Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with you.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of your eye.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers, write them on the table of your heart.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister; and call understanding your kinswoman:
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
I saw amongst the simple ones. I discerned amongst the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every 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 to him,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For the manager is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him, 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 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
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 liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life.
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 Listen to me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 For she has cast down many wounded: yes, many strong men have been slain by her.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
