Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within yourself.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
2 Keep my commands and live and keep my instruction as the apple of your eye.
Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
3 Tie them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
5 in order to keep yourself from the adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her smooth words.
That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
6 At the window of my house I was looking out through the lattice.
For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,
7 I looked at the naive people, and I noticed among the young men a youth who had no sense.
And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
8 That young man passed down the street near her corner, and he went toward her house.
Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.
9 It was twilight, in the evening of the day, at the time of night and darkness.
In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,
10 There a woman met him, dressed like a prostitute, with a false heart.
And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,
11 She was loud and wayward; her feet did not stay at home.
Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
12 Now in the streets, then in the market place, and at every corner she waited in ambush.
Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
13 So she grabbed him and kissed him, with a strong face she said to him,
And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
14 “I made my peace offering today, I paid my vows,
I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
15 so came I out to meet you, to eagerly seek your face, and I have found you.
Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
16 I have spread coverings on my bed, colored linens from Egypt.
I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from 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 drink our fill of love until morning; let us take great pleasure in acts of love.
Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
19 For my husband is not at his house; he has gone on a long journey.
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
20 He took a bag of money with him; he will return on the day of the full moon.”
He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.
21 With much talk she turned him; with her smooth lips she misled him.
She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
22 He went after her suddenly like an ox going to slaughter, like a deer caught in a trap,
Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,
23 until an arrow pierces through its liver. He was like a bird rushing into a snare. He did not know that it would cost his life.
Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 May your heart not turn aside onto her paths; do not be led astray onto her paths.
Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
26 She has caused many people to fall down pierced; her dead victims are very many.
For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
