Proverbs 7

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

1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

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

2 Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

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

3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

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

4 Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,

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

5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

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

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

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

7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

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

8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

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

9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

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

10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

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

11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.

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

12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

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

13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

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

14 “Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.

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

15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

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

16 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, with aloes, and with cinnamon.

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

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

18 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 has gone on a long journey.

19 For my husband isn’t 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.”

20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”

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

21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

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

22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

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

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

24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

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

25 Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,

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

26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

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

27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.