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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Proverbs 7: NIV
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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,
pay attention to my words.
Treasure my commands that are within you.
2Obey my commands so that you may live.
Follow my teachings just as you protect the pupil of your eye.
3Tie them on your fingers.
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister.”
Give the name “my relative” to understanding
5in order to guard yourself from an adulterous woman,
from a loose woman with her smooth talk.
6From a window in my house I looked through my screen.
7I was looking at gullible people
when I saw a young man without much sense among youths
8He was crossing a street near her corner
and walking toward her house
9in the twilight,
in the evening,
in the dark hours of the night.
10A woman with an ulterior motive meets him.
She is dressed as a prostitute.
11She is loud and rebellious.
Her feet will not stay at home.
12One moment she is out on the street,
the next she is at the curb,
on the prowl at every corner.
13She grabs him and kisses him and brazenly says to him,
14“I have some sacrificial meat.
Today I kept my vows.
15That’s why I came to meet you.
Eagerly, I looked for you,
and I’ve found you.
16I’ve made my bed,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17I’ve sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy making love,
19because my husband’s not home.
He has gone on a long trip.
20He took lots of money with him.
He won’t be home for a couple of weeks.”
21With all her seductive charms, she persuades him.
With her smooth lips, she makes him give in.
22He immediately follows her
like a steer on its way to be slaughtered,
like a ram hobbling into captivity
23until an arrow pierces his heart,
like a bird darting into a trap.
He does not realize that it will cost him his life.
24Now, sons,
listen to me.
Pay attention to the words from my mouth.
25Do not let your heart be turned to her ways.
Do not wander onto her paths,
26because she has brought down many victims,
and she has killed all too many.
27Her home is the way to hell
and leads to the darkest vaults of death.
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