Proverbs 7
1 My son, heed my advice, and guard my instructions [as you would] [MET] [guard] a treasure.
My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
2 Obey my commands, and [as a result you will] live [a good life]. Consider the things that I teach you [to be very precious]; guard them, [just] like you protect your eyes.
Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
3 Tie my commands around your fingers [in order that they will remind you to obey them]. Always keep them in mind [MET].
Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!
4 [Love] wisdom [like you love] your sister. Understand what is wise, [and let that be as dear to you as] members of your family.
Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;
5 If you are wise and if you understand what is wise [PRS], you will not [sleep with] an immoral woman; you will not listen to a woman who tries to entice you [to sleep with her] by what she says.
That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
6 One day, I was standing at the window inside my house, and I looked outside.
For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
7 I saw some young men who did not have good sense. Among them was a man who was very foolish.
And I saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding.
8 He crossed the street near [the house of] an immoral woman. He was walking along the path toward her house
He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
9 at twilight, when it was getting dark [DOU].
At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
10 Suddenly the woman came out to see/meet him. She was dressed (seductively/like a prostitute), wanting to persuade him to sleep with her.
And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
11 She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious; she [SYN] never stayed at home.
One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
12 She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets, waiting to trap some man.
Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
13 [When she saw that young man], she put her arms around him and kissed him. Then without being a bit ashamed, she said,
She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
14 “I have [some meat that is left over from] a sacrifice that I made today [to maintain fellowship with Yahweh]; I have fulfilled/done what I promised him that I would do.
“Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
15 And now I have come out to meet/see you. I was searching for you, and [now] I have found you!
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
16 I have put on my bed sheets/bedspreads that were made from [very fine] linen [that were imported] {[people brought]} from Egypt.
I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
17 I have sprinkled [sweet-smelling] perfumes on my bed— myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.
I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come [with me]; let us enjoy having sex until [tomorrow] morning. Let’s enjoy making love.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with caresses.
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone away on a long journey.
For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
20 He is carrying a wallet filled with money, and he will not return until the middle of this month.”
He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
21 [So] she persuaded him by [her] enticing/tempting words. She allured him by her smooth/sweet talk.
By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
22 [And] he went with her immediately, like an ox that was going to where it would be slaughtered, or like a deer (OR, a fool) that is stepping into a noose/trap,
He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
23 where it will remain/stay until someone shoots an arrow into its liver [and kills it]. [He was] like a bird that flew into a trap. He did not know that (it would cost him his life/he would die as a result).
Till an arrow strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
24 My son, listen to what I say; pay [careful] attention to my words.
Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, And attend to the words of my mouth!
25 Do not allow anything to arouse/persuade you to go with an immoral woman like that. Do not go where she goes.
Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways; Go not astray in her paths!
26 She has caused many men to be ruined; truly, no one can count the men she has killed.
For many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
