Proverbs 7
1 My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.
My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
2 Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
3 Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet 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 near acquaintance;
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 the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
6 As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
7 And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
And I saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding.
8 Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,
He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
9 In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.
At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
10 And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
11 (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
12 Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
14 I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
“Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
15 Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
16 I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
17 I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
I have 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, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with caresses.
19 For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
20 He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.
He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
21 Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
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 goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of 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 strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
24 Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, And attend to the words 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; Go not astray 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 which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
