Proverbs 7

1 My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.

2 Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

3 Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,

5 that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.

6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.

7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,

8 crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,

9 at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.

10 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.

11 She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.

12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.

13 She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:

14 “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.

15 So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!

19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

20 He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”

21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.

22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,

23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.

24 Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.

26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.

27 Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

1 ¶ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

4 Say unto wisdom, Thou [art] my sister; and call understanding [thy] kinswoman:

5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger [which] flattereth with her words.

6 ¶ For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

10 And, behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

11 (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

12 Now [is she] without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, [and] with an impudent face said unto him,

14 [I have] peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved [works], with fine linen of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

19 For the goodman [is] not at home, he is gone a long journey:

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, [and] will come home at the day appointed.

21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life.

24 ¶ Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong [men] have been slain by her.

27 Her house [is] the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

1 My child, keep my speech, and hide my commandments from you.

2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my law as the apple of thine eye.

3 Put them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart!

4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call prudence thy friend,

5 That thou mayest be preserved from a strange woman, from another that speaketh evil words.

6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice, and saw among the silly ones

7 And perceived among the children a foolish youth,

8 Who walked in the street at a corner, and therefore stood in the way at her house,

9 At twilight, in the evening of the day, when it was night and dark.

10 And, behold, there met him a woman in whoredom, crafty,

11 Wild and unruly, that their feet cannot abide in their house.

12 Now she's out, now in the alley, lurking on every corner.

13 And caught him, and kissed him brazenly, and said unto him:

14 I have paid peace offerings for myself this day, for my vows.

15 Therefore I went out to meet thee, to seek thy face early, and found thee.

16 I have beautifully decorated my bed with colorful carpets from Egypt.

17 I have sprinkled my camp with myrrh, and with aloes, and with the name of tin.

18 Come, let us strive enough until the morning, and let us cultivate love;

19 For the man is not at home, he has gone a far way;

20 He has taken the money bag with him; he will not come home until the feast.

21 She persuaded him with many words, and won him in with her smooth mouth.

22 He followed her straightway, as an ox is led to a meat-box, and as to a fetter, where fools are chastened,

23 Till she split his liver with the arrow, as a bird hasteth to the rope, and knoweth not that life is for him.

24 Obey me therefore, my children, and hearken unto the words of my mouth.

25 Let not thine heart be turned aside into their way, neither let thine heart be deceived into their paths.

26 For she hath wounded and killed many, and all mighty men are slain by her.

27 Her house are ways to hell, where one goeth down into the chamber of death.