a stranger who has made her sayings smooth.
6 As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
For at a window of my house, I have looked out through my casement,
7 And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
And I see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
8 Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,
Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he steps,
9 In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.
In the twilight—in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
10 And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
And behold, a woman to meet him—(A harlot’s dress, and watchful of heart,
11 (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
She [is] noisy, and stubborn, her feet do not rest in her house.
12 Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And she lies in wait near every corner)—
13 So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
And she laid hold on him and kissed him, She has hardened her face and says to him,
14 I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
“Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, Today I have completed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
Therefore I have come forth to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I find you.
16 I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
I decked my bed [with] ornamental coverings, Carved works—cotton of Egypt.
17 I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
I sprinkled my bed [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, we are filled [with] love until the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
19 For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
For the man is not in his house, He has gone on a long journey.
20 He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.
He has taken a bag of money in his hand, At the day of the new moon he comes to his house.”
21 Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
She turns him aside with the abundance of her speech, She forces him with the flattery of her lips.
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 is going after her straight away, he comes as an ox to the slaughter, And as a chain to the discipline of a fool,
23 Till a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.
Until an arrow splits his liver, As a bird has hurried to a snare, And has not known that it [is] for its life.
24 Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
And now, you sons, listen to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
26 For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, and the strong men are all slaine by her.
For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
