Proverbs 7

1My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.

1My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,

2Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

2Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

3Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.

3Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

4Say to wisdom, `My sister Thou <FI>art<Fi> .' And cry to understanding, `Kinswoman!'

4Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

5To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.

5That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

6For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,

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

7And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,

7And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

8Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way <FI>to<Fi> her house he doth step,

8Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,

9In the twilight--in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.

9In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.

10And, lo, a woman to meet him--(A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,

10And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,

11Noisy she <FI>is<Fi> , and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.

11Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

12Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) --

12Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

13And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,

13And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

14`Sacrifices of peace-offerings <FI>are<Fi> by me, To-day I have completed my vows.

14I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

15Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.

15Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.

16<FI> With<Fi> ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works--cotton of Egypt.

16I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.

17I sprinkled my bed--myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

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

18Come, we are filled <FI>with<Fi> loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.

18Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.

19For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.

19For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.

20A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'

20He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.

21She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.

21She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.

22He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,

22Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,

23Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it <FI>is<Fi> for its life.

23Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.

24And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.

24Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,

25Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.

26For many <FI>are<Fi> the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty <FI>are<Fi> all her slain ones.

26For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.

27The ways of Sheol--her house, Going down unto inner chambers of death!

27Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.