Proverbs 7
1 My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple 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,
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
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,
passing through the street near her corner, he went 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 middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
I have perfumed 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’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
For my husband isn’t at home. 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 with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced 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 her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
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 strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24 Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, and the strong men are all slaine by her.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
