Proverbs 7
1 My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.
My son! Keep my sayings, And lay up my commands with you.
2 Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.
Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of your eye.
3 Bind them on 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 to wisdom, 'My sister Thou [art].' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'
Say to wisdom, “You [are] my sister.” And cry to understanding, “Relative!”
5 To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.
To preserve you from a strange woman, From a stranger who has made her sayings smooth.
6 For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,
For at a window of my house, I have looked out through my casement,
7 And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
And I see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
8 Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he doth step,
Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he steps,
9 In the twilight — in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
In the twilight—in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
10 And, lo, a woman to meet him — (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,
And behold, a woman to meet him—(A harlot’s dress, and watchful of heart,
11 Noisy she [is], and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.
She [is] noisy, and stubborn, her feet do not rest in her house.
12 Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) —
Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And she lies in wait near every corner)—
13 And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,
And she laid hold on him and kissed him, She has hardened her face and says to him,
14 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, To-day I have completed my vows.
“Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, Today I have completed my vows.
15 Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.
Therefore I have come forth to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I find you.
16 [With] ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works — cotton of Egypt.
I decked my bed [with] ornamental coverings, Carved works—cotton of Egypt.
17 I sprinkled my bed — myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I sprinkled my bed [with] myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, we are filled [with] loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
Come, we are filled [with] love until the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
19 For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.
For the man is not in his house, He has gone on a long journey.
20 A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'
He has taken a bag of money in his hand, At the day of the new moon he comes to his house.”
21 She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.
She turns him aside with the abundance of her speech, She forces him with the flattery of her lips.
22 He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,
He is going after her straight away, he comes as an ox to the slaughter, And as a chain to the discipline of a fool,
23 Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it [is] for its life.
Until an arrow splits his liver, As a bird has hurried to a snare, And has not known that it [is] for its life.
24 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
And now, you sons, listen to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
25 Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
Do not let your heart turn to her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
26 For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
