Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
So I came out to meet you; I sought you, 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 decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
