Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 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,
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 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.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and does not know that it will cost his life.
24 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
