Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
My son, keep my words. Lay up 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 teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
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 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 among the simple ones. I discerned among 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 subtil 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 do not stay in her house.
12 Now [is she] without, now in the streets, and lieth 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 unto 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 payed my vows.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
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 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 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 goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth 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 hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and does not know that it will cost his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye 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 thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong [men] have been slain by her.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
