Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my sayings, and, my commandments, treasure by thee;
My son, accept what I say and value my instructions.
2 Keep my commandments and live, and mine instruction, as the pupil of thine eye;
Do what I tell you and you will live. Observe my teachings, valuing them as your main focus in life.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them, on the tablet of thy heart;
Tie them to your fingers; write them in your mind.
4 Say unto wisdom, My sister, thou! and, an acquaintance, call thou, understanding:
Tell wisdom, “You're my sister,” and call insight your best friend.
5 That thou mayest be kept, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who, with her speeches, doth flatter.
They will protect you from the immoral woman, from the prostitute with her seductive words.
6 For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
One time I looked through the lattice of the window in my house,
7 And saw among the simple ones, discerned among the youths, A young man lacking sense;
and I saw among the immature young men one who had no sense at all.
8 Passing through the street, near her corner, and, on the way to her house, he sauntered along;
He was walking down the street near the corner where she lived and took the road passing her house.
9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the midst of the night, and the gloom;
It was at dusk in the evening, as the light was fading and the dark night closed in.
10 And lo! a woman, came to meet him, attired as one unchaste, of a wily heart.
Then out came a woman came to meet him. She was dressed as a prostitute and had deceptive intentions.
11 Boisterous, is she, and rebellious, In her house, abide not her feet;
(She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.
12 Now outside, now in the broadways, and, near every corner, she lieth in wait:
One moment she'd be walking the streets, the next she'd be there in the town squares, loitering at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and, embolding her face, she said to him:
She grabbed hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she told him,
14 Peace-offerings, are by me, to-day, have I paid my vows;
“I sacrificed my peace offering today, and paid my vows.
15 For this cause, came I forth to meet thee, to seek diligently thy face, and I have found thee:
That's why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you and now I've found you!
16 Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn of Egypt;
My bed is made, covered with colorful linens from Egypt.
17 I have sprinkled my bed, with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon:
I've sprinkled perfume on my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come! let us take our fill of endearments, until morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses;
Come with me, let's make love until the morning. Let's enjoy one another in our love-making!
19 For the husband is not in his house, he hath gone on a journey afar;
My husband isn't home; he's gone on a long trip.
20 A bag of silver, hath he taken in his hand, On the day of the full moon, will he enter his house.
He took a bag of money with him, and he won't be coming back until the full moon.”
21 She turneth him aside, with her great persuasiveness, —with the flattery of her lips, she compelleth him:
She convinced him with all that she said; she seduced him with her smooth talking.
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 right away, like an ox to the slaughter. Like a stag that's caught in a snare
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 pierces its liver, like a bird flying into a trap, he's unaware he will pay with his life.
24 Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend, to the sayings of my mouth;
So now listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I'm saying.
25 Let not thy heart, turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray, in her paths.
Don't even think about following her. Don't stray down her road.
26 For, many, wounded, hath she caused to fall, —yea strong men, slain wholly by her:
For she has brought down and destroyed a lot of men; she's killed so many.
