Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;
Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;
5 That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.
6 For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7 And I saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding.
And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;
9 At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
10 And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
11 One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;
12 Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
13 She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:
14 “Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have sprinkled 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 caresses.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
20 He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.'
21 By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.
22 He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;
23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare — and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.
24 Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, And attend to the words of my mouth!
Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways; Go not astray in her paths!
Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain.
