Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes;
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Looking out from my house, and watching through the window,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 I saw among the young men one without sense,
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house,
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night.
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart;
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road.
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him:
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt;
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights.
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For the master of the house is away on a long journey:
For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon.
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord;
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24 So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth;
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
