7:1 My son, keep my words and store up my commandments within you. |
7:2 Keep my commandments and live; and keep my law as the apple of your eye. |
7:3 Bind them upon your fingers; write them upon the tablet of your heart. |
7:4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister;" and call understanding your kinsman, |
7:5 So that they may keep you from the wanton woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words. |
7:6 For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, |
7:7 And I saw among the simple ones, among the youths, a young man with no understanding, |
7:8 Passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house |
7:9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. |
7:10 And, behold, there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot and a wily heart. |
7:11 She is loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay in her house; |
7:12 Now she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner. |
7:13 And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him, |
7:14 "I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows. |
7:15 Therefore I came out to meet you, earnestly to seek your face, and I have found you. |
7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with fine linen of Egypt. |
7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us delight ourselves with caresses, |
7:19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. |
7:20 He has taken a bag of silver with him and will come home on the day of the full moon." |
7:21 With much alluring, seductive speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she induced him. |
7:22 He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks |
7:23 Until a dart strikes through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare and does not know that it will cost him his life. |
7:24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth. |
7:25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not go astray in her paths, |
7:26 For she has cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her. |
7:27 Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death. |