7 My child, remember what I say. Keep my commands in your mind.
2 Obey my commands, so that you live well. Keep my teaching safe. It is as valuable as your own eyes. 3 Keep it always in front of you. Think about my message all the time, as if you have written it on your heart.
4 Love wisdom in the same way that you love your sister. Be very careful to understand what is right. 5 If you do that, it will keep you safe from sin. You will not agree to sleep with an adulteress or a prostitute when she speaks sweet words to you.
6 Once I was looking out through the window of my house. 7 I saw a group of silly young men. One of them was not wise at all. 8 He was walking along the street near the house of a bad woman. 9 It was in the evening after it had become dark. 10 Then the woman came out to meet him! She was wearing the clothes of a prostitute. She knew what she wanted to do.
11 This was a woman who did not respect anyone. She was not ashamed of the bad things that she did. She never stayed at her home. 12 Instead she would stand in the streets and in the market place. She would wait at the corners of the streets to find a man.
13 Now she took hold of the young man and she kissed him. She looked into his eyes without any shame. 14 She said to him, ‘I offered a sacrifice to God today and I have the meat at my home. 15 That is why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you, and now I have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with beautiful blankets and with valuable cloths from Egypt. 17 I have splashed many kinds of perfume on my bed, like myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. 18 So come and join me for the night. We can lie in each other's arms. All night, we can enjoy as much sex as we like. 19 My husband is not at home. He has gone away on a long journey. 20 He took a big bag of money with him. He will not come back until later this month.’
21 With those sweet words she deceived the young man. She made him want to be with her. 22 Suddenly he hurried to follow her! He went like an ox that men are leading to its death. He went like a deer that is running towards a trap. 23 Then an arrow will go straight into its body and kill it! The young man was like a bird that is flying into a trap. He did not know that his life was in danger.
24 So listen to me, my sons. Listen carefully to what I am saying. 25 Do not let that kind of woman spoil your mind. Do not let her lead you away from what is right. 26 She has caused many men to fall. Because of her, too many men have thrown away their lives.
27 If you go to her house, you are on the road to death. You will soon be in your grave.
7 My son, remember my words. Don’t forget what I have told you. 2 Consider my teaching as precious as your own eyes. Obey my commands, and you will have a good life. 3 Tie them around your finger. Write them on your heart. 4 Treat wisdom like the woman you love and knowledge like the one dearest to you. 5 Wisdom will save you from that other woman, the other man’s wife, who tempts you with such sweet words.
6 One day I was looking out my window 7 at some foolish teenagers and noticed one who had no sense at all. 8 He was walking through the marketplace and came to the corner where a certain woman lived. He then turned up the road that goes by her house. 9 The day was ending. The sun had set, and it was almost dark. 10 Suddenly, there she was in front of him, dressed like a prostitute. She had plans for him. 11 She was a wild and rebellious woman who would not stay at home. 12 She walked the streets, always looking for someone to trap. 13 She grabbed the young man and kissed him. Without shame, she looked him in the eye and said, 14 “I offered a fellowship offering today. I gave what I promised to give, 15 and I still have plenty of food left. So I came out to find you, and here you are! 16 I have clean sheets on my bed—special ones from Egypt. 17 My bed smells wonderful with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let’s enjoy ourselves all night. We can make love until dawn. 19 My husband has gone on a business trip. 20 He took enough money for a long trip and won’t be home for two weeks. [ a ] ”
21 This is what the woman said to tempt the young man, and her smooth words tricked him. 22 He followed her, like a bull being led to the slaughter. He was like a deer walking into a trap, 23 where a hunter waits to shoot an arrow through its heart. The boy was like a bird flying into a net, never seeing the danger he was in.
24 Now, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say. 25 Don’t let your heart lead you to an evil woman like that. Don’t go where she wants to lead you. 26 She has brought down some of the most powerful men; she has left many dead bodies in her path. 27 Her house is the place of death. The road to it leads straight to the grave.
7 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.
7 My son, ( A ) keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.
2 ( B ) Keep my commandments and live,
And my [ a ] teaching ( C ) as the [ b ] apple of your eye.
3 ( D ) Bind them on your fingers;
( E ) Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend,
5 So that they may keep you from an [ c ] adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 For ( F ) at the window of my house
I looked out ( G ) through my lattice,
7 And I saw among the ( H ) naive,
And discerned among the [ d ] youths
A young man ( I ) lacking [ e ] sense,
8 Passing through the street near ( J ) her corner;
And he walks along the way to ( K ) her house,
9 In the ( L ) twilight, in the [ f ] evening,
In the [ g ] middle of the night and the darkness.
10 And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
( M ) Dressed as a prostitute and cunning of heart.
11 She is ( N ) boisterous and rebellious,
Her ( O ) feet do not remain at home;
12 She is now in the streets, now ( P ) in the public squares,
And ( Q ) lurks by every corner.
13 So she seizes him and kisses him,
[ h ] And with a ( R ) brazen face she says to him:
14 “ [ i ] I was due to offer ( S ) peace offerings;
Today I have ( T ) paid my vows.
15 Therefore I have come out to meet you,
To seek your presence diligently, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with ( U ) coverings,
With colored ( V ) linens of Egypt.
17 I have sprinkled my bed
With ( W ) myrrh, aloes, and ( X ) cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning;
Let’s delight ourselves with caresses.
19 For [ j ] my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a ( Y ) bag of money [ k ] with him.
At the full moon he will come home.”
21 With her many persuasions she entices him;
With her [ l ] ( Z ) flattering lips she seduces him.
22 Suddenly he follows her
As an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as [ m ] one walks in ankle bracelets to the discipline of a fool,
23 Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a ( AA ) bird hurries to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24 Now therefore, my sons, ( AB ) listen to me,
And pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Do not let your heart ( AC ) turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths.
26 For many are the [ n ] victims she has brought to ruin,
And ( AD ) numerous are all those slaughtered by her.
27 Her ( AE ) house is the way to Sheol,
Descending to the chambers of death.
7 My son, ( A ) keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live; ( B )
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart. ( C )
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words. ( D )
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense. ( E )
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, ( F ) as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly ( G ) and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.) ( H )
13 She took hold of him ( I ) and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said: ( J )
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering ( K ) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed ( L )
with myrrh, ( M ) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love! ( N )
19 My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk. ( O )
22 All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer [ a ] stepping into a noose [ b ] ( P )
23 till an arrow pierces ( Q ) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life. ( R )
24 Now then, my sons, listen ( S ) to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths. ( T )
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death. ( U )
