Proverbs 7
7
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
1My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11(She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14“Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer#7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool stepping into a noose#7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
23till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
24Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Proverbs 7
7
1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. 2Keep my commandments, and live; and my teaching, as the apple of thine eye. 3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the tablet of thy heart. 4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call intelligence thy kinswoman: 5that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words.
6For at the window of my house, I looked forth through my lattice, 7and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the sons, a young man void of understanding, 8passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, 9in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness. 10And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart. 11She is clamorous and unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house: 12now without, now in the broadways, — and she lieth in wait at every corner. 13And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows: 15therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek earnestly thy face, and I have found thee. 16I have decked my bed with tapestry coverlets of variegated linen from Egypt; 17I have perfumed my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18Come, let us revel in love until the morning, let us delight ourselves with loves. 19For the husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey; 20he hath taken the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of the full moon. 21With her much enticement she beguiled him; with the smoothness of her lips she constrained him. 22He went after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as stocks serve for the correction of the fool; 23till an arrow strike through his liver: as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for its life.
24And now, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth. 25Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths: 26for she hath cast down many wounded, and all slain by her were strong. 27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.