Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my sayings, and, my commandments, treasure by thee;
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments and live, and mine instruction, as the pupil 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, on the tablet of thy heart;
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, My sister, thou! and, an acquaintance, call thou, understanding:
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 That thou mayest be kept, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who, with her speeches, doth flatter.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 And saw among the simple ones, discerned among the youths, A young man lacking sense;
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, on the way to her house, he sauntered along;
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the midst of the night, and the gloom;
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And lo! a woman, came to meet him, attired as one unchaste, of a wily heart.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 Boisterous, is she, and rebellious, In her house, abide not her feet;
She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
12 Now outside, now in the broadways, and, near every corner, she lieth in wait:
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and, embolding her face, she said to him:
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 Peace-offerings, are by me, to-day, have I paid my vows;
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 For this cause, came I forth to meet thee, to seek diligently 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 Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn 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 endearments, until morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses;
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For the husband is not in his house, he hath gone on a journey afar;
For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 A bag of silver, hath he taken in his hand, On the day of the full moon, will he enter his house.
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 She turneth him aside, with her great persuasiveness, —with the flattery of her lips, she compelleth him:
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Going after her instantly, as an ox, to the slaughter, he entereth, and, as in fetters, unto the correction of a fool.
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 Until an arrow cleaveth his liver, as a bird hasteth into a snare, and knoweth not, that, for his life, it is!
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 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend, to the sayings 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, Do not go astray, in her paths.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
26 For, many, wounded, hath she caused to fall, —yea strong men, slain wholly by her:
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
