Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, 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 tablet of thy 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 near acquaintance;
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with 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 out through my lattice.
7 And I saw 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 He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
passing through the street near her corner, 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 middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay 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 squares, and lurking 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. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed 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 spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, 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’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For the good-man 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 hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
He has taken a 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 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 one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
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.
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 Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, 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 thy heart turn aside 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 many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
